It Pays to Compare: Medicare’s Open Enrollment Period Is Here

The Annual Election Period to select Medicare plans, also known as the Medicare Open Enrollment Period, began on October 15th and continues until December 7th. We have been meeting with dozens of people each day to help them sort through the array of options from standalone drug plans to retiree health plans, to the heavily advertised “all-in-one” privately-administered Medicare Advantage plans. Our goal is to help individuals with Medicare, including those 65 and older, individuals with permanent disabilities, ALS, or End-Stage Renal Disease, understand their options so they can make decisions that best meet their needs and abilities to pay – with the fewest hassles!

We have been doing this for twenty years, and generally, about half of the people we counsel choose to switch plans for big financial savings. In addition to ensuring good medication coverage, we want to help make sure that Durham residents have access to the providers, clinics, and facilities that they choose.

But don’t just take our word for it. One participant who has been coming to Senior PharmAssist for more than a dozen years recently shared:

“I like to get things taken care of. I have my medical provider, someone who takes care of my hair, and someone who takes care of my car. And you all at Senior PharmAssist always take care of my medicines and my insurance.”

In a little over two weeks, we have counseled more than 400 individuals. And our appointment dance card is filling up fast. Senior PharmAssist is the Seniors’ Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) coordinating site for Durham, and we do not charge for this service. We work closely with the NC Department of Insurance to make sure that we provide accurate, timely, and unbiased information.

Please help us spread the word and call 919-688-4772 to schedule your appointment today.

On September 24 and 26, Senior PharmAssist welcomed community leaders, organizational partners, and longtime supporters to The Future of Aging in Durham and Beyond, a series of events hosted by our Board of Directors.

During our Community Leader Gathering on September 24, we were proud to present The Forest at Duke (TFAD) with our Community Health Partnership Award in recognition of their corporate leadership, support for our program, and commitment to the Durham community. Our partnership with The Forest at Duke spans 24 years, and its connection to Senior PharmAssist dates back to our earliest days. One of the earliest Forest residents - Peg Lewis – joined us and other aging advocates in supporting services for older adults in Durham.

Margaret Keller and Vic Moore, who both later became residents of The Forest at Duke, along with our Executive Director Gina Upchurch were our original incorporators. It is hard to imagine the history of Senior PharmAssist without the involvement and support of The Forest at Duke’s residents and staff. We are grateful for their continued partnership and for the important role they have played in our work over the years.

At our September 26 brunch, we were pleased to hear from community leaders who are helping shape the future of aging in North Carolina and Durham, including Kay Paksoy Castillo, Executive Director of the NC Coalition on Aging, and Shelisa Howard-Martinez, Executive Director of Aging Well Durham, who shared how their organizations are working to help North Carolina and Durham prepare for the needs of a growing older adult population.

Kay discussed the Coalition’s legislative and public policy priorities for 2025–2026, emphasizing the importance of planning ahead as North Carolina’s population age 65 and older is projected to grow by 48% by 2042. From strengthening services that help older adults remain in their homes to expanding support for family caregivers, the Coalition is working to ensure that our state is better prepared to meet the needs of older adults in the years ahead.

Shelisa shared how Durham’s aging plan is helping guide efforts to build a community where people can age well. The plan recognizes that this means more than access to health care. It also means feeling safe, having opportunities to participate in community life, accessing the support you need, and maintaining meaningful social connections as you grow older.

We are grateful to Kay, Shelisa, and the organizations they represent for their continued work in our community. We look forward to continuing to work together, share ideas, and find ways to better support older adults across Durham.

These events would not have been possible without the support of our Title Sponsors, BD and NC Seniors' Health Insurance Information Program (NC SHIIP). We are proud to work alongside organizations that share our commitment to helping older adults access valuable resources, guidance, and services.

Special Tribute: On August 15th, the world lost a gem with the passing of Victor B. Moore (Vic to us). In addition to being one of our original incorporators, he received two awards for his years of service to our agency: The Thomas R. Howerton Award for Leadership in 2000 and the Ruth Mary Meyer Sustainability Award in 2024. Along with his wife – Anne – who ran the Volunteer Center for many years, the dynamic duo has made life better for countless individuals in Durham who will never even know their names.
That is legacy at its finest.

Senior PharmAssist’s Media Coverage Leads to Federal Legislation

Senior PharmAssist was recently featured in reporting by KFF Health News and NPR examining how small, unexpected premium increases can lead Medicare beneficiaries to lose prescription drug coverage. One of our participants shared his story with a reporter we contacted after becoming concerned about Medicare beneficiaries losing their drug coverage when they believed their monthly premiums were being deducted directly from their Social Security benefits.

Our participant, a 74-year-old Durham resident, lost his prescription drug coverage after his monthly premium increased from $0 to just $3.60. Although he was ready to pay the premium as soon as he learned he owed it, he was told he could not restore his coverage and would have to wait until the next enrollment period to regain access to prescription drug coverage.

On September 24, the reporting was cited in the introduction of the No Surprise Bills for Seniors Act, proposed by Congresswoman Deborah Ross (NC-02) and Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE). The legislation would give the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services greater flexibility to allow eligible beneficiaries to re-enroll in Medicare Part D after losing coverage because of unexpected or unknown premium increases.

We are glad that our participant's experience has helped bring attention to this issue and the importance of protecting older adults' access to the medications they depend on.

Read the KFF Health News story, see the issue featured on NPR, and learn more about the No Surprise Bills for Seniors Act.

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