Medicare discount cards: where to find information

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• In Washington, a key agency responsible for educating consumers about the new cards is SHIBA: the Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors HelpLine. The service is free. SHIBA offers publications, telephone consultations and one-on-one counseling about the cards.

On the Web: http://www.insurance.wa.gov/consumers/shiba/

Phone: 800-397-4422

• The Medicare Rights Center, the largest independent source of Medicare information and assistance, has published a helpful article called "76 Things You Should Know about the New Medicare Drug Discount Cards."

On the Web: www.medicarerights.org

• AARP offers an online "Rx Discount Card Worksheet" to help determine which discount card will work best for you.

On the Web: www.aarp.org

Publications
 
• SHIBA offers a detailed publication called "Paying for Prescription Drugs" that includes information about various discount cards, free/subsidy programs and more. Call SHIBA or view it online: www.insurance.wa.gov/

• AARP and the state Attorney General's Office are offering a free consumer-information packet with tips on how to save money on prescription drugs, including information on the new Medicare drug benefit and drug-discount cards. Request the "Drug Smart" packet by calling 800-646-2283. Information is also available at www.aarp.org/wa

Events

• Senior Services of Seattle/King County has scheduled workshops at senior centers to discuss the Medicare drug-discount cards:

Enumclaw Senior Center: Today, 10:30 a.m., 1350 Cole St.

Kirkland Senior Center: May 6, 6 p.m., 352 Kirkland Ave.

Ballard Northwest Senior Center: May 11, 11:15 a.m., 5439 32nd Ave. N.W.

West Seattle Senior Center: May 12, 1 p.m., 4217 S.W. Oregon St.

Lynnwood Senior Center: May 12, 1 p.m., 5800 198th St. S.W.

Auburn Senior Center: May 17, 10 a.m., 808 Ninth St. S.E.

Renton Senior Center: May 20, 12:30 p.m., 211 Burnett N.

• The federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will provide information about discount cards at the "Aging Well, Living Well" workshops at Seattle Center House on May 4. The Medicare program is at 10:30 a.m.

• SHIBA is offering a series of presentations on the new cards beginning today and continuing into the fall. Presentations in May are listed here. Other upcoming workshops are listed on SHIBA's Web site, or call 800-397-4422.

In King County:

Four Freedom House, Seattle: May 6, 9 a.m., 747 N. 135th St.

Bellevue Senior Center: May 7, 1 p.m., 4063 148th Ave. N.E.

Virginia Mason, Federal Way: May 10, 1 p.m., 33501 First Way S.

Brighton Vietnamese Presbyterian Church, Seattle: May 11, 10 a.m., 6721 51st Ave. S.

St. Alphonsus Church Senior Center, Seattle: May 12, 9 a.m., 1411 N.W. 59th St.

Emma McRedmond Manor, Redmond: May 13, 10 a.m., 7960 169th Ave. N.E., Redmond.

Federal Way Senior Center: May 13, 1 p.m., 4015 S. 362nd St., Auburn.

Miller Community Center, Seattle: May 13, 1 p.m., 330 19th Ave. E.

The Brighton, Seattle: May 21, 1 p.m., 6727 Rainier Ave. S.

Queen Anne Community Center, Seattle: May 21, 10 a.m., 1901 First Ave. W.

Elbert House, Bellevue: May 27, 1 p.m., 16000 N.E. 8th St.

Norse Home, Seattle: May 27, 9:45 a.m., 5311 Phinney Ave. N.

Black Diamond Senior Center: May 29, 11 a.m., 31605 Third Ave.

SnoValley Senior Center, Carnation: May 29, 11 a.m., 4610 Stephens Ave.

In Snohomish County:

Warm Beach Senior Community, Stanwood: Today, 1 p.m., 20420 Marine Drive.

South County Senior Center, Edmonds: Friday, 10 a.m., 220 Railroad Ave.

Everett Senior Center: Monday, 9 a.m., 3025 Lombard Ave.

East County Senior Center, Monroe: May 6, 10 a.m., 824 Village Way.

South County Senior Center, Edmonds: May 11, 1 p.m., 220 Railroad Ave.

Lynnwood Senior Center: May 12, 9 a.m. 5800 198th St. S.W.

Stillaguamish Senior Center, Arlington: May 13, 10 a.m., 18308 Smokey Point Blvd.