Senior Health Insurance Benefits Assistance volunteers are available to help Medicare recipients understand and access the new prescription drug plans.

Sites have been established throughout the county.

People who sign up for a plan by Dec. 31 will have coverage beginning Jan. 1, the first day the plans take effect. People have until May 15 to select a plan and enroll without penalty.

“There are 49 drug plans offered in our area by 20 different companies,” said Melody Gillard-Juarez, Retired Senior & Volunteer Program director, in a press release.

Selecting a plan will depend on many things, including prescriptions taken, costs of medications and pharmacy used. The best way to determine the right plan for each individual is to use Medicare's drug plan finder on the computer, she said.

SHIBA volunteers are educated to help individuals select a plan and will be available by appointment at the following locations for one-to-one assistance:

Coos Bay

€ Coos Bay Public Library: 1-5 p.m. Tuesdays, 525 Anderson. Call 888-1593 for appointment.

North Bend

€ Call Lyn at 347-1585 to schedule appointment.

Powers

€ Call Dixie at 439-2446 to schedule appointment.

Participants should bring information to the appointments, including:

€ a current list of medications and dosages;

€ a pharmacy or mail-order preference;

€ information about any current insurance or supplements, including any letters received about Medicare Part D;

€ Medicare card;

€ an estimate of monthly medication costs; and

€ any prescription discount drug cards.

People with prescription coverage through former employers should not sign up for any other coverage without first consulting their plan administrator. If they sign up for another plan, they could lose existing coverage.

People who receive any services from the state (DOCS, food stamps, Part B premium, etc.) should see their case workers for individual help signing up for prescription coverage.

For further information and appointments, those interested can call the SHIBA volunteer line at 888-1593. This line will not be available from Dec. 22 through Jan. 2, 2006, because the RSVP office, located at Southwestern Oregon Community College, will be closed for the Christmas break. During this time, help with the drug plans is available by making appointments directly at the sites when volunteers are there.

Those interested also can call (800) 633-4227 or go to the Web site at http://www.medicare.gov.