Free in-person Help for Medicare Enrollment

Open enrollment for Medicare began Oct. 15 and continues through Dec. 7 for those who are eligible. The Hawaiʻi State Health Insurance Assistance Program is offering phone and video counseling options.

Medicare is the federal health insurance program to help pay for healthcare services for kupuna 65 years and older as well as those with disabilities, end-stage renal disease, or Lou Gehrig’s disease. Medicare has many different components and can be challenging to understand and navigate. The consultations provide objective, non-commercial information.

For those who are already Medicare beneficiaries, SHIP’s certified counselors are available to review their current plans and healthcare needs, and provide updates to original Medicare (Parts A & B), Medicare Advantage (Part C), and Prescription Drug Plans (Part D) for 2022.

Phone and Virtual Consultations: Make phone or Zoom counseling appointments at https://hawaiiship.org or by calling the Hawaiʻi SHIP Helpline at 808-586-7299 or toll-free at 1-888-875-9229. The pre-recorded message on the Hawaiʻi SHIP Helpline asks for your name, phone number, email address, zip code, a brief message about your question, and the days and times you prefer to be called. A Medicare counselor will contact those who have made an appointment within two to five business days.

For those on Oʻahu, one-hour, in-person counseling is available on Oct. 22 and 29, and Nov. 9 and 19 at Honpa Hongwanji Hawaiʻi Betsuin, 1727 Pali Hwy, in Nuʻuanu. Make in-person counseling appointments with Hawaiʻi SHIP at https://hawaiiship.org or by calling the Hawaiʻi SHIP Helpline at 808-586-7299 or toll-free at 1-888-875-9229.

Hawaiʻi SHIP, which is part of the state’s Executive Office on Aging, aims to provide no-cost, local, trusted, and unbiased Medicare help for Hawai‘i residents.