Medicare workshops help educate seniors

The staff at Westlake Village recently hosted two free workshops to help educate local residents about the Medicare system which, due to the complexities of current programs and the potential for changes in the future, poses questions and challenges for many of our senior citizens.

Speaker Bomi Parakh, Senior Director of Managed Care for Brookdale Living, traveled to Westlake to share his vast knowledge and expertise on this topic with the many residents who attended.

Bomi has worked in the healthcare industry since the 1970s after graduating with a doctorate from the Weatherhead School of Business at Case Western Reserve University.
 
He has been active in Medicare developments, and in 2001 the chairman of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee recommended that Bomi serve on the prestigious Medicare Payment Advisory Commission. Since joining Brookdale Living in 2009, he has offered support to all the of the  Brookdale managed-care facilities across the country, including Westlake Village.

During the recent workshops, he shared valuable information, including insight into Medicare Parts A, B, C and D; the pros and cons of HMOs vs. supplemental Medicare insurance; a preview of the future of the Medicare system; and advice on where individuals can seek help with Medicare-related questions.

For those with questions about their individual Medicare plans, he recommended calling 1-800-MEDICARE for free advice, or contacting an area agency on aging, where they will provide free assistance by evaluating an individual’s specific needs and tailoring benefits to meet those needs.