🏥 Medicare Opens Thursday — Compare Slowly, Call SHIP Free, Free Flu Shots Oct. 20

Or: What to Check in Your Plan Letter, How to Spot a Medicare Scam, and a Calm Health Week Ahead

Good morning, neighbor. Pour the coffee and take your time. This is your health-and-senior-services week ahead — not a scare list, just the dates, phone numbers and gentle habits worth writing on a sticky note.

Thursday, Oct. 15, Medicare Open Enrollment opens and runs through Monday, Dec. 7. You do not have to change a thing. If your doctors, prescriptions and costs still fit, you can keep your plan. If something shifted this year, this is the quiet window to look.

Also coming up: a free Fight Flu TN shot day at our own health department on Tuesday, Oct. 20; a mobile mammogram stop in Hixson on Wednesday, Oct. 21; free dental, vision and medical care at the RAM clinic in Chattanooga this weekend; and the senior center, SETAAAD and SETHRA numbers if you or someone you love needs a meal, a ride or a little extra help at home.

⏱️ What this means for you in 30 seconds

• Thu., Oct. 15 – Mon., Dec. 7: Medicare Open Enrollment. Changes take effect Jan. 1. Free, no-sales help: TN SHIP 1-877-801-0044.
• Protect yourself: Type Medicare.gov yourself. Never give your Medicare number to a caller you did not call first.
• Tue., Oct. 20, 9 a.m.–4 p.m.: Free flu shots, Sequatchie County Health Department, 16939 Rankin Ave., Dunlap. No appointment. Ages 6 months and up.
• Tue., Oct. 20, 10 a.m.: Free “Let’s Talk Medicare” overview at the library, 227 Cherry St. (educational; presenter is a licensed agent — SHIP stays your no-sales option).
• Wed., Oct. 21, 9 a.m.–4 p.m.: Mobile mammograms in Hixson — appointments required: 423-495-4040.

📝 Jot This Down

1. TN SHIP (free Medicare counseling): 1-877-801-0044 or dda.ship@tn.gov. They do not sell insurance.
2. Fight Flu TN: Tue., Oct. 20, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. CT, Sequatchie County Health Department, 16939 Rankin Ave. Health dept.: 423-949-3619.
3. Senior help this week: Senior Citizens Center 423-949-2228 · SETAAAD 1-866-836-6678 · SETHRA rides schedule at 423-478-1396.

📋 Open Enrollment Starts Thursday — What to Compare (Slowly)

Medicare’s yearly Open Enrollment runs Thursday, Oct. 15, through Monday, Dec. 7. During this window you can join, switch or drop a Medicare Advantage plan (with or without drug coverage), change your Part D drug plan, or move between Advantage and Original Medicare. The plan must get your request by Dec. 7. Changes take effect Jan. 1.

If you stay in an Advantage or Part D plan, look for the Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) letter your plan mailed this fall. It lists next year’s premiums, deductibles, drug list and doctor network. Set it beside your medicine bottles one quiet evening. You do not have to finish it in one sitting.

A calm kitchen-table checklist, adapted from Medicare’s own yearly review:

• Doctors and hospitals: Are your doctors still in the plan next year?
• Prescriptions: Are your medicines still covered, and at which pharmacies?
• Total cost: Look past the monthly premium — check deductibles, copays and the yearly out-of-pocket maximum.
• Extra benefits: Dental, vision, hearing or transportation extras can change from year to year.
• Original Medicare path: If you switch back to Original Medicare, you may need a separate drug plan and may want to ask about Medigap (supplement) timing — there are limits on when you can add it.

Compare on Medicare.gov (type the address yourself) or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). This is general information, not plan advice. Talk with Medicare, a SHIP counselor, your doctor or your pharmacist before you switch.

What it means for you: Treat plan shopping like reading the seed catalog at the kitchen table — slowly, on your own schedule. If nothing important changed, keep what you have. If something did, one phone call to SHIP beats guessing.

👉 Read more (Medicare.gov: Open Enrollment) · Your Yearly Medicare Review (PDF)

📞 Free Help: TN SHIP, SETAAAD and a Library Overview

TN SHIP — the Tennessee State Health Insurance Assistance Program — offers free, unbiased Medicare counseling. Counselors do not sell insurance and keep your information confidential. Call 1-877-801-0044, email dda.ship@tn.gov, or start at the TN SHIP page on tn.gov. For drug-plan comparisons that need a fast turnaround, Medicare also asks people to call 1-800-MEDICARE.

