Medicare enrollment begins Nov. 15 -- here's an online guide that can help

Don't let the post-election rhetoric about the Affordable Care Act distract you from a more pressing healthcare issue: signing up for Medicare. Enrollment begins in two weeks for those 65 and older who plan to sign up. Here are some things you should know about the plan:

• Medicare open enrollment runs from Nov. 15 to Dec. 31.
• The Department of Health and Human Service's guide "Medicare & You 2011" is now available online.
• Medicare next year will include a free annual physical with free preventive care such as colorectal cancer screening and mammograms.

The program, process and other details of the plan are explained in a comprehensive online guide prepared by the South Florida Sun Sentinel. Click on Medicare Guide to learn the ins and outs of the federal plan.