County Gears Up for Medicare Changes

Health care reform is bringing changes to Medicare and Ocean County gearing up to help more than 160,000 senior citizens make the most of them, according to D. Jane Maloney, who leads the county’s Office of Senior Services.

Medicare is now offering “really good preventive services that people are not taking advantage of,’’ she said.

The federal health insurance program will pay for exams designed to find chronic illnesses, she explained. That is followed by a program that lets people act on that information to “take control of your health,’’ Maloney added.

Ocean County will be observing Healthy Aging Month in September, using community presentations, health fairs, the monthly Office of Senior Services newsletter and radio and television broadcasts to alert the elderly to Medicare services.

The word will also be spread during flu shot clinics in the weeks and months ahead, she said.

The county library system will be participating in the Take Control of Your Health workshop series that has already been made available to county employees who are at least 60 years old, said Freeholder Director Joseph H. Vicari.

He said Maloney and her staff can help answer questions about all phases of Medicare. One change this year is the enrollment for Medicare Part D, the prescription drug benefit, starts on Oct. 15 and runs until Dec. 7, Vicari said. Nine sessions focusing on that program will be held starting Oct. 19 at the County Connection in the Ocean County Mall. Appointments are required and can be made by calling 732-288-7777.

Maloney said Medicare Education Seminars will be held in Manchester, Lakewood and Stafford Townships. Appointments to attend them can be made by calling the Office of Senior Services at 732-929-2091.