Medicare open enrollment runs October 15 to December 7, and the people it matters to most aren't the first-timers, they're the ones already on Medicare who assume last year's plan still fits. Mark Rowlette and Damon La Tanzi of South Shore Retirement Services explain why "it worked last year" is an assumption, not a guarantee, and walk through what to check before that narrow window closes.

The big one is your prescriptions. What sits in an affordable tier this year can jump to a much higher cost next year, and you don't want to learn that at the pharmacy counter in January. They lay out a simple audit: list every medication you and your spouse take, then confirm your plan still covers them the same way and at the same price.

They also make the case for doing this homework in August, not late November when the whole industry is in a feeding frenzy, and for why even high earners should bother, because nobody wants to overpay when a little preparation would have caught it. Medicare is one piece of the bigger retirement picture the firm covers in its All Hands Analysis®, not a box you check once and forget.

Plain talk for individuals and families across the South Shore of Massachusetts who want their healthcare coverage to be a decision, not a default.

If you'd like help thinking through your Medicare options before open enrollment, visit southshoreretirementservices.com or call the office at 781-725-5557.