This story is part of CT Mirror Explains, an ongoing effort to distill our wide-ranging reporting into a "what you need to know" format and provide practical information to our readers.
Trying to decide between traditional Medicare or Medicare Advantage? Confused about why your loved one’s Medicare plan doesn’t cover a new medication they need? Want to find out if you’re eligible for programs that can help cover your Medicare expenses?
CHOICES, an acronym for Connecticut Health Insurance Assistance, Outreach, Information and Referral, Counseling and Eligibility Screening, is a federally funded program — that also receives funding from the state — meant to provide free, unbiased counseling on all things Medicare to Connecticut residents and their caregivers.
Getting in touch
CHOICES is a partnership between three different organizations: the state Department of Aging and Disability Services, the Center for Medicare Advocacy and the Area Agencies on Aging.
Getting in touch with a certified CHOICES counselor is as easy as dialing 1-800-994-9422. The CHOICES website also includes resources on different plans, financial assistance programs and “decision tree” guides to help people navigate the process on their own.
CHOICES has a network of 200 certified volunteer counselors through Connecticut’s five regional Area Agencies on Aging. Last year, CHOICES volunteers fielded roughly 20,000 calls, said Claire Volain, the program’s director at Connecticut Department of Aging and Disability Services. Incoming calls peak during open enrollment, which this year runs from Oct. 15 through Dec. 7.
If you’re turning 65 and looking to enroll in Medicare for the first time, your initial enrollment period runs for seven months, beginning three months before your birthday month, and ending three months after.
Enrollment and benefits
Volain said many of the requests CHOICES counselors receive are from new enrollees trying to understand the process and people who want help comparing plan options.
Beneficiaries can enroll in a “traditional” Medicare plan, administered by the federal government, or a Medicare Advantage plan, which is administered by private insurers.
Connecticut’s 750,000 Medicare beneficiaries are nearly evenly split between traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage. Volain said deciding which plan is right for any one person is “nuanced,” depending on factors like health status, prescription medications and provider networks.
People also call in for help navigating their existing Medicare benefits. For example, Volain said, counselors have recently helped residents understand their options when plans denied coverage for a cancer drug and a power wheelchair.
CHOICES also works with the Center for Medicare Advocacy and refers people to the organization when they need legal assistance, and can also connect people to other state programs and long-term care services.
Financial assistance
Many residents also call CHOICES to understand if they qualify for financial assistance to support their Medicare expenses. Roughly two-thirds of the people CHOICES serves have incomes below the Federal Poverty Limit, which stands at $15,960 for an individual and $21,640 for a couple in 2026.
Volain highlighted the state’s Medicare Savings Program, which can help residents financially with the cost of premiums and drugs. Every state has a Medicare Savings Program, or MSP, and gets to designate its own eligibility guidelines.
Connecticut’s program is one of the “most flexible” in the country, Volain said. Eligibility is based on income, not assets. Here is a breakdown of Connecticut’s latest income thresholds for the different MSP programs.
“We have really high thresholds that really allow a lot of folks to get the help they need,” Volain said.
