Free New to Medicare Classes Available

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Will You be New to Medicare?

Attend a Free Class to Help You Understand Your Options

There are important decisions that need to be made when you become eligible for Medicare. Making the wrong decision can lead to inadequate coverage and financial penalties. The Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging® (MNRAAA) is sponsoring monthly two-part educational sessions for people who are becoming eligible for Medicare. Sessions are intended for people who will be turning age 65 in the near future or are becoming eligible for Medicare because they have been receiving Social Security disability benefits.

This past March, MNRAAA began offering monthly two-part classes in Mankato to help individuals learn about Medicare and ways to search their coverage options. In 2017, classes will also be offered in Slayton and in Montevideo. The first session provides attendees with an overview of Medicare and their coverage options. During the second session, attendees learn how to research their options using non-biased tools, such as the Medicare website.

To find out more information and register for a class, call the Senior LinkAge Line® at  1-800-333-2433.

The Senior LinkAge Line® is a free statewide service of the Minnesota Board on Aging and Area Agencies on Aging. The Senior LinkAge Line® is the federally-designated State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) for Minnesota and is the place to call for Medicare and health insurance issues. Call 1-800-333-2433 for assistance or go to www.MinnesotaHelp.info® to chat live with a Senior LinkAge Line® specialist.

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Volunteers Help Make Medicare Open Enrollment Successful

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Another successful Medicare Open Enrollment Period (October 15 – December 7) has ended. Thanks to the hard work and numerous hours donated by our Senior LinkAge Line® volunteers, approximately 60 volunteer-staffed enrollment events were held in southwest Minnesota. Because of these events, hundreds of people were provided in-person assistance with researching their Medicare plan options for 2017.
The assistance provided by our volunteers is often times life changing. This year at one of our open enrollment sites, a volunteer met with two different people over the age of 80 to review Medicare Part D plan options. Within two hours he had assisted both people in saving an average of $10,000 each on their medication costs for 2017.

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2016 Annual Report

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The Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging® Annual Report 2016 is now available.

We hope you will enjoy reading a few of last year’s highlights.

2016 was a memorable year for Board members and staff as it marked the launch of the Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging (MNRAAA) as a stand-alone agency. Board members and staff worked together to make it a successful launch, while continuing to focus on meeting the needs of older adults and caregivers in our twenty seven county service area.

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Age-Friendly Community Building Project Opportunity

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The Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging (MNRAAA) is providing an opportunity for two communities to engage in the Age-Friendly Community Building Project. The goal of the project is to identify each community’s age-friendly assets and desired assets through community-wide surveys and focus groups. The communities will use the data from their survey and focus groups to develop and implement initiatives that will result in new and/or enhanced assets that have a positive impact on the age-friendliness of their community and the community’s livability for all ages.

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