01
TWO PLACES TO CALL HOME
Spending part of the year away?
Before you pack, organize questions about planned care, prescriptions, and who to call while you’re away.
Operated by HealthBenefitsCompass LLC, a subsidiary of HealthcareGPS Inc.Medicare education · Not a government websiteReviewed by Lauri Middleton, RN, MSN (licensed Medicare agent) and Karen OrillaHow we prepare our guidance →Meet our reviewers →
THE FLORIDA FIELD GUIDE · MEDICARE, EVERY DAY
Medicare in Florida.
A little clarity.
More room
for your life.
Seasonal stays. Family far away. Care close to home. Find a practical next step for life with Medicare in Florida.
For people with Medicare and the people beside them.
START SMALL
One question
is a good beginning.
You don’t have to sort everything out today. Start with what’s on your mind.
What brings you here today?
I have a bill or noticeI have a visit coming upI have a coverage questionSomething in my life changed
No account needed. No sign-up, no login, no email. Every guide and tool is open the moment you arrive — because understanding Medicare shouldn’t cost you your contact information.
LIFE HERE HAS ITS OWN QUESTIONS
Made for your corner of Florida.
A FLORIDA STARTING POINT
A person to talk to.
A place to begin.
From the Panhandle to the Keys, start with your county when you look for local help.
Explore Florida contacts →FLORIDA ELDER HELPLINE
Ask for SHINE.
Connect with Florida’s SHINE program for free, confidential Medicare counseling for beneficiaries, families, and caregivers.
1-800-963-5337Ask about language assistance and how to arrange a conversation.
Florida Department of Elder Affairs ↗TAKE A LITTLE CLARITY WITH YOU
A few good questions.
Ready when you are.
Build a checklist for your next appointment or prepare what to say on a call. Keep it on this device or print a copy to bring along.
FOR YOUR NEXT CONVERSATION“Can you explain what I should do next, and where I can find it in writing?”
One useful question can open the conversation.
Florida · A useful next step
At home or away, stay prepared.
A season elsewhere, a prescription refill, or a notice in the mail: get a practical plan for your next conversation.
01
Prepare for time away from home
Questions about care, prescriptions and a possible move.
Prepare my next step 02Make sense of a bill or notice
A short call script and the documents to keep nearby.
Prepare my next step 03Review before changing coverage
A clear list to verify before any switch.
Prepare my next stepNo account or personal details needed. Prefer to talk with someone?
USEFUL ALL YEAR ROUND
Keep going, at your pace.
Use my benefits
Prepare for a visit and ask what applies, wherever in Florida you are.
Costs & paperwork
Start with the document in front of you: a bill, a notice, a summary.
Review my coverage
Three questions about access, costs and needs that changed this year.
Enrollment windows
AEP, MA OEP and the life situations that open a window.
STRAIGHT ANSWERS
Questions people in Florida ask about Medicare.
Florida Medicare Guide is an independent educational site for people with Medicare in Florida and the people who help them. It explains what to ask and who to call; it does not verify coverage, recommend plans or enroll anyone.
How we prepare our guidance →- Who can I call for free Medicare help in Florida?
Call the Florida Elder Helpline at 1-800-963-5337 and ask for SHINE, Florida’s free, unbiased Medicare counseling program. Give the county where you live or where you need help, and ask about language assistance and how to arrange a conversation.
Find help in Florida →- I spend part of the year outside Florida. What should I ask about my Medicare coverage?
Before you leave, ask Medicare or your Medicare plan how routine care, prescriptions and urgent needs work at your other address, and ask for the answer in writing. The answer can differ between Original Medicare and a Medicare Advantage plan.
Read the seasonal-stay guide →- What should I do if a hurricane disrupts my care or my pharmacy?
Handle any urgent health or prescription need first with a clinician or pharmacist, and call 911 in an emergency. Then ask the office about rescheduling and ask Medicare or your Medicare plan before arranging a replacement service. Ask SHINE or Medicare whether any deadline relief applies; do not assume it.
Read the disrupted-care guide →- How can I help a parent in Florida with Medicare from another state?
Agree on one question, ask each organization what permission it needs before it discusses another person’s situation, and call the Florida Elder Helpline at 1-800-963-5337 with your parent’s county to find SHINE counseling. Ask how both of you can join the call.
Read the helping-from-away guide →- Does Florida Medicare Guide sell plans or enroll people?
No. Florida Medicare Guide is an independent educational site from HealthBenefitsCompass LLC. One of our reviewers is a licensed Medicare agent; even so, this site sells nothing, recommends no plan and enrolls no one. It helps you prepare questions and find the right person to ask.
About this site →
Looking out for someone in Florida?
Prepare together, even when you can’t be in the same room.