50+ Lifestyles

RSVP: Lead With Experience

By Bill Sedlacek
Retired and Senior Volunteer Program of Eastern Iowa and Western Illnois

Steven Shearer: Protecting His Peers Through SHIP and SMP

Well, it’s that time of the year again. No, I don’t mean Halloween, Thanksgiving or the joy (or anxiety–depending on your mindset and past experiences) of preparing for Christmas. I mean the October 7th to December 15th Medicare Open Enrollment Season for those of us in these so-called “Golden Years.”

Steven Shearer

Unless you are like me, satisfied with original Medicare and my supplemental health insurance, you need to talk with Steven Shearer. Steven, a semi-retired pharmacist, is an RSVP volunteer with the Senior Health Insurance Program (SHIP) in the Rock Island’s office of Western Illinois Area Agency on Aging (WIAAA). His role is to help you determine your Medicare insurance needs, explain the different plans to you and help you determine which plan is best for you.

Options available during the open season are: changing from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage Plan (Underwritten by private insurance companies); change back from a Medicare Advantage Plan to Original Medicare; join, drop or change Medicare part D (prescription drug plans); or switch from one to another Medicare Advantage Plan. These are pretty complex issues, and SHIP counselors like Steven are there to help.

Steven and other counselors do not represent any one insurance provider but will give you information on all plans to help you make an informed decision on what plan best suits your needs. Access to the Internet may also be needed to enroll in or get a clear understanding of the different plans. If you don’t have a computer, SHIP counselors can also help you get online information.

Steven did a very good job of explaining all the programs, but I will not try to recite all that information here. There are at least 18 Medicare Advantage Plans available in our area of Illinois and from what I see in the 2017 Medicare handbook, about that many in Iowa. Steven can help you in both states. Your unique medical need may be best served by a Medicare Advantage Plan or by original Medicare. You need to do what is best for you.

The most important thing I learned from Steven: you should sign up for Medicare and the Medicare prescription drug plan, part D, (if you are not enrolling in a Medicare advantage plan that includes it) as soon as you are eligible.

If you delay, it will cost you more, and that additional cost will stay with you. Another important thing is that he has found that comparing the different prescription drug plans under part D and choosing one that is better-suited for you can save you as much as $600 a year. If you are thinking of switching plans, need information on Part D, or just want to learn about coverage offered by the different plans, you should contact Steven or one of the other trained SHIP counselors at WIAAA.

A second program with which Steven is involved is the Senior Medicare Patrol Program (SMP). Trained volunteers are vital to this important effort to protect seniors’ Medicare information against fraudulent claims and detect billing issues that may indicate fraud. SMP benefits us all and helps to preserve the financial health of Medicare for future generations. SMP counselors can also help you resolve billing issues with your provider.

SHIP and SMP counselors like Steven provide an extremely beneficial service to us seniors. Area Agencies on Aging are still seeking volunteer counselors. SHIP and SMP provide training and experienced counselors will be there to mentor you on the job. You would be well-equipped with knowledge about Medicare options. There are many volunteer-staffed SHIP and SMP offices around the country providing invaluable services for us seniors.

Would you like more information on SHIP counselling? Call the RSVP office at 309-793-4425 or email rsvp@wiaaa.org