{"id":25833,"date":"2024-09-04T19:23:41","date_gmt":"2024-09-04T19:23:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/medicare-vs-medicare-advantage-educational-event\/"},"modified":"2026-03-31T05:28:24","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T05:28:24","slug":"medicare-vs-medicare-advantage-educational-event","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/medicare-vs-medicare-advantage-educational-event\/","title":{"rendered":"Medicare vs. Medicare Advantage educational event"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Medicare
Medicare or Medicare Advantage? event poster. (Courtesy Karen Sheek)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n

On Sept. 14 at 10:15 a.m.., the League of Women Voters will host a \u201cMedicare or Medicare Advantage?\u201d event to help people \u2013 especially those around 65 years old \u2013 choose an insurance plan that best fits their needs.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are so many plans out there,\u201d said Karen Sheek, the leader of Montezuma County\u2019s LWV. \u201cYou\u2019re bombarded with information once you turn 65.\u201d<\/p>\n

The event will be a panel discussion with an insurance agent and physicians, both retired and practicing, available to answer questions. It\u2019ll take place in the County Annex building at 107 N. Chestnut St.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re doing it now because open season begins in October,\u201d Sheek said.<\/p>\n

Open season is when people can change their insurance plans. It\u2019s complex, so they\u2019re hopeful a lot of people will go and get good information before October, Sheek said.<\/p>\n

Medicare has been around since 1965. Medicare Advantage, on the other hand, started in 2003 when private health care companies came into the picture. The government pays the private companies, and they manage people\u2019s care, Sheek said.<\/p>\n

Under Medicare Advantage, subscribers are limited to a fairly narrow network of providers. If they go out of network, they\u2019re forced to pay big bills.<\/p>\n

It really all depends on personal health care needs: Medicare could work well for one person, and not for another. Same goes for Medicare Advantage. There are people on both sides, it\u2019s just important to be informed, Sheek said.<\/p>\n

To summarize, there\u2019s major differences between the plans and there\u2019s a narrow window once you turn 65 to decide on just one of them.<\/p>\n

\u201cEven if you\u2019re not at the stage to sign up, maybe you have parents or grandparents or friends who\u2019ll be turning 65 soon,\u201d said Sheek. \u201cThe more education you have, the better decision you can make.\u201d<\/p>\n