
North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey has announced that Medicare beneficiaries impacted by Hurricane Helene have been granted an extended Special Enrollment Period (SEP) to sign up for Medicare health and prescription drug coverage. This extended period gives beneficiaries extra time to make changes to their Medicare coverage due to the unforeseen circumstances that accompany a natural disaster.
The regular 2025 Medicare Open Enrollment period runs Oct. 15 – Dec. 7 with coverage to take effect Jan. 1, 2025. This SEP allows anyone who missed an election period to make changes for the duration of the disaster plus an additional two months following the declared end date of the disaster. Coverage will begin a month after an enrollment is completed. This extension applies to those who live in the disaster zones as well as others outside the 25 counties who assist or are assisted by the storm victims.
Please contact Vivian Hollifield SHIIP Coordinator for Yancey Co. at 828-682-6186 or vhhollif@ncsu.edu for more information or to make an appointment.
SHIIP (Seniors’ Health Insurance Information Program) is a free NC Dept. of Insurance health benefits counseling service for Medicare beneficiaries and their families or caregivers. SHIIP’s mission is to educate, advocate, counsel and empower people to make informed decisions about Medicare or their prescription drug plan.