Medicare’s Part C (Medicare Advantage) and Part D (Medicare Prescription) Open Enrollment Period begins on October 15th and ends December 7th for 2023 plan choices.
SHINE Counselors are available to schedule in-person or telephonic appointments to provide free and unbiased one on one counseling for Medicare beneficiaries, their family members, caregivers and representatives.
The Cape and Islands Regional SHINE (Serving the Health Insurance Needs of Everyone) Program are scheduling in-person and telephonic appointments to review the Medicare coverage options for 2023. The Barnstable County Regional SHINE office can be reached at 508-375-6762 or email SHINE@barnstablecounty.org.
You can also contact your local Council on Aging (COA)/Senior Center to schedule an in-person or telephonic appointment (scroll down for the COA contact information table).
Below you will find a video link and tip guide to get you started. Feel free to contact the Regional SHINE office with any questions, or to set up a telephonic appointment.
Our number is 508-375-6762.
A one minute video about how annual flu vaccinations and Medicare is involved in the effort to limit the spread of the annual flu viruses. Watch video HERE.
SHINE is very aware of advertising that can often be misleading and result in a beneficiary making changes to their health plans that are not the most beneficial. The state SHINE office produced this video to bring awareness to this advertising.
| Barnstable Senior Center | 508-862-4750 |
| Bourne Senior Center | 508-759-0600 x5300 |
| Brewster Senior Center | 508-896-2737 |
| Chatham Senior Center | 508-945-5190 |
| Dennis Senior Center | 508-385-5067 |
| Eastham Senior Center | 774-801-3151 |
| Falmouth Senior Center | 508-540-0196 |
| Harwich Senior Center | 508-430-7550 |
| Mashpee Senior Center | 508-539-1440 |
| Orleans Senior Center | 508-255-6333 |
| Provincetown Senior Center | 508-487-7080 |
| Sandwich Senior Center | 508-888-4737 |
| Truro Senior Center | 508-487-2462 |
| Wellfleet Senior Center | 508-349-2800 |
| Yarmouth Senior Center | 508-394-7606 |
The Barnstable County Department of Human Services administers the regional office for the Cape and Islands SHINE Program (Serving the Health Insurance Needs of Everyone).
A SHINE Volunteer Counselor is trained and certified by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs in the various options available to Medicare beneficiaries—including Medicare Parts A & B, Medicare Advantage (Part C), Medicare prescription drug coverage (Part D), Medigap, Prescription Advantage , MassHealth, and other programs that help people with limited resources pay for health care costs.
SHINE appointments are free, confidential and available throughout the state at local Councils on Aging, senior centers, elder service agencies, hospitals and other community-based agencies.
Contact the Barnstable County Regional SHINE office:
SHINE@barnstablecounty.org
508-375-6762
508-362-5885 TTY
Contact the Massachusetts SHINE office:
SHINE@state.ma.us
1-800-AGE-INFO (1-800-243-4636) and option 3
Contact your local site:
SHINE Cape & Islands Brochure 2016
Barnstable County Department of Human Services provides critical documents, resources, and related links relating to substance use.
Serving the Health Insurance Needs of Everyone (SHINE) provides free health insurance information, counseling, and assistance to Massachusetts residents with Medicare and their caregivers.
Related Local Publications and Data
The Official Site for Medicare Medicare is the federal health insurance program for people who are 65 or older, certain younger people with disabilities, and people with End-Stage Renal Disease (permanent kidney failure requiring dialysis or a transplant, sometimes called ESRD).
United States Social Security Office Social Security is based on a simple concept: While you work, you pay taxes into the Social Security system, and when you retire or become disabled, you, your spouse and your dependent children receive monthly benefits that are based on your reported earnings. Also, your survivors can collect benefits if you die. For more information read A Snapshot (05-10006).
Click below to view the Cape and Islands Regional SHINE Program, July 2021 fact sheet.
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For the zoom link, registration is required: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82240904411?pwd=OEZrekViY3djQjBicUpyRzNYRWF5Zz09 *Event sponsored by the Cape Cod Elder Abuse Coalition
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OPEN ENROLLMENT FOR SHINE: October 15, 2020 – December 7, 2020 SHINE Appointments are by TELEPHONE ONLY. We are not conducting in-person appointments at this time. Please CALL the SHINE […]
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The SHINE Program provides FREE unbiased health insurance counseling information and assistance to Massachusetts residents with Medicare. DID YOU KNOW? The Barnstable County SHINE Office is still available for your […]
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SHINE Program: Medicare Open Enrollment Presentations Medicare’s Part C (Medicare Advantage) and Part D (Medicare Prescription) Open Enrollment Period begins on October 15th and ends December 7th for 2020 plan […]
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