My Medicare Community Gives Benefits Counselors Information They Need to Help Seniors

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May 23, 2011, 12:30 ET

Website Offers New Resources for Medicare Annual Enrollment Period and Beyond

WASHINGTON, May 23, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Understanding and keeping on top of what's new in Medicare can be challenging--even for those who know the program best.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100615/NCOALOGO )

NCOA's My Medicare Community is an important resource that can help. Since it launched in 2007, the online community has helped more than 2,400 benefits counseling professionals including volunteers get the information and news they need to assist Medicare beneficiaries in making the most of their Medicare coverage. MyMedicareCommunity.org is funded in part by AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals.

On the site, benefits counselors can find the latest news and developments in Medicare and participate in an online forum to learn and share with others working in the community. New resources are available to help counselors prepare now for the 2012 Part D and Medicare Advantage Annual Enrollment Period, which begins earlier this year on Oct. 15. During this period, Medicare beneficiaries can review and make changes to their Medicare coverage.

"MyMedicareCommunity.org is an irreplaceable service," said Cedar Dvorin, VICAP Coordinator, Arlington Aging and Disability Services, Arlington, VA. "The online resources allow me to look up what I need to know, when I need to know it."

"Benefits counselors do great work in helping older adults and people with disabilities understand and maximize their Medicare coverage, so they can live healthy and secure," noted Sandra Nathan, senior vice president of economic security at the National Council on Aging (NCOA). "My Medicare Community is a critical tool to make their job easier."

For more information, please visit www.MyMedicareCommunity.org.

About NCOA

The National Council on Aging is a nonprofit service and advocacy organization headquartered in Washington, DC. NCOA is a national voice for millions of older adults--especially those who are vulnerable and disadvantaged--and the community organizations that serve them. It brings together nonprofit organizations, businesses, and government to develop creative solutions that improve the lives of all older adults. NCOA works with thousands of organizations across the country to help seniors find jobs and benefits, improve their health, live independently, and remain active in their communities. For more information, please visit: www.NCOA.org - www.facebook.com/NCOAging - www.twitter.com/NCOAging

About My Medicare Community

My Medicare Community is an online community for professionals and volunteers who help people with Medicare. It is part of My Medicare Matters, a community-based education and outreach initiative sponsored by the National Council on Aging (NCOA) with support from AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP.

About AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals

AstraZeneca is a global, innovation-driven biopharmaceutical business with a primary focus on the discovery, development and commercialization of prescription medicines. As a leader in gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, neuroscience, respiratory and inflammation, oncology and infectious disease medicines, AstraZeneca generated global revenues of $32.8 billion in 2009. In the United States, AstraZeneca is a $14.8 billion healthcare business. For more information about AstraZeneca in the US or the AZ&Me™ Prescription Savings programs, please visit: www.astrazeneca-us.com or call 1-800-AZandMe (292-6363).

SOURCE National Council on Aging