KSHB 41 reporter Elyse Schoenig addresses questions about the costs of healthcare, pension savings and personal debt. Share your story idea with Elyse.

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Open enrollment for Medicare runs from October 15 to December 7 each year.

AARP recommends that you compare plans, enroll at the right time, and fully understand your options when you enroll, so that your health and wallet don’t take a big hit.

Seniors will need pay more for their Medicare Part B coverage in 2025.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) said both monthly premiums and deductibles are increasing. The monthly premium will rise to $185 in 2025, which is an increase of about 6% from 2024.

CMS said the increase is primarily due to price changes and utilization increases.

The Social Security COLA (Cost of Living Adjustments) was recently set at 2.5% for 2025. This means that Medicare Part B premiums are once again rising faster than the COLA.

Signing up for Medicare is like checking off a to-do list. Medicare beneficiary Tammy Akers came to her enrollment appointment at the KC Shepherd’s Center prepared.

The first step for Akers was to see what changes she had to make from last year’s plan.

“You have to look and see, whoever you choose, do they cover the drugs you take? And if they don’t, then what?” Akers said.

She double-checked her drug prices and that her providers were in network. She is diabetic and hyperthyroid, which means she has a ton of prescriptions.

“There’s so much you need to know when you’re doing it, but it just seems like it’s a better idea, at least for me right now, to come in and get help,” she said.

That’s where Sarah Albin, KC Shepherd’s Center Medicare Program Manager, helped.

“I think for a lot of older adults, it really feels like a bit of a maze,” Albin said.

Albin said the center’s counselors have helped some enrollees save hundreds to thousands just by applying for assistance programs they qualify for.

“It’s so hard for, especially low-income, older adults to manage their costs anymore, and especially just with inflation overall over the last two years, they really continue to have to make these decisions between being able to afford groceries and being able to with their recipes,” she said.

Because if Akers’ to-do list isn’t crossed off by the end of enrollment, her health could suffer.

“It’s always nice to see if there are ways to get it covered, but if there aren’t, then you’re just stuck,” Akers said.

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