Review the documents
Use the latest notices and plan materials rather than memory or an old summary.
Local Medicare help for Missouri
Need Help Reviewing Your Medicare Options?
Medicare Annual Enrollment Period is October 15–December 7. Southern Shield helps Missouri residents organize questions, review annual changes, and understand available Medicare coverage paths without pressure or promises that everyone should change plans.
Southern Shield Insurance is an independent Missouri insurance agency. It is not Medicare, CMS, or a government agency.
October 15–December 7
What Medicare Annual Enrollment Period means
During Medicare Annual Enrollment Period, people with Medicare can review certain Medicare Advantage and Part D coverage choices for the coming year. AEP does not mean everyone should switch. It is a scheduled opportunity to compare current coverage with current-year information and decide whether staying or changing deserves consideration.
Medigap has different enrollment and underwriting rules; October 15–December 7 is not an annual Medigap open-enrollment period.
Coverage can change
Why review Medicare coverage each year?
A plan that fit last year may still fit—or something important may have changed. A careful review looks at both the plan’s changes and your current needs without assuming a switch is necessary.
Check your priorities
Consider providers, prescriptions, pharmacy preferences, travel, costs, and service needs.
Confirm before acting
Verify every plan-specific detail through current official sources and approved secure systems.
Your yearly change notice
Read your Annual Notice of Change
Your Annual Notice of Change explains important updates to current Medicare Advantage or Part D coverage for the next plan year. Read it before comparing options. Mark anything that affects premiums, cost sharing, covered services, pharmacy arrangements, prescription coverage, networks, or plan rules.
If a statement is unclear, bring the notice to an approved review conversation. Do not send plan documents or beneficiary information through a public form, ordinary email, text, or social message.
Year-to-year details
What may change from year to year?
- Premiums, deductibles, copays, coinsurance, and other costs
- Provider, hospital, facility, and pharmacy networks
- Prescription formularies, tiers, restrictions, and preferred pharmacies
- Prior authorization, referral, and utilization rules
- Extra benefits, service areas, and plan availability
- Your own providers, prescriptions, budget, travel, and preferences
Prepare privately
What to gather before a Medicare review
Keep sensitive details in your possession until Southern Shield directs you to an approved secure review process.
Current coverage information
Your current notices, plan materials, general coverage questions, and the changes you want explained.
Personal priorities
Questions about providers, prescriptions, pharmacies, travel, budget, and how you prefer to receive care.
Timeline questions
Dates that may affect your decision and any other coverage you need to coordinate.
A private notes list
Write sensitive details for the secure review; do not send them through ordinary email, text, social messaging, or a general website form.
Keep the paths clear
Medicare coverage paths serve different roles
Medicare Advantage
A Medicare Advantage plan is another way to receive Medicare-covered services through a private plan. Networks, costs, benefits, rules, and availability can vary.
Part D
Part D addresses prescription drug coverage. Formularies, tiers, pharmacy arrangements, restrictions, and costs can change and should be confirmed for the current year.
Medicare Supplement
Medicare Supplement insurance, also called Medigap, works with Original Medicare and does not work with Medicare Advantage. Enrollment rights, underwriting, premiums, and availability depend on timing and circumstances.
Carrier-neutral local assistance
How Southern Shield can help
A licensed Missouri insurance agent can help you organize questions, understand major coverage paths, review information about plans Southern Shield offers in your area, and identify an appropriate next step. Southern Shield does not represent every plan or carrier, and no public webpage can determine eligibility or confirm that a particular option is available to you.
A clear, controlled process
What happens when you call
1
Ask a general question
Southern Shield can provide carrier-neutral Medicare education and general information.
2
Request a future review
You may ask to schedule a future Medicare review when that would be helpful.
3
Confirm the next step
Calling does not enroll you, change coverage, submit an application, or establish a Scope of Appointment.
4
Complete applicable requirements
Southern Shield follows the appropriate Medicare process before any individualized plan discussion.
5
Use secure systems
Sensitive review and any enrollment information belong only in approved secure workflows.
Protect sensitive information
Keep sensitive Medicare information out of ordinary messages
Call Southern Shield with a general question or to schedule a future Medicare review. Keep sensitive beneficiary information in your possession until Southern Shield directs you to an approved secure process.
Frequently asked questions
Medicare AEP questions
Do I have to change Medicare coverage during AEP?
No. AEP is an opportunity to review certain Medicare Advantage and Part D choices. Staying with current coverage may be appropriate after reviewing current information.
Does AEP apply to Medigap the same way?
No. Medicare Supplement insurance has different enrollment and underwriting rules. October 15–December 7 is not an annual Medigap open-enrollment period.
Can Southern Shield review all Medicare options?
No. Southern Shield provides information limited to the plans it offers in your area. Medicare.gov and 1-800-MEDICARE provide information about all available options.
Can I send my Medicare card or prescription list through the website?
No. Do not send sensitive Medicare information through ordinary email, text, social messaging, or a general website form. Sensitive details belong in an approved secure review process.
Does calling Southern Shield enroll me?
No. Calling does not enroll you, change your current coverage, submit an application, or establish a Scope of Appointment.
Willow Springs roots, statewide service
Local Medicare assistance for Missouri
Southern Shield Insurance is based in Willow Springs and assists Missouri residents by phone, remote conversation, or appointment as appropriate. The agency does not imply that it has offices throughout the state.
Prefer to call?
Call Southern Shield at (417) 203-9505
Call with a general Medicare question or to schedule a future Medicare review. Southern Shield will complete the appropriate Medicare process before any later individualized plan discussion.
Carrier-neutral Medicare assistance
How to Get Help
Southern Shield provides carrier-neutral Medicare education and local assistance. Call with a general question or to schedule a future Medicare review.
Calling Southern Shield does not enroll you or change your current Medicare coverage. If you later want to discuss particular plan options, Southern Shield will complete the appropriate Medicare process before that individualized discussion.
Do not send sensitive Medicare information through ordinary email, text, Facebook Messenger, Instagram DM, or a general website form.
Contact and enrollment notice: Calling Southern Shield does not enroll you or change your current Medicare coverage. If you later want to discuss particular plan options, Southern Shield will complete the appropriate Medicare process before that individualized discussion. Do not send sensitive Medicare, medical, prescription, provider, financial, or account information through public forms or ordinary messages.
“We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information provided is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options.”
1-800-MEDICARE is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.