Medicare Help & Information

About SHIBA

Solid Ground’s Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (SHIBA) volunteers can help you understand your Medicare rights and options, including Medicare, Medigap, and Medicare Advantage plans.

Our well-trained SHIBA volunteers counsel people of all ages about their Medicare choices and options – including people under age 65 living with disabilities, people getting ready to turn 65, and those already enrolled. We answer your Medicare questions, make referrals, and help evaluate and compare health insurance policies so you can make an informed decision to find the best possible coverage that fits within your budget and meets your needs.

We can also help screen to see if you qualify for low-income programs that can save you money on Medicare coverage. Volunteers assist people through one-on-one consultations by phone or in-person appointments. (Note that in-person appointments are limited. See In-Person SHIBA Counseling below for locations and contact information.)

GET HELP/MORE INFO: Contact Solid Ground’s SHIBA intake line: 206.753.4806 or shiba@solid-ground.org to get connected with a SHIBA volunteer!

SHIBA is offered in partnership with the Washington state Office of the Insurance Commissioner. Solid Ground is your local SHIBA sponsor in King County.

Medicare Open Enrollment for 2026

Wednesday, October 15 to Sunday, December 7, 2025 is this year’s Medicare Open Enrollment Period (OEP) for making changes to existing plans. New coverage takes effect on January 1, 2026.

If you already have Medicare, this is your annual chance to review and update your health and drug coverage. Whether you have Original Medicare (Parts A & B) or a Medicare Advantage plan (Part C), plan details can change each year, so it’s important to make sure your coverage still fits.

In the links below, see Office of the Insurance Commissioner (OIC) resources, tips, and explanations of the changes you can make to your health coverage and drug plan during Medicare Open Enrollment. SHIBA is no longer offering phone/email consultations or presentations/webinars for Medicare Open Enrollment. We need time to follow up with clients who are already on our callback list and will not be able to help additional clients before the December 7 deadline. If you need urgent help with Open Enrollment, please call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) or explore the self-help options below.

• Medicare Open Enrollment webpage
• Open Enrollment Jumpstart Toolkit Info & Order webpage
  • Medicare Jumpstart Toolkit (PDF)
  • Order Toolkits in Other Languages or Bulk Orders (account required)
• Medicare Open Enrollment Fraud Prevention Fact Sheet
• OIC Calendar: Find Medicare Events Across WA

Weekly Online Medicare OEP Q&A Sessions (October 15 – December 7): Speak to a Medicare specialist from the OIC about your Open Enrollment questions. No registration required. Click the links below to join a session. Sesiones en línea de preguntas y respuestas sobre Medicare: Habrá profesionales del programa Asesores de Beneficios de Seguro Médico del Estado (SHIBA, por su siglas en inglés) disponibles para responder a sus preguntas sobre Medicare. Cualquier persona puede participar y no es necesario registrarse para la sesion.

• Tuesdays, 9:30-11am (except November 11, Veterans Day)
• Thursdays, 5:30-7pm (except November 27, Thanksgiving Day)
• lunes, 1 de deciembre de 2025, 5:30-7pm

In-Person SHIBA Counseling (by appointment only)

We offer counseling locations for those who need in-person assistance by appointment only. Additional Medicare Open Enrollment counseling sessions have been scheduled at most sites from October 15 to December 7. Please contact the site for more information.

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Medicare Plan Info, Comparison Charts & Resources

Booklets, Brochures, Flyers & Online Resources:

• WEBPAGE: Get help paying for Medicare – See if you qualify for a Medicare savings program and/or extra help
• BOOKLET: Paying for prescription drugs
• BOOKLET: What you need to know about Medigap (Medicare Supplement) plans
• BROCHURE: About Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (SHIBA)
• FLYER: Get help paying for Medicare – Information for American Indians and Alaskan Natives
• FLYER: Stop Medicare Fraud
• FLYER: Watch out for scam calls

Comparison Charts:

• Your Medicare coverage choices
• 2025 Medicare Advantage Plans (King County)
• 2026 Medicare Advantage Plans (King County)
• 2025 Medicare hospital insurance covered services (Parts A & B)
• 2025 Medicare Part D stand-alone prescription drug plans
• 2026 Medicare Part D stand-alone prescription drug plans
• Approved Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plans (updates quarterly)
• Comparing Medicare supplement (Medigap) and Medicare Advantage plans

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Request a Medicare Workshop

Want to host a King County SHIBA Medicare presentation for your group or organization? Fill out this Medicare Presentation Request Form to get started. Please note that volunteer presenters are limited, but we’ll do our best to accommodate your request!

More WA State Affordable Health Insurance Options

The Washington Healthplanfinder website can help you find the right health plan for you and your family.

• Free or low-cost Washington Apple Health is available year-round.
• You may qualify for a special enrollment if you are uninsured or have certain life changes.
• Browse current health plans, including Cascade Care plans.
• Navigators are located across Washington state and are available at no cost to help customers sign up for coverage through Washington Healthplanfinder. Navigators can help customers through the application and enrollment process from start to finish.

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