Medicare annual enrollment, Red Cross blood drive, McKay bingo night.
Updated
2027 Medicare enrollment opens Oct. 15
The Medicare annual enrollment period opens Oct. 15 and continues through Dec. 7 for coverage that takes effect Jan. 1, 2027.
During the enrollment period, recipients can switch between original Medicare and a Medicare Advantage plan, or among different Medicare Advantage plans. They can also join, switch, or drop a stand-alone Medicare Part D prescription drug plan.
Updates and plans can be reviewed directly through Medicare.gov or by calling 1-800-MEDICARE.
For those who miss signing up for Part A or Part B Medicare when first eligible, a general enrollment period is offered from Jan. 1 to March 31, 2027. The initial enrollment period is a seven-month window around a person’s 65th birthday or eligibility month.
The Washington State Insurance Commissioner’s Office also offers a free “jump-start toolkit” regarding Medicare processes and coverage.
“Plans can change every year, so it’s important to review yours to make sure it still works for you,” the office says on its website.
Help is also available by contacting the Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (SHIBA). Call 800-562-6900 weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., or send an online message for contact.
Red Cross blood drive Oct. 14 at ERC
EPHRATA — The American Red Cross will hold a blood drive Wednesday, Oct. 14, from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Ephrata Recreation Center, 112 Basin St. S.W.
Red Cross officials say all blood types are needed. Anyone age 17 or older, weighing 110 pounds or more, and in good general health is a potential donor.
An appointment for the Oct. 14 drive can be scheduled by calling 1-800-733-2767 or online at www.redcrossblood.org. A pre-donation “Rapid Pass” questionnaire can also be completed on the website.
Prospective donors should bring personal identification and donor cards, or download the Blood Donor App on their smartphones.
The upcoming drive is sponsored locally by the Ephrata American Legion post and auxiliary.
Team McKay plans free bingo night
SOAP LAKE — Supporters of McKay Healthcare will host a free bingo night for the community on Sunday, Oct. 11, from 5-7 p.m. in the Soap Lake Elementary School gym.
Players will have a chance to win cash and prizes, including a big-screen TV as the grand prize, and Cloudview Kitchen will be providing tasty snacks.
The family-friendly event will feature both classic bingo and “singo” bingo, where players match short audio clips to a grid card showing song titles and performers instead of numbers.
For more information, call McKay Healthcare at 509-246-1111.
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In Other News
Medicare annual enrollment, Red Cross blood drive, McKay bingo night.
2027 Medicare enrollment opens Oct. 15
The Medicare annual enrollment period opens Oct. 15 and continues through Dec. 7 for coverage that takes effect Jan. 1, 2027.
During the enrollment period, recipients can switch between original Medicare and a Medicare Advantage plan, or among different Medicare Advantage plans. They can also join, switch, or drop a stand-alone Medicare Part D prescription drug plan.
Updates and plans can be reviewed directly through Medicare.gov or by calling 1-800-MEDICARE.
For those who miss signing up for Part A or Part B Medicare when first eligible, a general enrollment period is offered from Jan. 1 to March 31, 2027. The initial enrollment period is a seven-month window around a person’s 65th birthday or eligibility month.
The Washington State Insurance Commissioner’s Office also offers a free “jump-start toolkit” regarding Medicare processes and coverage.
“Plans can change every year, so it’s important to review yours to make sure it still works for you,” the office says on its website.
Help is also available by contacting the Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (SHIBA). Call 800-562-6900 weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., or send an online message for contact.
Red Cross blood drive Oct. 14 at ERC
EPHRATA — The American Red Cross will hold a blood drive Wednesday, Oct. 14, from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Ephrata Recreation Center, 112 Basin St. S.W.
Red Cross officials say all blood types are needed. Anyone age 17 or older, weighing 110 pounds or more, and in good general health is a potential donor.
An appointment for the Oct. 14 drive can be scheduled by calling 1-800-733-2767 or online at www.redcrossblood.org. A pre-donation “Rapid Pass” questionnaire can also be completed on the website.
Prospective donors should bring personal identification and donor cards, or download the Blood Donor App on their smartphones.
The upcoming drive is sponsored locally by the Ephrata American Legion post and auxiliary.
Team McKay plans free bingo night
SOAP LAKE — Supporters of McKay Healthcare will host a free bingo night for the community on Sunday, Oct. 11, from 5-7 p.m. in the Soap Lake Elementary School gym.
Players will have a chance to win cash and prizes, including a big-screen TV as the grand prize, and Cloudview Kitchen will be providing tasty snacks.
The family-friendly event will feature both classic bingo and “singo” bingo, where players match short audio clips to a grid card showing song titles and performers instead of numbers.
For more information, call McKay Healthcare at 509-246-1111.