Medicare enrollment deadline is tomorrow

Medicare changed the sign-up schedule this year and seniors must enroll in plans by Dec. 7.

Arizona Republic: New Medicare Enrollment Deadline Nears
Seniors enrolled in Medicare have until Wednesday to select a medical and prescription-drug plan for 2012. Medicare moved up its enrollment deadline to Wednesday from the traditional Dec. 31 deadline. Consumers who have Medicare and have not selected a plan have until Wednesday to switch plans. Even those who decide to stick with existing plans are encouraged to review their options because plans can change from year to year (Alltucker, 12/5).

Meanwhile, another story looks at five tips for navigating Medicare.

Kaiser Health News: What Every Baby Boomer Should Know About Medicare
Throughout Robert Joseph's career, the Alvin, Texas, electrician always understood his health insurance policies. "I've never had a problem," Joseph says, "until I tried to sign up for Medicare." ... when his company went bankrupt at the end of 2009 -; Joseph was then 67 -; he received 18 months of severance pay. ... He researched his Medicare handbook, which noted that "current" employees didn't need to apply for Medicare. Since he continued to get monthly severance checks that deducted Medicare taxes and he was allowed to continue buying health insurance through the same carrier for the 18 months, he thought he could wait to join Medicare. He was wrong (Mayer, 12/5).