Medicare Plans and Help in Fernandina Beach, FL

Fernandina Beach is the Nassau County seat, on Amelia Island about 25 miles northeast of downtown Jacksonville. In the 2020 census, 36.4 percent of residents were 65 or older and the median age was 58.4. Baptist Medical Center Nassau on South 18th Street runs a 24/7 emergency room for coastal Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia. For specialists, most residents head to Jacksonville for Baptist, Mayo Clinic or UF Health.

That trip shapes your plan choice. A Medicare Advantage HMO may cover Baptist Nassau but not the Jacksonville specialist you want, or the other way around. Check every doctor and hospital by name before you enroll. A Medicare Supplement removes the network question. Plan G or Plan N works with any provider in the country who accepts Medicare, which also helps if you travel. The premium is higher, and you add a separate Part D plan for drugs.

Getting to Jacksonville appointments takes planning. NassauTRANSIT, run by JTA since October 2024, offers rides for $2 per trip, with priority for medical trips for residents who have no other way to get there. Call 904-261-0700 to book. Ask about the schedule well before your appointment date.

The Nassau County Council on Aging runs the Janice Ancrum Senior Life Center on Island Walk Way, with programs on weekdays. Call 904-261-0701. The Fernandina Beach Branch Library on North 4th Street has free computers for Medicare.gov tasks. For free, unbiased Medicare counseling, call Florida SHINE at 1-800-963-5337.

Want a second set of eyes on your coverage? Call us for a free plan review. We check your doctors, your drugs and your budget against the plans we offer in Fernandina Beach, all over the phone. Annual Enrollment runs October 15 to December 7. That is the time to recheck whether your doctors stay in network next year.

Next steps: compare Medicare Advantage with Medicare Supplement plans, check your Part D drug costs, or map your turning-65 timeline.