An effort is underway in Congress to eliminate $47 million that goes to programs like North Carolina’s Seniors Health Insurance Information Program. Such an effort fits the old adage of being penny wise and pound foolish.
North Carolina’s SHIIP office gets about $1.4 million a year from the federal government, making up about 65 percent of the program’s budget. The remaining 35 percent comes from state sources.
North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey warns Medicare recipients to be on alert for scams. In the last few days, NCDOI has had reports of phone calls with the Caller ID listed as “Senior Center” but the number is unavailable. The callers are saying they are conducting a Medicare survey and are asking for personal information or asking if those they have called if they have received their new 2020 Medicare card.
North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey today announced that Medicare beneficiaries impacted by Hurricane Dorian have been granted a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) to sign up for 2020 benefits.
This SEP gives beneficiaries extra time to enroll in a Medicare health or prescription drug plan due to the unforeseen circumstances that accompany a natural disaster.
The 2020 Medicare Open Enrollment period ended Dec. 7, 2019. This SEP allows those affected by the storm to enroll through Jan. 31, 2020 with coverage to begin Feb. 1, 2020.
"Last year, North Carolina's Seniors' Health Insurance Information Program volunteers saved senior citizens more than $63 million," Commissioner Causey said, as National Volunteer Week kicked off. "That's money that older North Carolinians, many of whom are on a fixed income, can use to spend as they see fit."
National Volunteer Week runs from April 7-13.
North Carolina now has more than 2 million Medicare beneficiaries. Last year, more than 970 SHIIP volunteers helped more than 90,000 Medicare beneficiaries with issues related to Medicare or long-term care.
SHIIP, the Seniors’ Health Insurance Information Program, congratulates the winners of four statewide awards for their outstanding work in providing free, unbiased counseling about Medicare and other health insurance issues to seniors in North Carolina.
This year’s awards resulted in the selection of two Statewide Coordinator of the Year Awardees.
Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey has announced the recipients of the annual regional awards from SHIIP, the Seniors’ Health Insurance Information Program. SHIIP is a division of the North Carolina Department of Insurance that offers free, objective information about Medicare, Medicare prescription drug coverage, Medicare Advantage, long-term care insurance and other health insurance issues.
Commissioner Causey congratulated the following honorees:
The Medicare enrollment period is now open and runs for the next seven weeks. Each year during the Open Enrollment Period, Medicare beneficiaries have the opportunity to compare and evaluate their current plan and make changes as necessary. By comparing plans during the Open Enrollment Period, Medicare beneficiaries can save money and ensure their 2020 plan is best suited to meet their needs. The Open Enrollment Period began Tuesday, Oct. 15, and all changes must be made by Dec. 7 to ensure coverage begins without interruption Jan. 1, 2020.
