Medicare Enrollment Ends at Midnight [AUDIO]

More than 4,000 Wyomingites have saved money on prescription medications, usually about 600 dollars a year, through Medicare, but the open enrollment period ends tonight. K2 Radio talked to Mike Fierberg, public affairs specialist with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, also known as CMS.

Open enrollment ends:

FIERBERG: People can get all the information that's available about their plan choices by going to our website at medicare.gov and on the home page, you click on Compare Drug and Health Plans, and be ready to provide the kind of personal information about the prescription medications you are currently taking. We also need information from your Medicare card, as well as the name and address of two pharmacies that are close to you that you're willing to go to to get your medication. That's pretty much all we need to make sure the computer will figure out which of the available drug plans in Wyoming will make the most sense for you, and, save you some money. If you'd like, you can enroll on the spot in that same computer session and get it all done in that one stop.

SANDOVAL: What if we're not computer savvy?

FIERBERG: That's okay too. There's two ways to get help. In Wyoming you can call the Wyoming Ship program, which is operated out of the Wyoming Division of Insurance; their number is 1-800-856-4398, or, you can call us at 1-800-MEDICARE, which is 1-800-633-4227, and our phone lines are open around the clock, right up to that midnight deadline.

Mr. Fierberg said it could take around 30 minutes to enroll by phone, so call as early as possible.