Did you know Bethany Life is a proud sponsor for SHIIP counseling? What is SHIIP? It means Senior Health Insurance Information Program. The SHIIP volunteer counselor offers help with folks who are on Medicare or going on Medicare in the near future. The counselor will explain all the different parts of Medicare, provide fact sheets and brochures relating to your situation, and can also assist with appeals or problems you may have with Medicare claims. And best of all, this is all FREE! SHIIP counselors receive extensive training before becoming a counselor, then attend four update training sessions each year to keep current with changes to Medicare. All counseling is done in a secure, private area.
Open enrollment is fast approaching. It is from Oct 15-Dec 7. This period is when all Medicare recipients should have their medical needs reviewed, particularly their drug plan. Examples what Rx plans change are prices, tier structure, premiums, deductibles, coinsurance and dropping and adding medications for the next year. Just because a plan works for you this year does not mean it will be to your best advantage in the next year. Call 733-4325 in September to secure your appointment time. The best time to make the appointment is at least two weeks prior, so you can fill out your drug list form, turn it in, and then the counselor can enter your meds into the system and have a printout ready for you to review at the appointment. Average appointment lasts about 30 minutes for an individual, or 45 minutes for a couple, assuming you have turned in your form prior to the appointment. Be sure to bring your Rx bottles with you at the appointment!
Did you know individuals on Medicare residing in a nursing home allows you continuous opportunity to change drug plans (i.e. you can change plans monthly if you desire), even if you are private pay? This means if your medications change and your current plan does not cover it, you can get a comparison done by the counselor to find a plan that will cover all your medications. It may even save you money! This can be done any time of the year.
Our volunteer counselor is Linda Henderson, a local resident. She has been counseling for five years. She is willing to meet with residents in Timberland Village, Twin Homes, Cedar Place and Bethany Manor in their room/home as long as you have an internet connection, a computer, printer and phone. Linda will also meet with family members as long as they have documentation allowing them to make medical decisions for their loved ones.
Call 733-4325 to make an appointment with Linda. Because she is a volunteer, she does not take walk-ins. Open Enrollment is just around the corner, make your appointment early to ensure you get in before the deadline.