Free Medicare Counseling From PA MEDI

The help is for people on Medicare, their families and caregivers.

Counselors give free, unbiased, personalized help with Original Medicare, Medigap (Medicare supplement), Medicare Advantage plans, prescription drug plans, enrollment assistance, Medicare rules, notices and billing concerns, Medicare financial assistance programs, Medicare appeals, long-term care insurance, and coordination of benefits. They can help you sign up for Medicare and explore your options, and can help you compare Part C, Part D and Medigap plan costs in your local area. If money is tight, a counselor can help with the Medicare Savings Programs, which help with Medicare Part A and B costs and may save you over $1,900 each year, and with Extra Help, which lowers Part D premiums and prescription drug costs. You can reapply for these programs even if you have been denied in the past. PA MEDI does not sell or recommend Medicare insurance products, insurance agents, or brokers.

For year-round Medicare assistance, call the toll-free PA MEDI Helpline at 1-800-783-7067, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., or call your local PA MEDI program. In Berks County that local number is 610-374-3195. Certified counselors can help with questions about your claims, medical records or expenses, and can walk you through the appeal process if Medicare or your plan denies a service, a payment or a drug.

PA MEDI also provides in-person and virtual educational presentations and events for the general public, listed on the Aging Events Calendar at pa.gov/agencies/aging/aging-programs-and-services/aging-programs-calendar.

Timing matters with Medicare. You can sign up for Medicare A and B starting 3 months before you turn 65 and ending 3 months after the month you turn 65, which is called your Initial Enrollment Period. If you miss that 7-month window, you can sign up during the Medicare General Enrollment Period, January 1 to March 31, and your coverage will start the following month. During the Medicare Annual Open Enrollment Period, October 15 to December 7, you can join, switch or drop Medicare Advantage or Prescription Drug Plans for new coverage starting January 1. During the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period, January 1 to March 31, you have one chance to switch Medicare Advantage Plans or drop a Medicare Advantage Plan and return to Original Medicare with or without a Part D plan. Special Enrollment Periods let you make changes when certain events happen in your life, like if you move or you lose other insurance coverage.

Delays can cost money. If you delay in signing up for Part B there is a 10% late enrollment penalty for every 12 months without coverage and, in most cases, the penalty will be paid every month for life. If you delay signing up for a Part D prescription drug plan for 63 days or more, there is a late enrollment penalty as well. Part B late enrollment penalties can be eliminated by qualifying for one of the Medicare Savings Programs, and Part D late enrollment penalties can be eliminated by qualifying for Extra Help, so it is worth calling before a deadline passes.

Help is given by phone. The pages do not list a walk-in office or an online request form for counseling.

Source: pa.gov/agencies/aging/aging-programs-and-services/pa-medi…, read November 3, 2026.

The details

In Pennsylvania Department of Aging’s words

PA MEDI is a statewide service operated by the Pennsylvania Department of Aging and is the known and trusted local resource for Medicare help. All services are free and confidential and delivered by specially trained certified counselors through Pennsylvania’s 52 local Area Agencies on Aging. PA MEDI provides free, unbiased personalized help with detailed information about: Original Medicare Medigap (Medicare supplement) Medicare Advantage plans Prescription drug plans Enrollment assistance…

All help in Berks County →