Betty Lin-Fisher: New Medicare cards coming, free credit freezes, updated Betty’s Best Tips and free financial advice

Oct. 12--Today I bring you a number of updates on a variety of subjects:

New Medicare cards coming

Earlier this summer, I wrote a column reminding those who are on Medicare that you will be getting new Medicare cards mailed at an undisclosed time. For Ohioans, it was sometime after June.

The federal government is re-issuing the new Medicare cards, which replace the Social Security number with a new Medicare ID number. But the government, in an effort to protect Medicare recipients from identity theft, is speaking in generalities about when the cards are coming.

Ohioans' new Medicare cards are coming starting next week, according to Chris Reeg, director of the Ohio Department of Insurance's Ohio Senior Health Insurance Information Program (OSHIP).

The Medicare Advantage and Part D Prescription Plan open enrollment period begins Oct. 15 and lasts through Dec. 7, so there is a lot of marketing materials that senior citizens are getting in the mail these days, said Reeg.

Ohio is in the last wave of states to receive Medicare cards and officials were told recently that will be starting "smack dab" in the middle of open enrollment, she said.

"We know you're getting a lot of mail, but do look for a mailing from Social Security" so the new cards don't get accidentally thrown out, Reeg said.

Newly eligible Medicare recipients began receiving the new cards as of April. But the rest of the country was on a rollout basis. It's also important to know, officials said, that your neighbor may get a new card before you.

The card will come in a white envelope from the "Department of Health and Human Services" and the back will say "Official information from Medicare."

If you'd like to read more information about the new cards and my last column, which included tips, you can read it at www.tinyurl.com/bettysbesttips

Free credit freezes/lifts

I've been a big advocate for placing a credit freeze on your credit reports with the various credit reporting agencies, especially when there are so many massive data breaches and cases of identity theft.

But costs varied, according to state laws. In Ohio, it used to cost $5 to both place the freeze and lift it, per agency.

Effective with a new national law on Sept. 21, it is free to place or lift your freeze. That's great news and long overdue. We should be able to hold the keys to protect our credit for free.

You can read my updated Betty's Best Tips column on this subject at www.tinyurl.com/bettysbesttips

Here's where to place or lift a freeze:

* Equifax: 888-298-0045, Equifax Security Freeze, P.O. Box 105788, Atlanta, GA 30348-5788 or https://www.equifax.com/personal/contact-us

* Experian: 888-397-3742, Experian Security Freeze, P.O. Box 9554, Allen, TX 75013 or https://www.experian.com/freeze/center.html.

* TransUnion: 888-909-8872, TransUnion, P.O. Box 2000, Chester, PA 19016 or https://www.transunion.com/securityfreeze

Betty's Best Tips

You've probably noticed that I've mentioned something called Betty's Best Tips a few times in this column. These are columns that I've written on popular topics that readers most often request, such as how to stop robocalls, how to check your credit, top scams to avoid and other consumer issues. The Beacon Journal launched a redesigned website a few weeks ago and you may have noticed that my writer's page you may have bookmarked no longer works. We're working on some solutions; in the meantime, you can find stories and columns that I write at www.ohio.com under "Writers" and "Betty Lin-Fisher" and also under "News" and "Columnists."

Also, links to Betty's Best Tips can be found at www.tinyurl.com/bettysbesttips You can also find my step-by-step guide to energy choices (I'm still recommending the Standard Choice Offer, or SCO) on those pages or at www.tinyurl.com/updatedSCO

Free financial planning workshops

The Northeast Ohio Financial Planning Day, organized by the Financial Planning Association of Northeast Ohio and the University of Akron, will be held on Oct. 20 and is always full of free, educational workshops.

The yearly event will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the University of Akron, Quaker Square Ballroom, 135 S Broadway St. in Akron.

Workshop topics will include Budgeting 101: A Balancing Act; Estate Planning: Introduction to the Essentials; and Forging Your Financial Future. There are also opportunities to sign up for free one-on-one sessions with financial planners. Volunteering financial experts do not market to you or follow-up with you after the event.

Registration is free and not required, but suggested. One-on-one sessions are first come, first served the day of the event.

For the schedule or to register, go to http://chapters.onefpa.org/northeastohio/financial-planning-day/

Beacon Journal consumer columnist and medical reporter Betty Lin-Fisher can be reached at 330-996-3724 or blinfisher@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow her @blinfisherABJ on Twitter or www.facebook.com/BettyLinFisherABJ and see all her stories at www.ohio.com/betty

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