LIFE Senior Services Expands Medicare Assistance Program

The Medicare Open Enrollment Period opens Oct. 15 and runs through Dec. 7, and the Medicare Assistance Program (MAP) at LIFE Senior Services is ready. MAP has been modified and expanded in response to COVID-19, offering additional health precautions and more convenient appointment options for Medicare beneficiaries.

Besides the traditional face-to-face Part D appointments, MAP has increased its capacity for telephone appointments as well as offering appointments via Zoom. Additionally, MAP on the MOVE is continuing to offer their four additional clinics in midtown and north Tulsa, Broken Arrow and Owasso, to augment the original clinic at LIFE Senior Services’ central office at 5950 East 31st Street. Masks are required for all face-to-face appointments and social distancing guidelines are being followed.

According to LIFE President and CEO Eileen Bradshaw, “We are happy to offer our traditional MAP clinic near 31st and Sheridan, and it remains the heart of the program.  We are also excited at the success of MAP on the MOVE, which takes this assistance to locations throughout the community. It alleviates transportation barriers and allows people to get this help close to home. It is vital that all seniors double-check their part D coverage each year, and we want to make sure we make the process as accessible and safe as we can.”

MAP’s Part D Clinics offer free, personalized and unbiased help in comparing, selecting and enrolling in a Part D plan. According to Kathy Jones, supervisor of MAP at LIFE, “Using the Medicare website, we work one-on-one with beneficiaries, helping them find the Part D plan that best fits their individual prescription and budget needs. We can help ensure that they are getting the best coverage for their money.”      

“Even if beneficiaries have been satisfied with their current Part D plan, the changes each year in plan premiums, co-pays, deductibles and drug formularies make it critically important for beneficiaries to take a fresh look at their coverage options for 2021,” Jones says.

Unfortunately, most beneficiaries don’t take time to review their drug coverage – and many will pay significantly more than necessary next year becaus¬e they are tied to a plan that no longer fits their specific prescription needs.

Last year, more LIFE helped save over $1.6 million on 2021 medications. Appointments for Part D assistance are required and can be made by calling MAP at LIFE Senior Services at (918) 664-9000, ext. 1189.