Promise Community Health Center is excited to announce a new resource for Medicare beneficiaries: Promise now has a trained SHIIP Counselor, Carrie, available to provide free, confidential, one-on-one Medicare counseling.
This new service gives patients a trusted resource right here at Promise to help them understand their Medicare options, compare plans, prepare for enrollment, and make informed decisions about their healthcare coverage.
And the best part? SHIIP counseling is provided at no cost to patients.
What Is SHIIP?
SHIIP stands for the Senior Health Insurance Information Program, Iowa’s Medicare counseling program offered through the Iowa Insurance Division.
SHIIP provides free, objective, and confidential assistance to Medicare beneficiaries, their families, and caregivers. Trained counselors help people understand the often-complicated world of Medicare and related insurance so they can make decisions with confidence.
Medicare can be confusing. There are different parts of Medicare, Medicare Advantage plans, prescription drug coverage, supplemental insurance, enrollment periods, deductibles, premiums, networks, formularies and more. A SHIIP Counselor can help make sense of those choices without trying to sell you an insurance plan.
Medicare Help Is Now Available at Promise
As Promise’s new SHIIP Counselor, Carrie will be available to assist patients with a variety of Medicare questions and situations throughout the year.
She can help with:
- Open Enrollment – October 15 through December 7
- Patients new to Medicare – available year-round
- Medicare plan comparisons – available year-round
- General Medicare questions and concerns – available year-round
- Life events that may affect Medicare coverage – available year-round
Whether you’re approaching Medicare for the first time, wondering if your current plan is still the best fit, or simply have a question about how your coverage works, Carrie can help you understand your choices.
SHIIP counselors can assist Medicare beneficiaries with questions about coverage, costs, enrollment, plan choices, coordination with other insurance, and programs that may help eligible individuals with Medicare-related expenses.
Why Medicare Matters
For many older adults and people with disabilities, Medicare is an important part of maintaining access to healthcare. Understanding your coverage can help you take advantage of the benefits available to you while avoiding unnecessary costs or coverage gaps.
Medicare includes several components that work differently. Part A helps cover inpatient hospital care, while Part B helps pay for doctor services, outpatient care and other medically necessary services. Medicare Advantage plans, Medicare prescription drug plans and supplemental coverage can add additional choices and considerations.
That’s why having someone who can sit down with you, answer your questions and help you compare your options can make such a difference.
You don’t have to figure it all out by yourself.
Medicare Patients Are Welcome at Promise
The addition of SHIIP counseling is especially meaningful at Promise because Medicare beneficiaries can receive their healthcare and Medicare guidance in the same community health center.
As a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), Promise Community Health Center provides comprehensive healthcare to patients in our community, including medical, mental health, dental and vision services.
For Medicare patients, that means having a healthcare home where multiple services are available in one organization—and where our team understands that healthcare involves more than simply treating an illness.
Promise also offers financial assistance programs and a sliding fee scale for eligible patients. Even patients with insurance may qualify for reduced costs depending on their household income and circumstances.
Our goal is simple: help people get the care they need without unnecessary barriers.
The combination of Medicare coverage and the resources available through an FQHC can provide an important advantage for individuals looking for accessible, comprehensive and affordable healthcare close to home.
A Resource for the Whole Medicare Journey
Carrie’s SHIIP counseling isn’t just for people who are already comparing plans during Open Enrollment.
If you’re new to Medicare, start here.
If you’ve been on Medicare for years and aren’t sure whether your current plan is still meeting your needs, start here.
If a major life event has changed your circumstances and you’re wondering whether it affects your Medicare coverage, start here.
And when Open Enrollment arrives each fall, Carrie can help you take a closer look at your options and make an informed decision.
Iowa SHIIP encourages Medicare beneficiaries to review their coverage and consider factors such as providers, prescription medications and costs when evaluating Medicare plan options.
A Free Service for Our Community
SHIIP counseling is a tremendous new resource for Promise patients—and there is no cost to patients for the counseling service.
Appointments with Carrie will initially be scheduled for longer visits to allow plenty of time for questions, reviewing information and helping each patient understand their options.
Patients should come prepared with the information and documents needed for their individual Medicare situation so Carrie can make the most of their appointment.
Don’t wait until you’re confused about your Medicare coverage. Get help understanding your options.
Medicare Questions? Promise Can Help.
Whether you’re new to Medicare, reviewing your current coverage or preparing for Open Enrollment, Carrie, Promise’s SHIIP Counselor, is here to help.
And while you’re at Promise, you have access to a healthcare team committed to caring for the whole person.
Medicare is an important benefit. Make sure you understand how to use it.
To learn more or request an appointment with Promise’s SHIIP Counselor, contact Promise Community Health Center at 712-722-1700.
SHIIP counseling is provided as a free, objective and confidential service through Iowa’s Senior Health Insurance Information Program. SHIIP counselors do not sell or endorse insurance plans.