Ray's Retire Right Report Retire Right — Retire Smart! Raymond T. Martin, Retirement Coach and Medicare Planning
October 2025 Happy October! I hope you are enjoying the beautiful fall weather and autumn leaves (as we rapidly slide into the end-of-year holidays!)
October is "National Bake and Decorate Month" October 4th – 10th is "National Carry a Tune Week"
Every year, Medicare’s Annual Election Period (AEP) gives you the chance to review and update your coverage. From October 15 through December 7, you can compare your current plan with other available options and make changes that better fit your health and financial needs for 2026. During this window, you can:
And October 1st is "Model T Day"
Switch from one Part D prescription drug plan to another (Part D to Part D).
Haunted Hoax
Move from one Medicare Advantage plan to another (MAPD to MAPD).
Change from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan.
In the 80s a San Diego magazine ran an article claiming that the Great American Bank Building, an important landmark, was haunted. It reported mysterious footsteps were heard late at night, as well as creepy voices and ghostlike images. It even claimed that the ghost had reduced janitorial costs 25% by doing the vacuuming normally done by the custodian. Included were a photo of the ghost and a quote by a “parapsychologist” calling it “one of the finest examples of spiritual photography I’ve ever seen.” Readers took the story seriously. Other building tenants reported their own sightings – power failures, carpeting “mysteriously vacuumed,” cleaning equipment moved, and tools floating in the air. Later it was revealed the ghost was a hoax inspired by Mark Twain’s “petrified man” story of 1862. The tenants’ sightings were pure imagination.
There were 15,700,003 of them manufactured, all in black. What were they?
(See the Answer Area.)
This is the perfect time to ensure your coverage is keeping up with changes in your prescriptions, doctors, or budget. Carriers update their premiums, formularies, and provider networks every year, so it’s important to review your plan carefully. For Part D Rx plan shopping, we’ve created a dedicated Part D Resource Site at aep.MartinMedicare.com, where you’ll find tools to review and shop your plan for 2026. If you are considering joining or switching a Medicare Advantage plan, please schedule a phone consultation at: www.tinyurl.com/ MartinMedicareReview And remember: If you’re in California, the Birthday Rule allows you to switch Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plans each year with 60 days of your birthday without medical underwriting.
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