MEDICARE GENERAL ENROLLMENT PERIOD BEGINS

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If you are eligible for Medicare Medical Insurance (Part , but haven't signed

up, you can do so now during Medicare's annual enrollment period

from today until March 31. As long as you sign up by this date, your

coverage will begin on July 1, 2001. Medicare Part B helps pay for

doctor's visits, outpatient hospital treatment, and other medical

services and supplies not covered by Medicare Part A. The cost for the

Part B premium is $50 a month for 2001. Beneficiaries with Medicare

Part A who originally decided not to sign up for Part B when they first

became eligible for Medicare can now take advantage of this opportunity

(there is an additional 10 percent added to the premium for each year of

prior eligibility). Also, anyone who had Medicare Part B at one time,

but dropped, out can now re-enroll.

If you are interested in enrolling in Medicare, call Social Security at

1-800-772-1213, or contact your local Social Security office. To find

out more about the Medicare program, you'll want to check out our

Medicare booklet. We offer additional helpful links from there as well.

http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10043.htm