If you are new to Medicare, APPRISE can help.

Operated by Diakon Community Services in Schuylkill County, the program will offer a new-to-Medicare educational session from 6 to 7:30 p.m. April 28 at the Meadowbrook Center, 23 Meadowbrook Drive, Schuylkill Haven.

“Beginning Medicare can be very stressful, especially when you are getting information from many sources,” says Dana Oravitz, APPRISE coordinator for Schuylkill County. “Often, you receive so many mailings and phone calls that you may not be sure what you should pay attention to and what you should discard. Our primary goal is to ease that stress for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries.”

During the session, trained counselors will discuss such topics as the difference between Medigap and Medicare Advantage Plans, when to begin Part B, how to choose a Part D plan and when to notify Social Security about beginning Medicare.

“Even if people have Medicare, but do not understand how it works or what parts of it they can change, the session will be helpful,” Oravitz says.

Because space is limited, people are asked to register by calling 570-624-3026 or emailing Oravitz at oravitzd@diakon.org.