SETAAAD — the Southeast Tennessee Area Agency on Aging and Disability — serves Sequatchie, Bledsoe, Marion and seven other counties. They help with benefits, caregiver support, in-home help, nutrition programs, transportation referrals and elder-rights questions. Toll-free Information and Assistance: 1-866-836-6678 (setaaad@sedev.org).

Closer to home, the Sequatchie County Senior Citizens Center at 103 Heard St. offers meals, transportation, recreation and social programs. Call 423-949-2228 and ask about this week’s schedule.

On Tuesday, Oct. 20, at 10 a.m., the Sequatchie County Public Library (227 Cherry St.) hosts a free educational presentation called “Let’s Talk Medicare” — a basics overview and notes on upcoming 2027 changes. No sign-up is required, though registering helps the library prepare: 423-949-2357. The presenter is a licensed insurance agent. The library says the event is educational, not a sales pitch, and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the federal Medicare program. For individual coverage questions with no sales pressure, SHIP remains your free option.

What it means for you: You do not have to figure Medicare out alone at the kitchen table. One phone number — SHIP — and one local Tuesday morning at the library give you two calm places to start.

👉 Read more (TN SHIP) · SETAAAD Information and Assistance · Dunlap.Today: Let’s Talk Medicare

🛡️ How to Protect Yourself From Medicare Scam Calls

Scammers get busier every Open Enrollment. The Federal Trade Commission’s guidance is steady and simple.

• Type Medicare.gov yourself. Some top search results are paid ads made to look official. Look for the “Ad” or “Sponsored” label and the .gov ending.
• Medicare will not cold-call, text or email you out of the blue to ask for your Medicare number, Social Security number or bank account — or to sell you a plan or charge for a “new” card. Real Medicare cards are free and mailed to you.
• Do not trust caller ID alone. It can be faked. If a call might be real, hang up and dial 1-800-MEDICARE yourself.
• Hang up on pressure. Anyone who rushes you to enroll, offers a gift for signing up, or asks for your Medicare number “just to compare plans” is not helping you.

Report Medicare scams at 1-800-MEDICARE and at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

What it means for you: Your Medicare number is like a house key. You hand it to your doctor’s office and your pharmacy. You do not hand it to a stranger on the phone. If anyone rushes you, that is your cue to hang up and call someone you trust.

👉 Read more (FTC: avoid health insurance scams) · ReportFraud.ftc.gov

💉 Free Flu Shots Tuesday, Oct. 20 — Fight Flu TN in Dunlap

The Tennessee Department of Health’s annual Fight Flu TN day is Tuesday, Oct. 20. Local health departments offer free flu vaccines while supplies last — both as a public service and as a readiness exercise.

Sequatchie County Health Department, 16939 Rankin Ave., Dunlap:

• Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Central
• Who: Ages 6 months and older
• Appointment: Not required
• Insurance: Chamber listing says none required
• Phone: 423-949-3619 (health department); Chamber event line also lists 423-949-7608

Nearby Valley hours the same day (Central Time unless noted): Bledsoe County Health Department in Pikeville, 9 a.m.–12 p.m. and 1–3:30 p.m.; Marion County Health Department in Jasper, 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m.; Grundy County Health Department in Coalmont, 8 a.m.–6 p.m.

Cannot make the 20th? Pharmacies and clinics still offer flu shots most weekdays — call ahead for walk-in hours. If you also want to ask about COVID or RSV shots for this season, talk with your doctor or pharmacist about what is right for you. This article does not give medical advice.

What it means for you: Write it on the same sticky note as the grocery list. One Tuesday, one stop in Dunlap, and flu season feels a little more managed. Bring a jacket for the waiting line if the morning is cool.

👉 Read more (Chamber: Free Flu Shots) · TN Fight Flu · Dunlap.Today: Healthy Valley Report

🎀 Mobile Mammograms in Hixson — Wednesday, Oct. 21

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Morning Pointe of Hixson and Life Care of Hixson are partnering with the CommonSpirit – Memorial Hospital Mobile Health Program to bring a mobile mammography unit to campus.

• When: Wednesday, Oct. 21, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Where: Morning Pointe of Hixson, 5501 Old Hixson Pike, Hixson
• Who: Open to the public
• Book: Appointments required — call 423-495-4040
• Bring: Doctor’s full name, driver’s license or state ID, insurance card if you have one, and the registration form

Uninsured or underinsured? Ask when you call about coverage and financial assistance. Statewide, the Tennessee Breast and Cervical Screening Program also offers free screenings at county health departments for women who qualify. Call your county health department or 1-877-969-6636.

What it means for you: Think of it like the bookmobile — the care comes closer so the errand gets smaller. If someone in your family has been putting off a mammogram because of drive time, this Hixson stop is worth one phone call this week.

