Workshop in Portland shows how to navigate the Medicare maze

Boom!, Oct 30, 2009

A bad fall off his bicycle in 1996 hurtled Jason McNichol into a bewildering health-care maze filled with medical errors, insurance snafus and battles with bureaucracy.

A doctoral student living in New York at the time, McNichol learned the hard way that he had to become his own health advocate. He persevered, got the treatment he needed – and never forgot his experience.

Inspired by his own struggle, McNichol, now a Portland resident, recently founded Health Advocacy Solutions, a nonprofit dedicated to helping patients, families and communities navigate the medical system to get the best care possible.

The group will present a Medicare navigation workshop from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, at Portland State University in 269 Cramer Hall, Southwest Broadway Avenue and Mill Street in downtown Portland. Professional advocates will offer independent guidance, answer questions and provide tools to help consumers make informed choices. Future or current Medicare enrollees, family members, advocates or advisers are welcome to attend.

“Making informed choices regarding Medicare plans can be especially hard,” McNichol says.

“Medicare is a crazy soup of different options, and most offers for help are underwritten by commercial interests with plans to sell. Many enrollees don’t know that the choices they make now will shape their quality of care, costs and eligibility options for years to come.”

Registration for the program is $35. Scholarships are available for low-income participants. Space is limited, and pre-registration is required.

For more information or to pre-register, visit HASolutions.org/upcoming or call 503-828-1078.

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