May is National Older Americans Month, in celebration of the elder community, AAA Western and Central New York continues to offer free Medicare review and information sessions.

 Medicare can be confusing and complex, yet most of us will have to navigate it someday. In short, Medicare is the federal insurance program for people who are 65 or older, certain younger people with disabilities and people with End-Stage Renal Disease.  

Medicare has four main "Parts" that cover specific services. These are:

• Part A for hospital insurance. This is for inpatient hospital stays, care in a skilled nursing facility, hospice care and some health care services. 
• Part B for medical insurance. This covers certain doctor's services, outpatient care, medical supplies and preventative services.
• Part C aka Medicare Advantage. This is Medicare through a health care provider.
• Part D for prescription drug coverage. Part D adds prescription drug coverage to original Medicare and Medicare-related plans.

To help the public navigate the journey through Medicare, AAA Western and Central New York is offering online Medicare workshops free of charge. With so many questions surrounding Medicare, AAA’s trained insurance agents will host virtual Medicare webinar sessions to answer questions for AAA members and nonmembers alike:

May 19 – Medicare 101 at 1:00 p.m.

June 1 – Medicare 101 at 2:00 p.m.

June 15 – Medicare Retirement at 11:00 a.m.

Anyone interested in attending these virtual events can sign up online in advance. 

Navigating the Medicare process alone can be difficult, and it can be time consuming. By taking part in a free workshop, participants can talk to an expert who's AHIP (America's Health Insurance Plans) licensed, gets recertified, and licensed annually to understand Medicare plans. Unless the average consumer is doing that, they're not going to know as much as about insurance as a professional.

To learn more about AAA’s Medicare workshops, call AAA at 855-862-6651 for more information, or sign up for one of AAA’s Medicare Workshops, with the link above.