Western Illinois Area Agency on Aging, or WIAAA, serves ten counties located near the Quad Cities, including Rock Island. 2024’s Medicare open-enrollment period began on October 15th and goes until December 7th. During this time, WIAAA is holding walk-in events for residents in the area needing the appropriate services.
WIAAA assists elderly and disabled clients, remaining, above all, a resource center. Its programs, like Benefit Access and Options Counseling, break down for older adults complexities concerning matters seemingly small, such as how to obtain the proper tags for license plates and even free bus passes. The Matter of Balance initiative, too, guides seniors through the management of their physical activity.
To be eligible for Medicare support, individuals must be over the age of 65, but they need not be disabled. The emergence of Medicare’s open-enrollment period has opened room for clients to make appointments for the necessary guidance they’re seeking. WIAAA aids Medicare participants by reviewing their current Medicare Advantage Plan or their Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
WIAAA has also trained Senior Health Insurance Program, or SHIP, counselors to provide free and unbiased counseling for Medicare participants and their caregivers. Ashlie Mettler, WIAAA’s information and assistance coordinator, is one of those counselors, and she’s been assisting clients with their questions and concerns.
One enrollment event already occurred on November 5th, but three others are scheduled before the period ends: one on November 19th and two to come on the 3rd and 4th of December. Most appointments have been booked, but there is still availability. These events present the opportunity for walk-ins, and they’re offered on a first come, first serve basis, meaning anyone can come in to get an appointment, though they might face slight wait times. If WIAAA’s staff knows they’ll be long, however, clients might be asked to leave but could be called back at a later time about possible rescheduling.
Mettler said her office door has recently been opening and closing constantly with clients, because of the demand around this time of the year, but she and the receptionists she works with are ready to meet the needs of whoever may come in at their location.
“It's such a hot commodity, and so, unfortunately, we have way more clients than we do appointments, and so these days definitely give our clients an opportunity. Even though they couldn't get in on our books, they can still come in and take advantage of this, still get seen, and still get their drug plans changed,” Mettler said.
Medicare participants can best prepare themselves for these events by bringing along with them a photo ID, their Medicare card, and lists of their medications and prescriptions.
The Medicare open-enrollment events are held at 729 34th Avenue in Rock Island, Illinois. For more information about them, those in need of direction can call WIAAA at 309-793-6800 or visit its website at www.wiaaa.org.
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