1. Get permission to speak for them
- Medicare. Medicare needs written permission before it can share your parent's information with you. Your parent can sign form CMS-10106 and mail it, complete it in their Medicare.gov account (faster), or give verbal consent while you're both on a call to 1-800-MEDICARE.
- Appeals. To act for your parent in an appeal, use form CMS-1696, Appointment of Representative.
- Social Security. Social Security has its own rules. If your parent can't manage benefits, ask about a representative payee.
2. Review coverage every fall
Plans can change their costs, drug lists and networks each year. In late September, look at the Annual Notice of Change. During Open Enrollment, October 15 to December 7, your parent can switch plans for the next year. For 2027, some Oregon plans are ending; see plans ending in 2027. You can compare plans at PlanMatch, or request a call from a licensed insurance agent and join the call with your parent.
3. Look for help paying
- Extra Help lowers Part D costs for people with limited income and resources.
- Oregon's Medicare Savings Programs can pay the Part B premium, and Oregon has no asset limit for them. Apply through ONE at benefits.oregon.gov or 1-800-699-9075.
4. Plan for care at home
Medicare doesn't pay for long-term help with bathing, dressing or meals. ODHS Aging and People with Disabilities (1-855-673-2372) is Oregon's aging and disability agency for Medicaid long-term care and Oregon Project Independence, which offers in-home help on a sliding fee scale to people 60 or older, or any age with Alzheimer's or a related condition, who aren't on Medicaid.
5. Put wishes in writing
- An Oregon advance directive names a health care representative and records treatment wishes. The current form was adopted by the 2021 Legislature (SB 199).
- A POLST is a medical order for people with serious illness, signed with their clinician.
- A durable power of attorney covers finances. A lawyer can help.
Watch for fraud, too: check each Medicare Summary Notice with your parent. The Senior Medicare Patrol Resource Center (1-877-808-2468) can help if something looks wrong.
Related questions
Medicare phone numbers for Oregon
Every number in one place.
How do I appeal a hospital discharge in Oregon?
Your rights before you leave.
What is Oregon Project Independence?
In-home help for people not on Medicaid.
How do I find a licensed insurance agent in Oregon?
Licensing, lookups and questions to ask.
Sources
- CMS — Form CMS-10106, Authorization to Disclose Personal Health Information
- Medicare.gov — Talking with a friend's or family member's doctor
- CMS — Form CMS-1696, Appointment of Representative
- Oregon Department of Human Services — Aging and Disability Services
- Oregon Department of Human Services — Medicare Savings Programs
- Oregon Health Authority — Advance Directive Adoption Committee
More questions in this guide
- How do I appeal a hospital discharge in Oregon if I'm not ready to go home?
- How do I appeal a Medicare denial in Oregon?
- How do I file a complaint about a Medicare insurance agent in Oregon?
- How do I find a licensed insurance agent for Medicare in Oregon?
- How do I find Medicare doctors in Oregon?
- How do I report Medicare fraud in Oregon?
- What are the Medicare phone numbers for Oregon?
- Where is the Social Security office near me in Oregon?
Part of the guide: Medicare Appeals in Oregon · All questions
Frequently asked questions
Does a power of attorney let me talk to Medicare?
It can, if you send it with form CMS-10106 as proof that you are your parent's personal representative. Otherwise your parent can give permission on the form or during a call.
Can I go with my parent to talk to an insurance agent?
Yes. You can join the call or meeting. Your parent still makes the decision and signs for themselves unless you have legal authority.
Does Medicare pay for in-home caregivers or assisted living?
Generally not. Medicare covers short-term skilled care, not ongoing help with daily activities. In Oregon, that help usually comes through Medicaid long-term care, Oregon Project Independence or private pay.
Medicare in your Oregon county
Plans, local agents and help, county by county: Multnomah · Washington · Clackamas · Lane · Marion · Jackson · Deschutes · Linn · Douglas · Yamhill · Benton · Polk · Josephine · Umatilla · Klamath · Coos · Columbia · Lincoln · Clatsop · Malheur · All 36 counties →
