Basics of Medicare 101

Wednesday, October 29, 2025

4:00PM to 5:30PM

Register online to receive the Zoom link

Why is this important?

Medicare is health insurance for people 65 or older as well as those who have a disability, End-Stage Renal Disease or Lou Gehrig’s disease. Likely, it will replace your employer group health coverage at some point in your life. Many practicing pharmacists encounter patients enrolled in Medicare every day.

So, understanding enrollment and how it works, the different parts of Medicare, and the available supplemental and prescription coverage options is critically important to those who are approaching retirement age. It is also important to those who help a family member, or their patient, to ensure that their coverage is appropriate for their needs.

Changes anticipated for 2026 will add to the complexity of navigating Medicare coverage options, especially important to those taking expensive medications or who have resource intensive clinical situations. Relying on commission-based sales representatives is not always the most unbiased source for guidance. Rather, SHINE Counselors (Serving the Health Insurance Needs of Everyone) can help with this following their training and certification by the Commonwealth. They can also be a resource for pharmacists when counseling their patients.

Who should attend?

* Individuals currently enrolled in Medicare but interested in changes during upcoming Open Enrollment 

* Individuals who will be enrolling in Medicare during 2026 because they are retiring or turning 65 years of age

* Individuals who help a family member or patient optimize their participation in Medicare 

* Pharmacists and Technicians who interact with Medicare Beneficiaries

WHat will be discussed?

* What are the different Parts of Medicare, how and when should you enroll, the costs and coverage

* Choosing between a Medigap or Advantage (Part C) plan

* Selecting the best-value Part D Prescription Plan

* Changes in Part D related to caps and payment

* Medicare Savings Programs to help pay for coverage

WHO ARE YOUR HOSTS?

This event is hosted by the four major pharmacist organizations in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and represents a major collaborative initiative intended to educate their members on this vitally important topic. Our presenter will be Marv Feldman, MS, RPh, a retired pharmacist and certified Shine Counselor at the Town of Walpole Council on Aging. There will be no commercial bias. 



Your only option to make a reservation:

You can register online by completing the meeting registration information requested below. You should receive confirmation of your registration and the link to participate in the Zoom event in your email.

ALL REGISTRATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BEFORE October 22, 2025

For information/questions please email Marv Feldman, BDA Secretary at marv.feldman@comcast.net