Lee County Senior Expo helps seniors navigate insurance changes

Recent changes to Medicare Advantage and commercial insurance policies at some of Southwest Florida’s largest healthcare systems have left some seniors concerned about their coverage, just as Medicare’s annual enrollment period is set to begin Oct. 15. 

Organizers of the seventh annual Lee County Senior Expo in North Fort Myers on Saturday, Oct. 10, say the event will provide information to help individuals navigate those changes and explore other community resources, including primary care, home healthcare providers, assisted living, chiropractors and skilled nursing. 

The expo is presented by We Know Life & Health, part of Cape Coral-based Earp Enterprises. 

In late August, Lee Health announced it would terminate its in-network contract with UnitedHealthcare effective Jan. 1, 2027, affecting approximately 50,000 Medicare Advantage and commercially insured patients in Southwest Florida. Around the same time, Naples Comprehensive Health announced it would not renew Medicare Advantage contracts with Cigna/HealthSpring and Wellcare as of Jan. 1. NCH said the change would affect fewer than 400 patients covered by those plans. 

Brian Franklin Jr., business development director for Earp Enterprises, said the changes have caused a lot of stress for patients covered by those plans. The expo offers a chance to review options that can help alleviate some of that anxiety and help them make decisions before Medicare’s annual enrollment period ends Dec. 7. 

Franklin said the event creates an opportunity to explore how these and other provider-network changes affect seniors, employers and other healthcare businesses besides hospitals. At a time when so much customer service is automated and online, he said the expo gives seniors the chance to speak one-on-one with insurance professionals, healthcare providers and senior-services organizations. 

“The first benefit (of the expo) is a human touch,” Franklin said. 

In addition to health-related services, other vendors will represent utilities, nonprofits, government services, real estate and technology, he said. Health and wellness screenings will also be provided. 

The Lee County Senior Expo takes place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 10 at the North Fort Myers Recreation Center, 2000 N. Recreation Park Way. Additional details can be found at weknowlifeandhealth.com/seniorexpo.