We are committed to guiding individuals through plan selection and enrollment to ensure they receive the right coverage for their needs.
Medicare coverage is changing for 2027, with Medicare Advantage plans restructuring or leaving certain areas, along with changes to Medicare Supplement and prescription drug coverage.
Benafica is hosting in-person and online enrollment events to help our existing Medicare clients understand what’s changing, review their 2027 options, and get help choosing coverage for the year ahead. Find an event below and join us for personalized enrollment support.
BlueCross 2027 Plan Presentation
Overview of BlueCross plan options 2027 (Zoom Webinar)
2027 Medica Plan Overview
Overview of Medica Plan offerings for 2027 (Zoom Webinar)
2027 United Healthcare Plan Overview
Overview of United Plan offerings for 2027 (Zoom Webinar)
2027 Alina/Aetna Plan Overview
Overview of Alina and Aetna Plan offerings for 2027 (Zoom Webinar)
2027 HealthPartners Plan Overview
Overview of HealthPartners Plan offerings for 2027 (Zoom Webinar)
Woodbury Event
Woodbury Central Park
8595 Central Park Place
Woodbury, MN 55125
Bloomington Event
Penn Lake Library
8800 Penn Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55431
Plymouth Event
Plymouth Library
15700 36th Avenue North
Plymouth, MN 55446
Bloomington Event
Oxboro Library
8801 Portland Avenue South
Bloomington, MN 55420
Navigating Medicare can be overwhelming, but our licensed advisors are here to help you find the perfect plan for your needs.
Part
What it Covers
What to Know
Part A
Hospital insurance
Inpatient stays, skilled nursing, hospice. Most people pay no premium because they paid in while working.
Part B
Medical insurance
Doctor visits, outpatient care, preventive services, durable medical equipment. Has a monthly premium.
Part C
Medicare Advantage
A private plan that bundles A and B, usually with drug coverage and extras. Uses a network.
Part D
Prescription drugs
Standalone drug coverage, or built into a Medicare Advantage plan.
Annual Enrollment Period (AEP): October 15 to December 7
The window most people mean when they say "open enrollment." Change your Medicare Advantage or Part D plan for the coming year. Changes take effect January 1.
Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment: January 1 to March 31
If you're already in a Medicare Advantage plan, a second chance to switch plans or return to Original Medicare.
Initial Enrollment Period (IEP): The seven months around your 65th birthday
Starts three months before the month you turn 65 and ends three months after. This is the one with the most lasting consequences if it's missed.
Special Enrollment Periods: When life changes
Retiring, losing employer coverage, or moving can each open a window outside the usual dates. If something has changed, call before you assume you've missed your chance.
No. We’re paid by the insurance carrier when you enroll, and it doesn’t affect your premium. A plan costs the same whether you enroll through us or on your own. You’re not charged a fee at any point.
Benafica offers a variety of Medicare plans, including Medicare Advantage (Part C), Medicare Supplement/Medigap plans, and Medicare Advantage and standalone Prescription Drug Coverage (Part D). We work with all major carriers to provide you with the best options.
Yes, you can make changes to your Medicare coverage during the Open Enrollment Period or if you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period due to certain life events.
It depends on your employer’s size and whether you’re keeping group coverage. Some people should enroll in Part A only, some should delay everything, and some should enroll fully. Getting this wrong can mean a late-enrollment penalty that lasts for life, so it’s worth a short call rather than a guess.
Yes. Bring your prescription list with dosages and we’ll compare what each plan would actually cost you across the year, including how each one treats your specific medications. This is where the difference between plans is often largest and least obvious.
Yes, we serve the entire state of Minnesota. Plan availability and network breadth genuinely differ outside the metros, which is one of the more useful things a local advisor can tell you.
A list of your doctors and clinics, your prescriptions with dosages, your Medicare card if you have one, and a rough sense of what you can comfortably budget each month.
Often, but it depends on the type of plan. Original Medicare with a supplement is accepted by any provider who takes Medicare. Medicare Advantage plans use networks, so it depends on that plan’s network in your county. Tell us your doctors and clinics up front and we’ll check before you decide. This is the question people most regret not asking!
Medicare Advantage replaces how you receive Original Medicare, usually bundles drug coverage and extras, and uses a network. A supplement sits alongside Original Medicare and helps pay for what it leaves you to cover, with no network restriction but a separate premium. Which fits depends on your doctors, your prescriptions, your travel, and your budget. In Minnesota, the supplement side looks different from what you’ll read nationally.
Depending on which window and why, you may face a late-enrollment penalty, wait until the next enrollment period, or qualify for a Special Enrollment Period. Don’t assume the door is closed, give us a call.
Yes. During the Annual Enrollment Period each October 15 to December 7, and during Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment from January 1 to March 31 if you’re already in an Advantage plan. Certain life events open a Special Enrollment Period at other times. Supplement plans work differently
State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIP) offer free, unbiased Medicare counseling in every state. We’re glad for you to use them; talking to more than one source is a sensible way to approach this. Visit shiphelp.
Quite a lot, potentially. A move usually opens a Special Enrollment Period, plan availability is county-specific, and the supplement landscape here doesn’t match what you had elsewhere. Call before you move if you can.
