Are you a Caregiver of a Medicare recipient? Along with a myriad of other assistance and support, you may also worry or wonder if their Medicare coverages are in good order. Good news! We’re here to help. It is not uncommon for us to begin caregiving for a friend or loved one long before we, ourselves, are eligible for Medicare. It can feel like a complex rabbit hole to fall into when you’ve had no experience with it.
Imagine how that feels to a person who may be experiencing cognitive decline, where they may become easily confused or overwhelmed with their choices, or have difficulty with making decisions. Perhaps their Medicare plans were in good order prior to the change in their condition, so you haven’t given it much thought. That may still be the case, but it’s always good to double-check. You see, Medicare Advantage Plans and Part D prescription plans change every year, for both costs and coverages. What may have worked perfectly in the past, may no longer do so for 2026, and beyond.
It’s to their advantage to check. There are a few stipulations to that. To do so, you may:
1. Attend an appointment with the person. With their permission, you can be present to hear and see the information in case they need you to assist with decisions or to help with their recall of the information later. We’ll teach you how it works, too.
2. You may be designated as an Authorized Representative, with a signed document providing permission for you to act on their behalf for Medicare plan decisions, if they are not able to attend with you.
3. You may obtain a signed Durable Power of Attorney form. This may be solely for healthcare or financial, or both. In this instance they still have rights to make decisions for themselves unless two physicians certify incapacity.
4. You may seek full Guardianship, which provides you with the right to make all healthcare decisions.
We often see friends or loved ones with a Medicare recipient, and they’re grateful for their Caregiver’s presence. Most plans can only be changed during Open Enrollment, so now is the time to schedule those appointments. Open Enrollment occurs every year from October 15 through December 7. Call 800-803-7174 today to schedule your appointment!
The State Health Insurance Program (SHIP), formerly known as MMAP, has offices in every Michigan county. SHIP is a free, unbiased Medicare counseling service provided to you via local, state, and federal grants.