Medicare was a mystery when James Sanders walked into Itta Bena's Brazil Center Thursday afternoon.
"It just confuses me. I don't understand anything," Sanders said.
Ten minutes later, he walked away with a grin and a medication plan.
A new volunteer program at the Brazil Center is helping senior citizens, such as Sanders, sign up electronically for the new Medicare prescription plan.
BellSouth recently set up high-speed Internet connections at the Brazil Center. Tech-savvy volunteers from BellSouth, the Itta Bena community and Mississippi Valley State can complete the process in around 10 minutes.
Mayor Thelma Collins estimates around seven people have enrolled since the program's inception Tuesday.
The program will wrap up on March 17. Collins expects the slow start to pick up as the deadline approaches.
Sanders is retired from his job at National Picture Frame. He and his wife settled in Itta Bena around 40 years ago.
At 65, Sanders is still reasonably healthy. But a year or two down the road could paint a different picture.
Sanders is developing trouble with his nerves. He takes one medication for high blood pressure. "Things might get pretty rough on me."
The Medicare changes that rolled in with the new year have already had an effect on Sanders.
On Monday, he was planning a trip to his doctor in Moorhead. Sanders was accustomed to MedStat patient transportation services picking him up. But Medicare no longer covers that cost, he said.
That turned out as only an inconvenience. Sanders hopes the plan he enrolled in Thursday will cover any serious medical troubles.
The program runs every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m.
