If you're reading this, you're probably stepping in to help someone you love — a parent, a spouse — make sense of Medicare. Maybe there was a health scare, maybe the paperwork just became too much for them, maybe you're coordinating from another city. First, a breath: helping is the right instinct, and you're allowed to do it. There's a clear way to do it well, and free expert help exists if you want it. Here's how to start without feeling like you're doing something wrong.

Why Medicare won't talk to you yet — and the one form that fixes it

Here's a frustration almost every caregiver hits: you call 1-800-MEDICARE to ask about your mom's coverage, and they won't tell you anything — not even though you're her daughter. That's not a brush-off. By law, Medicare can't share someone's personal information with anyone, including a spouse or adult child, without that person's written permission on file.

The fix is a single form: the "Authorization to Disclose Personal Health Information" (form CMS-10106). The person on Medicare names you, decides how much to share, and submits it — easiest of all by adding you through their secure account at Medicare.gov, or by mail. After that, Medicare can talk to you and answer your questions. It's reversible at any time, and choosing to share has no effect on their coverage or costs.

Permission to hear vs. authority to decide

This is where good intentions can trip over the rules, so it's worth getting straight. There are really three different "permissions," and they do different things:

• To let Medicare talk to you — the CMS-10106 disclosure form above. It lets you receive and discuss information. It does not let you make or change coverage for them.
• To actually make or change coverage when they can't — you need to be a legal representative, typically through a power of attorney or authority under state law, and plans may ask for documentation.
• To represent them in an appeal — that's a separate form, the "Appointment of Representative" (CMS-1696).

For most families, the parent or spouse is still perfectly capable of deciding — they just want a hand. In that case the right move is simple: get the disclosure form on file and sit beside them. You gather the information, compare the options, and explain them; they make and authorize the choice. That keeps you on solid ground and keeps them in the driver's seat.

Get organized: the caregiver's Medicare folder

Half the stress of helping is not knowing where anything is. Before any call or appointment, pull together a simple folder — paper or a phone note — with:

• Their red, white, and blue Medicare card (and any plan ID cards).
• A current list of doctors and hospitals they use.
• Every medication with its dosage — and the pharmacy they fill at.
• The name of their current plan (Advantage, Medigap, and/or drug plan).
• Their Medicare.gov login, if they have one.
• Key dates — when they enrolled, and any enrollment-window deadlines coming up.

With that in one place, every conversation — with Medicare, a plan, a counselor, or us — gets dramatically easier.

Know the calendar

A few enrollment windows are worth having on your radar, because missing them can mean lasting penalties:

• Initial Enrollment Period — the seven months around their 65th birthday, for first-time sign-up.
• Medicare Open Enrollment — October 15 to December 7, to review and change Advantage or drug coverage for the next year.
• General Enrollment Period — January 1 to March 31, a fallback for those who missed earlier windows.
• Special Enrollment Periods — opened by life events like a move or the loss of other coverage.

When to bring in help — and that it's often free

You do not have to become a Medicare expert overnight. Every state has a free, unbiased State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) — and it's explicitly there for caregivers and family, not just the person on Medicare. Find yours at shiphelp.org or 1-877-839-2675. The counselors are funded to help, not to sell anything. Asking for help isn't a sign you're failing at this; it's a sign you're doing it right.

And if you'd like a patient, local guide to compare options and handle enrollment alongside you and your loved one, that's exactly what we do — at no cost to start. You bring the care and the context; we'll bring the Medicare know-how.

This article is educational and reflects general rules drawn from Medicare.gov, CMS.gov, and the State Health Insurance Assistance Program. It is not legal advice; questions about power of attorney or legal authority should go to an attorney. Individual situations vary — please confirm details for your circumstances. Last reviewed: June 2026.