Elizabeth was frustrated and upset when she contacted Medicare Rights because she and her husband Tom encountered roadblocks to enrolling in Medicare during the coronavirus pandemic, and now Tom’s much-needed shoulder replacement surgery would also be delayed. With local Social Security offices closed, they tried to enroll online and over the phone—unsuccessfully.

Elizabeth’s counselor first helped her sort through misinformation she and her husband received from their health plan and others, who informed them that they could not enroll in Medicare immediately and would face gaps in coverage and lifetime enrollment penalties. Her counselor clarified that they would be able to enroll right away with no penalties and worked with them to get coverage.