👉 Read more (Dunlap.Today: mobile mammograms)

🚐 Meals, Rides and a Little Extra Help at Home

If you or someone you love needs more than a calendar reminder, these are the Valley numbers that answer the phone:

• Sequatchie County Senior Citizens Center, 103 Heard St., Dunlap — meals, transportation, recreation and social programs. 423-949-2228.
• SETAAAD — benefits help, caregiver support, in-home support programs, nutrition (congregate and home-delivered meals), transportation referrals and elder-rights help across Sequatchie, Bledsoe, Marion and more. 1-866-836-6678.
• SETHRA — Southeast Tennessee Human Resource Agency, based at 312 Resource Road in Dunlap. Office: 423-949-2191 or toll-free 800-852-6155. To schedule a ride or ask about fixed routes, SETHRA Transit asks you to call 423-478-1396 (service hours listed 6 a.m.–6 p.m.). Homemaker and OPTIONS programs are among the services listed for the Sequatchie office — call to ask what fits.
• Nearby clinics: Sequatchie County Health Department (423-949-3619) for public-health services. Ocoee Regional Health operates community clinics in Bledsoe (Pikeville, 423-447-6287) and other Southeast Tennessee counties — not a Dunlap site as of their current locations page. For hospital care, many Valley families use Erlanger or CHI Memorial in the Chattanooga area; call your own doctor’s office for referrals.

What it means for you: Independence often rests on three simple things — a hot meal, a ride to the doctor and someone to call when the house gets hard to keep up. Those phone numbers are the front porch for that kind of help.

👉 Read more (Senior Citizens Center) · SETAAAD · SETHRA Transit contact

🦷 Free Clinic This Weekend — Plus a Nearby Blood Drive Tuesday

Remote Area Medical (RAM) plans free dental, vision and medical care at Notre Dame High School, 2701 Vermont Ave., Chattanooga, Saturday–Sunday, Oct. 17–18. No ID, insurance or income requirement. First come, first served. Denture services are not available at this clinic.

• Parking lot opens by 11:59 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16, and stays open all night.
• Clinic doors open at 6 a.m.
• Bring water, snacks, your medicines, weather-appropriate clothes and layers — Saturday’s forecast looks cooler.
• Questions: 865-579-1530 (Mon–Fri, 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m.). Check the RAM event page before you travel; details can change.

Tomorrow, Tuesday, Oct. 13, 1–4 p.m., Kubota of Chattanooga at 2628 Rossville Boulevard hosts a Blood Assurance drive. Sign up at bloodassurance.org/kubotachatt; walk-ins welcome. October donors may receive a “Game Changers” T-shirt while supplies last.

What it means for you: If you know someone who has put off a tooth or an eye exam, tell them about RAM this week so they can pack a cooler and plan an early start. If you are eligible and feeling well, a blood donation over the mountain is another quiet way to help neighbors in hospital beds.

👉 Read more (RAM Chattanooga clinic) · Dunlap.Today: Kubota blood drive

📅 Your Health Week on One Page (Mon., Oct. 12 – Mon., Oct. 19)

• Mon., Oct. 12: Columbus Day. Library closed. Set your Medicare Annual Notice of Change beside your pill bottles.
• Tue., Oct. 13: Kubota / Blood Assurance drive in Chattanooga, 1–4 p.m. Free Wills & Living Trusts class at the library, 10 a.m. (good company for the health folder).
• Wed., Oct. 14: Early voting opens (not health news, but a calm errand day if you are already out).
• Thu., Oct. 15: Medicare Open Enrollment opens (through Dec. 7). Global Handwashing Day — soap and water for 20 seconds. Library closed (Thursdays).
• Fri., Oct. 16: Cooler evening coming. Pack layers if you plan to wait in the RAM parking lot overnight.
• Sat.–Sun., Oct. 17–18: RAM free clinic, Notre Dame High School, Chattanooga. Days of Yesteryear tractor show also downtown Dunlap if you are feeling social after.
• Mon., Oct. 19: Quiet day to call SHIP or the Senior Center if you have not yet.

Looking a little further ahead: Fight Flu TN free shots in Dunlap, Tue., Oct. 20, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. · “Let’s Talk Medicare” at the library, Tue., Oct. 20, 10 a.m. · Mobile mammograms in Hixson, Wed., Oct. 21, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. (appointments: 423-495-4040).

