By Barbara Wilcox Lumen reimburses Pre-1991 and ERO-1992 Retirees for the Medicare Part B premium they pay to the government plus any Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA) they may pay because they […]
Medicare Costs in 2026
By Barbara Wilcox, SHIP Counselor CMS has announced increases in Medicare costs for 2026, something that happens most years. The good news is that we got a 2.8 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) […]
Enrollment Periods and Things to Watch For
By Barbara Wilcox SHIP Counselor If you don’t want to make any changes to your Company or Medicare health care coverage for 2026, you do not need to do anything. Medicare Open […]
Medicare 101 Webinar Series – Last class for 2025.
Hosted by DRCOG/SHIP Program and LUMEN Knowing the facts about Medicare and how it may factor into your future is important to your overall retirement plan. Join these quarterly 60-minute Medicare webinars […]
Medicare Scams and How to Watch Out for Them
– By Barbara Wilcox, SHIP Counselor – Have you ever received a phone call from someone who claims to be from Medicare or “the government” who says they need your Medicare number […]
Your Medicare Rights
By Barbara Wilcox, SHIP Counselor As many years as I’ve been on Medicare, and as many years as I’ve been a SHIP counselor helping others who are on Medicare, I hadn’t stopped […]
Contact your Beneficiary and Family Centered Quality Improvement Organization (BFCC-QIO)*
By Barbara Wilcox Advocates work by phone with Medicare beneficiaries, family members, or other representatives to resolve complaints quickly. Immediate advocacy can address many types of problems. Area BFCC-QIO Phone States1 . […]
Medicare 101 Webinar Series Updates
Hosted by DRCOG/SHIP Program and Lumen Knowing the facts about Medicare and how it may factor into your future is important to your overall retirement plan. Join these quarterly 60-minute Medicare webinars […]
Medicare: What’s New in 2025?
By Barbara Wilcox, SHIP Counselor (Updated 1/10/2025) The biggest changes in 2025 that affect the most people are in Medicare prescription drug coverage. There is a new $2000 annual cap on out-of-pocket […]
Medicare Costs in 2025
By Barbara Wilcox, SHIP Counselor Medicare costs are increasing again in 2025. The good news is that we got a 2.5 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) in our Social Security benefits for 2025. […]



