Benefits Assessments & Application Assistance

Are you or a loved one 65 or older? Take advantage of the annual open enrollment period to find the health insurance plan right for you. Open Enrollment is the time each year when a person can review their current health care plan, make changes to it, or sign up for a new plan if they do not already have coverage through their job, Medicare, Medicaid or another form of health coverage. 

Different types of coverage – whether under the Affordable Care Act or Medicare – have slightly different deadlines, so be sure to double check the deadline for the coverage you choose. 

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Medicare Initial Enrollment Period

The initial enrollment period for Medicare lasts for 7 months, starting the 3 months before your 65th birthday, continuing through the month of your birthday, and ending 3 months following your birthday. This period is the best time to sign up for Medicare. You can avoid late penalties down the road, and not miss a minute of your coverage.

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Annual Enrollment Period

The annual enrollment period is a set time where you can reassess your health needs, review your current plan against other plans on offer and potentially change which plan you receive coverage under.

-Enrollment Period for Medicare: October 15 – December 7
Visit: Medicaid.gov

-Enrollment Period for Medicaid: November 1 – January 15
Visit: HealthCare.gov 

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Benefits Checkup

Regardless of your age, the Benefits Enrollment Center can see if you qualify for the benefits available from more than 1,300 federal, state and local programs like help with utilities, food, transportation, housing assistance, and more. Our Benefits Enrollment Center has helped thousands of people in Northeast Ohio and beyond get the help they need.

After your benefits checkup, we can help you:

–Resolve problems with benefit applications, delays in processing applications, and using benefits 

–Fill out applications

–Submit completed applications online or by mail