Medicare open enrollment will begin on October 15 and will run through December 7. Trained counselors at the Seniors’ Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP), an initiative that provides free and unbiased information regarding Medicare health products, are standing by to help patients evaluate their current coverage and learn about any new options available to them. The open enrollment period is the one time of year when ALL patients with Medicare can make changes to their health and prescription drug plans for the next year. SHIIP experts are available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. by calling 800-443-9354. More information is available on the SHIIP website.