Arlington County’s Virginia Insurance Counseling and Assistance Program
(VICAP) provides free, unbiased, one-on-one insurance counseling to Arlington County Medicare Beneficiaries, their families, friends and caregivers.
What We Should All Know About Medicare
Thursday, September 10th 2026 | 11:00 AM
Are you, your loved ones, or your clients approaching age 65 - whether still working ore retired?
Join us for a virtual discussion designed to help you navigate the complexities of Medicare and retiree planning. Covered topics include:
- Coordination of Benefits
- Employee Insurance & Medicare
- COBRA, Retiree, and FEHB Coordination
- Timing Medicare Enrollment
Event Registration: Registrations are being managed through the Positive Aging Community. To register for this event, please visit our partner organization's website at Webinar Registration - Zoom.
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Speak Up! Help Virginia Age Better!
The Virginia Center on Aging is conducting a statewide needs assessment to inform the development of the next Virginia State Plan for Aging Services, and your participation is essential. Adults age 60+, caregivers, advocates, service providers are invited to share their experiences and priorities. The survey is completely anonymous and takes about 15–20 minutes to complete. Your feedback will directly guide how Virginia supports older adults in the years ahead. The survey is open until September 25, 2026.
Learn more about DARS and the State Plan
Learn more about the Virginia Center on Aging
For questions or concerns about the survey, contact Charlotte Arbogast at 804‑662‑7093 or by email at charlotte.arbogast@dars.virginia.gov.
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Medicare Part D 2027 National Average Monthly Bid Amount Information
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released preliminary technical information on Medicare Part D bids for contract year (CY) 2027. In 2027, the national average monthly bid amount (NAMBA) will be $296.05, up from $239.27 in 2026. NAMBA is an enrollment-weighted average of all applicable Part D plan bids for basic Part D benefits, with weights based on the number of enrollees in each plan. The NAMBA is used to calculate the government subsidy for plans. For 2027, the base beneficiary premium will be $41.33, up from $38.99 in 2026. The national base beneficiary premium is the starting point for calculating a plan-specific basic Part D premium. Between 2024 and 2029, the annual increase in the base beneficiary premium is capped by the IRA’s premium stabilization provision not to exceed six percent per year.
Additionally, CMS announced the conclusion of the Part D Premium Stabilization Demonstration, a voluntary demonstration for standalone prescription drug plans implemented in CY 2025 to address volatility and variation in standalone premiums following benefit changes mandated by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). In 2025 and 2026, the demonstration program provided a fixed-dollar reduction in the Part D base beneficiary premium and an annual dollar limit on a plan's total Part D premium. CMS stated that its bid analysis for CY 2027 indicates that Part D plan sponsors had sufficient experience with the redesigned Part D benefit to support their assumptions in developing their prescription drug plan bids. Therefore, CMS will discontinue the demonstration at the end of CY 2026 to return the program to operating under traditional market conditions in CY 2027.
Click here to read the fact sheet.
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Adult Day Care Owner Pleads Guilty
Senior Medicare Patrol | August 20, 2026
Yolanda Matthews pleaded guilty to billing Medicare for psychotherapy services that were never provided to residents of her adult day care center. Matthews admitted to fraudulently billing for services during periods in which the beneficiary was admitted to a hospital, forging claims in the names of social workers who were no longer employed at the adult day care center, and even billing Medicare for providing psychotherapy services to beneficiaries after they had died. Read a Department of Justice press release.
SMP Resource Center products often contain links to copyrighted material. These informational links are provided for convenience and informational purposes to educate; they do not constitute a guarantee, endorsement, or approval by the SMP of the information available on any linked external site. SMP bears no responsibility for the accuracy, legality, or content of the external site or for that of subsequent links. If you have any questions, please email info@smpresource.org.
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Dear VICAP Team,
What changes can I make during the Fall Open Enrollment Period?
Dear Medicare Beneficiary,
The Fall Open Enrollment Period, also known as the Annual Election Period (AEP), is the time each year when Medicare beneficiaries can make changes to their Medicare coverage. This enrollment period runs from October 15 through December 7, and any changes you make will become effective on January 1 of the following year.
During Fall Open Enrollment, you can:
- Enroll in a new Medicare Advantage or Part D prescription drug plan.
- Switch between Original Medicare (with or without Part D coverage) and a Medicare Advantage plan.
Important Things to Consider During Fall Open Enrollment
Before making changes to your Medicare coverage, consider the following:
- Review the upcoming year's Medicare & You Handbook when it becomes available to understand any changes to Medicare costs, coverage, and benefits.
- If you are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage Plan or a Part D prescription drug plan, you should receive an Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) and/or Evidence of Coverage (EOC). Carefully review these documents to identify any changes to your plan’s costs, benefits, coverage, or rules for the coming year.
- Use Medicare’s Plan Finder Tool to compare plans available in your area. The tool can help you evaluate Part D plans based on your prescription medications, preferred pharmacy, and estimated out-of-pocket costs.
- If you decide to enroll in a new plan, enrolling directly through Medicare can help protect you if enrollment issues arise. Keep detailed records of your enrollment, including the date, the representative’s name, and any information provided about next steps or expected outcomes. You may also enroll through the plan itself or work with a licensed agent or broker.
- Contact your local State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) for free, unbiased guidance. SHIP counselors can help you understand your Medicare options and make informed coverage decisions.
Arlington residents may schedule an appointment with a certified VICAP Counselor by submitting an intake form, provided on our website, and contacting our team by phone or email at 703-227-1725 | MedicareHelp@arlingtonva.us
 Interested in joining our team? Click here to complete an online volunteer application or contact the Arlington County VICAP team by phone or email:
703-228-1725
MedicareHelp@arlingtonva.us
This project was supported, in part by grant number 90SAPG0064, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living (ACL), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy
Visit our website to learn more.
Use the QR code or click here.
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