Due to an unprecedented demand for free Medicare Open Enrollment counseling assistance this year, Vermont’s five Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) are no longer able to schedule Medicare beneficiaries for appointments for the remainder of this year’s enrollment season.
During annual Medicare open enrollment, from October 15 – December 7, Medicare beneficiaries can review their plans and make changes. Vermont’s five AAAs administer the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (“SHIP”), offering free and confidential health insurance counseling.
“With the growing demographic of aging Vermonters, demand has been increasing year over year,” according to Sam Carleton, Vermont’s statewide SHIP Director. “Adding to that several insurance companies are no longer offering their plans in Vermont for 2025. This includes traditional Medicare Part D plans as well as several popular Medicare Advantage plans including Wellcare, AARP/United Healthcare, and the UVM MC/MVP plan that impacted over 6,000 Vermonters statewide.”
SHIP Programs are funded and regulated under the federal Administration for Community Living and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). “Federal funding for SHIP Programs has remained flat year over year while the nation’s aging demographic has grown, with 10,000 baby boomers turning 65 every day, the typical Medicare eligibility event,” according to V4A Executive Director, Mary Hayden. “Vermont is the third oldest state in the nation, so we are feeling the impact of an increasing need for many services for older and disabled Vermonters.”
To cope with the surge in demand, AAAs have re-purposed non-SHIP staff during open enrollment season, recruited SHIP volunteers and interns, and improved operational procedures, Carleton noted. “SHIP counselors are working hard to serve as many Medicare beneficiaries as possible under these circumstances, without the funding to increase paid staff capacity.”
If you need to review and change your Medicare plans, please go to Medicare.Gov to self-enroll or contact 1-800-Medicare (1-800-633-4227). 1-800-Medicare is staffed 24/7 and can assist with your enrollment needs. If you are 60+ or a disabled adult under 60 in need of aging services, please call the AAAs’ HELPLINE at (800) 642-5119 to be referred to your local agency.
Vermont’s Area Agencies on Aging include:
Age Well (Grand Isle, Franklin, Chittenden, Addison)
Central Vermont Council on Aging (Central Vermont)
Northeast Kingdom Council on Aging (Caledonia, Essex, Orleans)
Senior Solutions (Southeastern Vermont)
Southwestern Vermont Council on Aging (Bennington, Rutland)
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