COLUMBUS — The Ohio Senior Health Insurance Information Program (OSHIIP) is providing free and unbiased Medicare insight, plan comparison, and enrollment assistance during Medicare’s Oct. 15 to Dec. 7 open enrollment period for Ohioans to select coverage for 2024, Ohio Department of Insurance Director Judith L. French announced.
OSHIIP, the State of Ohio’s official Medicare educational and counseling program and part of the Ohio Department of Insurance, is conducting virtual and on-site Medicare Checkup events in communities across the state. Participants will learn Medicare fundamentals, what’s new, how to compare plans, prescription drug coverage options, and ways to save money.
“OSHIIP is here to help Ohioans on Medicare make informed decisions when it comes to selecting the Medicare health insurance options that best fit their needs,” French said. “Careful evaluation of plan options is imperative because plans may have different benefits, out-of-pocket costs, covered prescription drugs, in-network physicians, and premiums than the year before.”
Medicare plan information can be found and enrollment completed at medicare.gov.
Medicare has implemented new marketing guidelines for representatives of Medicare plans, including prohibiting asking for personal information, such as bank account or credit card numbers over the phone, unless it is needed to process an enrollment request.
OSHIIP Director Chris Reeg recently testified before the United States Senate Finance Committee in Washington, D.C. on the topic of cracking down on deceptive practices and improving senior experiences.
A Medicare Checkup events calendar and virtual Medicare counseling scheduling tool are located at insurance.ohio.gov/medicare. OSHIIP representatives are also available at oshiipmail@insurance.ohio.gov and 800-686-1578. Medicare representatives can be reached at 800-MEDICARE (800-633-4227) and medicare.gov.