✅ Your Front-Porch Health Checklist

• ✅ Find your Annual Notice of Change; set it by your medicine list.
• ✅ Call TN SHIP 1-877-801-0044 if you want free, no-sales help comparing plans.
• ✅ Type Medicare.gov yourself; hang up on anyone who asks for your Medicare number cold.
• ✅ Mark Tue., Oct. 20 for a free flu shot at 16939 Rankin Ave. (9 a.m.–4 p.m.).
• ✅ Due for a mammogram? Call 423-495-4040 for the Hixson mobile unit on Oct. 21.
• ✅ Need a meal, a ride or in-home help? Senior Center 423-949-2228 · SETAAAD 1-866-836-6678 · SETHRA rides 423-478-1396.
• ✅ Know someone who needs dental or vision care? Share the RAM clinic details for Oct. 17–18.
• ✅ Ask your doctor or pharmacist about any other fall shots that may be right for you.
• ✅ Bookmark Dunlap.Today for the next calm health roundup.

Practical rule: Write the date, the place and the phone number down before you need them — and if anyone rushes you for your Medicare number, hang up and call someone you trust.

This article is general information, not medical or insurance advice. Talk with your doctor, pharmacist, Medicare or a SHIP counselor about what is right for you. In an emergency, call 911.

— Dunlap.Today

📚 Plain-English Health Glossary

• Medicare Open Enrollment: The yearly Oct. 15–Dec. 7 window when many people with Medicare can change Advantage or drug plans for the next year.
• Annual Notice of Change (ANOC): The letter your plan mails each fall listing next year’s costs and coverage changes.
• TN SHIP: Tennessee’s free, unbiased Medicare counseling program. It does not sell insurance.
• SETAAAD: Southeast Tennessee Area Agency on Aging and Disability — the regional hub for senior and disability services across 10 counties, including Sequatchie.
• Fight Flu TN: The Tennessee Department of Health’s yearly day when local health departments offer free flu vaccines as both a public service and a readiness exercise.
• Mobile mammography: A specially equipped unit that brings breast X-ray screening to a community site so you do not have to drive to a hospital radiology department.
• Remote Area Medical (RAM): A Tennessee-based nonprofit that runs free pop-up clinics for dental, vision and medical care.
• SETHRA: Southeast Tennessee Human Resource Agency — local help with transportation, homemaker and other community services, with an office in Dunlap.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to change my Medicare plan on Oct. 15?

No. Open Enrollment is optional. If your doctors, prescriptions and costs still work, you can keep your plan. Changes made by Dec. 7 take effect Jan. 1.

Who can help me compare plans without selling me anything?

TN SHIP at 1-877-801-0044. Counselors are free, confidential and do not sell insurance. You can also call 1-800-MEDICARE or use Medicare.gov.

Do I need an appointment or insurance for Fight Flu TN on Oct. 20?

No appointment is needed, according to TDH and local listings. The Sequatchie Chamber listing for Dunlap says no insurance is required. Ages 6 months and older may participate while supplies last.

Do I need an appointment for the Hixson mobile mammogram?

Yes. Call 423-495-4040 to schedule. Bring your doctor’s name, ID, insurance card if you have one, and the registration form.

Is “Let’s Talk Medicare” at the library the same as SHIP?

No. The library’s Oct. 20 session is a free educational overview presented by a licensed insurance agent. SHIP is the state’s free, no-sales counseling program. Both can be useful; use SHIP when you want help with no sales relationship.

How do I get a ride to the doctor in Sequatchie County?

Call SETHRA Transit at 423-478-1396 to schedule transportation or ask about routes. The Senior Citizens Center (423-949-2228) and SETAAAD (1-866-836-6678) can also help point you to options.

🔗 Other Resources

• Dunlap.Today
• Dunlap.Directory — find local businesses and services
• Medicare.gov Open Enrollment
• TN SHIP — 1-877-801-0044
• SETAAAD — 1-866-836-6678
• Sequatchie County Senior Citizens Center — 423-949-2228
• SETHRA Sequatchie office — 423-949-2191
• SETHRA Transit — schedule rides: 423-478-1396
• Fight Flu TN
• Sequatchie County Public Library — 423-949-2357
• RAM Chattanooga clinic — 865-579-1530
• ReportFraud.ftc.gov
• Ocoee Regional Health locations

☕ A Good Week to Take Care of Yourself Gently

Nothing on this list needs hurrying. Set the Medicare letter by your coffee cup, mark Tuesday the 20th for a free flu shot, and save one phone number — SHIP or the Senior Center — where you can see it. That is a fine health week in the Valley.

We’ll keep watching the clinics, the counseling lines and the senior calendar for you. Read Dunlap.Today for calm, plain-English Sequatchie Valley news, and send us the church, club and community health notes we ought to share.