Renaissance booked; Rocky Bluffs OK for Medicare workshop

MANATEE -- For people who would like to attend SHINE's free Medicare open enrollment workshop in Manatee County, the last chance is 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Rocky Bluff Library in Ellenton at 6750 U.S. 301.

A Manatee County workshop scheduled Friday by Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders at Renaissance on 9th in Bradenton is booked, said Patty Suarez, vice president of marketing and communities for the Senior Connection Center, which administers SHINE.

Renaissance on 9th and Rocky Bluff are the last two public workshops for Medicare open enrollment, which runs through Dec. 7.

SHINE is a national program funded by grants through the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid.

Manatee County's SHINE is under the umbrella of the Senior Connection Centers, formerly known as Area Agencies on Aging in Tampa.

The open enrollment workshops with SHINE counselors have been popular. The Nov. 5 Anna Maria Island Library workshop drew an overflow crowd.

"Our calendar requires people to RSVP and make an appointment in advance," Suarez said. "We want to get the word out that Renaissance on 9th is completely booked Friday with appointments so no one is disappointed, but Rocky Bluff Library is not booked the following Tuesday."

Conferences at Rocky Bluff will run.

To make an appointment for Rocky Bluff, clients can call 800-336-2226 or 800-963-5337 and ask for Manatee County SHINE.

For those who can't make it to Rocky Bluff, counseling can be done over the phone, said Kyrie-Leigh Chambliss, SHINE liaison and volunteer manager.

Richard Dymond, Herald reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7072 or contact him via Twitter@RichardDymond.

This story was originally published November 10, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Renaissance booked; Rocky Bluffs OK for Medicare workshop ."