Medicare and SHIIP
About SHIIP
The Seniors' Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) provides trained counselors to answer questions and advise Medicare beneficiaries and caregivers about Medicare, Medicare supplements, Medicare Advantage, Medicare prescription drug plans, long-term care insurance and other health insurance concerns.
Senior Services has SHIIP counselors on staff in its Help Line division. They can assist you in understanding your options, when you are faced with making choices regarding your Medicare coverage. Help Line recommends the document entitled
"Understanding Medicare Enrollment Periods," prepared by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, as a resource for helping individuals understand the process involved in signing up for Medicare.
Medicare Mondays
If you will be eligible for Medicare soon, the workshop “Welcome to Medicare" may be of interest. Attend the two-hour program and learn about the many options available so that you can make the choices that are right for you when the time comes to enroll.
Before requesting a face-to-face appointment with a SHIIP counselor to discuss your Medicare options, it is advised that you attend a “Welcome to Medicare” session. Senior Services, beginning March 18, will begin offering “Welcome to Medicare” every Monday at the Senior Services Center, 2895 Shorefair Drive, from 11:00 A.M. until 1:00 P.M. Please note: A RESERVATION IS REQUIRED. For more information or to reserve a spot, call Andi Reese at 721-6957.
Your Medicare Summary Notice Is Changing!
The Medicare Summary Notice (your Medicare “explanation of benefits”) is changing! We invite you to attend one of these FREE educational events designed to take the mystery out of reading and understanding the costs of medical services provided to you, what you might be charged by your providers, and how to spot possible fraud and abuse.
These sessions are specifically designed for people with Medicare, their caregivers who want to be more “in the know” about their benefits. These events are open to the public and are sponsored by the NC Senior Medicare Patrol, a division of the NC Department of Insurance and the Senior’s Health Insurance Information Program and presented by Senior Services and The Shepherd’s Center of Greater Winston-Salem.
Tuesday, April 23, 2013 – 9:30-11:00 a.m. – Senior Services, Inc. 2895 Shorefair Drive, Winston-Salem, NC 27105. Call Andi at 721-6959 for more information.
Thursday, April 25, 2013 – 10:30 a.m.-12 noon – Granville Place Apartments, 650 Granville Drive, Winston-Salem, NC 27101. (336) 725-1529.
Wednesday, May 1, 2013 – 11:15-12 noon – Belview Community Center (Senior Lunch Site), 2800 Burgandy Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27107. Call Andi at 721-6959 for more information.*
Wednesday, May 8, 2013 – 11:15-12 noon – Brown & Douglas Recreation Center (Senior Lunch site), 4725 Indiana Avenue, Winston-Salem, NC 27105. Call Andi at 721-6959 for more information.*
Friday, May 10, 2013 – 11:15-12 noon – Sunrise Towers Apartments (Senior Lunch site), 801 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Winston-Salem, NC 27101. Call Andi at 721-6959 for more information.*
Wednesday, May 15, 2013 – 11:15-12 noon – Koerner Place Apartments (Senior Lunch site), 812 Birch Lane, Kernersville, NC 27284. Call Andi at 721-6959 for more information.*
Monday, May 20, 2013 – 3:00 p.m-4:30 p.m. – Shepherd’s Center of Winston-Salem, 1700 Ebert Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27103. (336) 748-0217.
*Sessions offered on May 1, 8 10, and 15 are being held at Senior Lunch sites. Meals are provided only to registered Senior Lunch Program participants. However, the educational session is open to anyone.
HELPFUL LINKS AND DOCUMENTS
It may be helpful for you to review the following links before you contact Help Line for assistance:
"Welcome to Medicare" will give you an overview of the different "roads" you might take to complete your Medicare insurance options. Once the page has loaded, click on the right or left arrows below the presentation to advance forward or move backward.
"The Donut Hole" explains how the prescription drug coverage gap currently works and complements information provided in the "Welcome to Medicare Presentation.
The following documents complement the "Welcome to Medicare" presentation, and it may be helpful to have copies on hand before viewing the presentation. If you wish, you can link to the forms listed below and print out copies to which to refer as you view the above presentations or prior to attending a "Welcome to Medicare" workshop.
The following links for the NC SHIIP, the "Medicare and You Handbook" and the Social Security websites may provide you with additional helpful information. Please click on the icons below to check out these sites.
Become a SHIIP Volunteer!
If you would like to volunteer with the SHIIP program, go to
our online form. Training is provided by the NC Department of Insurance, and ongoing support is provided to the volunteer by the local coordinating sites. If you have further questions about this rewarding opportunity, contact us at Help Line at 336-724-2040.
Medicare Questions? To call or set up an appointment in Forsyth County, call Senior Services Help Line at 336-724-2040. You can also contact the Shepherd's Center of Greater Winston-Salem at 336-748-0217, which is the co-coordinating site for SHIIP. SHIIP volunteers help fellow senior citizens in their community with questions regarding Medicare, Medicare supplements, Medicare claims processing, Medicare Advantage, Medicare prescription drug plans and long-term care insurance. Calls may be made to either agency, and face-to-face appointments can be set up with a trained SHIIP counselor.
