Need Medicare help? Here’s where to find it

Cindy Krischer Goodman, South Florida Sun-Sentinel
·2 min read

How to access help with Medicare

  • Costs vary depending on the services and drugs you use. The best way to find which plan is best for you and your particular situation is to use Medicare’s online Plan Finder, which allows you to factor in your health conditions and the medications you take and compare costs. Go to Medicare.gov and choose the “Find Health and Drug Plans” button.

  • Florida’s Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders (SHINE) volunteer counselors provide free, unbiased guidance to seniors and their caretakers. To find your local counseling sites, visit floridashine.org or call 1-800-963-5337. It’s helpful to have a list of all your doctors, medications, dosages and monthly usage before meeting with a SHINE counselor.

  • You can also get help directly from Medicare by calling toll-free 1-800-633-4227, or visit online at Medicare.gov. The government workers there generally have less time to spend with you than the SHINE volunteers do. The Medicare Support Hotline is available 24/7, except for some federal holidays, and can provide help in English and Spanish.

  • The Medicare Rights Center works to ensure access to affordable health care for older adults and people with disabilities. Call 800-333-4114 or visit medicarerights.org.

  • Details on Medicare Open Enrollment are available online in the U.S. Government Medicare handbook: https://www.medicare.gov/pubs/pdf/10050-Medicare-and-You.pdf

Local SHINE Offices

To make an appointment with a SHINE counselor in Broward County call 954-745-9779 or in Palm Beach County call 1-866-684-5885.

Broward County

  • Beach Community Center
    3351 NE 33 Ave.
    Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308
    954-828-4610
    Third Monday of the month

  • City of Sunrise Senior Center
    10650 W. Oakland Park Blvd.
    Sunrise, FL 33351
    954-746-3670
    First and third Tuesdays of the month.

  • Southwest Focal Point Senior Center
    301 NW 103rd Ave.
    Pembroke Pines, FL 33026
    954-450-6888
    Each Wednesday

  • OB Johnson Park/ Austin Hepburn Senior Center
    1000 NW 8th Avenue
    Hallandale Beach, FL 33009
    954-457-1460
    Second and fourth Thursdays of the month

  • Cooper City Community Center
    9000 SW 50th Place
    Cooper City, Florida 33329
    954-434-4300
    First and third Tuesdays of the month

  • Northwest Focal Point
    6009 NW 10 Street
    Margate, FL. 333063
    954-973-0300
    Second and fourth Fridays of the month

  • Pompano Beach City Hall
    Chamber of Commerce Conference Room
    100 W. Atlantic Blvd.
    Pompano Beach, FL 333060
    954-786-4326
    By Appointment only — available for first Monday of the month

Palm Beach County counseling offices

By appointment only 1-866-684-5885

  • Area Agency on Aging – Palm Beach
    4400 N. Congress Ave., West Palm Beach

  • Mid-County Senior Center
    3680 Lake Worth Road, Lake Worth Beach

  • North County Senior Center
    5217 Northlake Blvd., Palm Beach Gardens

  • The Volen Center
    1515 W. Palmetto Park Road, Boca Raton

  • West County Senior Center
    2916 FL-15, Belle Glade