From your local professionals at Financial Concepts Retirement Planning

Join our next seminar – Medicare 101 on Oct. 14 at 3p.m. Call 702-346-7025 to RSVP and get more details

Every October, as the temperatures finally cool down across Mesquite, St. George, and the surrounding communities, there’s a quiet moment we always look forward to.

It’s when we sit down with our planners, a warm drink, and start thinking about the year ahead. Not just holidays and family plans, but something a bit less exciting but just as important: Medicare Open Enrollment.

We’ve had the privilege of helping folks in Mesquite and the surrounding areas navigate Medicare for over 29 years now, and if there’s one thing we’ve learned, it’s that this time of year can sneak up on us.

Between fall events, family visits, and just day-to-day life, Open Enrollment sometimes gets pushed to the bottom of the list.

But here’s the thing, it matters. Not in a scary, overwhelming way. In a “let’s make sure you’re still covered for what you need next year” kind of way.

Just last fall, we met with a longtime client, who’d been on the same plan for years. She almost skipped her review appointment because she said, “It’s been working fine.”

But when we looked a little closer, we found her medication costs were set to increase by over $900 for the year. A simple switch to a new plan saved her that money and kept her doctor in network. All because she took 30 minutes to check in.

That’s the kind of thing that happens every fall. Sometimes nothing needs to change, but sometimes? A small tweak makes a big difference.

So, What Should You Do?

Here’s what we usually recommend to clients, friends, and family:

Pull out your Annual Notice of Change (ANOC)

It’s worth glancing at—this one letter can tell you if your plan is changing next year.

Make a list of your doctors and medications

It helps when comparing plans to make sure everything important is still covered.

Ask for help if you need it

That’s what we’re here for. No cost, no pressure. Just someone local who can sit with you and talk through your options, plain and simple.

You’re Not Alone in This

If you’re anything like most of the wonderful folks we’ve met here in the Southwest, you’re independent. You like to handle things yourself.

But even independent people deserve support sometimes. Open Enrollment isn’t about switching for the sake of switching.

It’s about making sure your plan is still working for you, not the other way around.

So before the season speeds up and the year winds down, give your coverage a quick check. It might be a simple conversation, or it might lead to some real savings.

Either way, we’re here for it and for you.

We do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 12 organizations which offer 57 products in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1–800–MEDICARE, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options.

Elmer Rivera is an agent of Financial Concepts Retirement Planning LLC and can be reached at 702-346-7025.

For more information, visit our website at www.FCRPInsurance.com and make sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram.