Linda Levin: SHINE volunteers are a must-have resource for Medicare open enrollment
Medicare open enrollment season — which began Oct. 15 and runs through Dec. 7 — may feel for some seniors like it’s open season, a time when the advertising health plans are off the rails and unrestricted. The marketplace is typically flooded with television ads, promotional mail pieces and unwelcome telemarketing calls. Yet, among all this noise there is some good, trustworthy news.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the government agency that regulates Medicare and Medicaid, as well as state and federal insurance marketplaces, recently issued an announcement putting its foot down on misleading sales pitches of Medicare Advantage Plans and Part D drug plans. Using “secret shoppers,” CMS found that 80 percent of agent calls with clients were inaccurate or insufficient. The result starting in 2023 will be tighter controls and approval on the advertisements of health care plans.
The agency backed a rule that requires all Medicare Advantage agents, brokers and third-party organizations to record all calls with potential enrollees, including the enrollment process, among other new guidelines.
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The decision for CMS to take this strong stance will certainly benefit seniors enrolling in their Medicare plans. Yet, the process and choices for many can still be confusing. ElderSource, a nonprofit organization and the designated Area Agency on Aging and Aging & Disability Resource Center for Northeast Florida, has a free program to help people understand their Medicare choices and navigate through the enrollment process.
The program, SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders), is funded by the Florida Department of Elder Affairs and administered locally by ElderSource. SHINE is the only Medicare-sponsored source of one-on-one counseling for Medicare beneficiaries, their families and caregivers in the state of Florida.
ElderSource’s 38 SHINE counselors are highly trained to understand and guide Medicare beneficiaries through the open enrollment process. Background checked and forbidden to carry an insurance license, SHINE counselors offer free, confidential and unbiased help. They will not attempt to sell insurance or make decisions for Medicare enrollees. They simply help all older adults apply for all the Medicare benefits for which they are eligible.
The impact of our SHINE volunteers is impressive. Last year alone, SHINE volunteers logged in 3,425 contacts and helped seniors save more than $3 million on Medicare Part D and $2 million on Medicare Savings Plans.
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This essential counseling service has been active through the Florida Department of Elder Affairs since 1992 and today more than 500 SHINE counselors are available statewide.
The other bit of good news is that while this program is quite active now during Medicare open enrollment, the SHINE volunteers are at-the-ready all year round. It is a known fact that 10,000 people in the United States turn 65 every day, a time when all these individuals are eligible for their Medicare benefits. In addition, with Medicare fraud running rampant, SHINE volunteers can also assist beneficiaries, their families and caregivers to prevent, detect and report health care fraud and abuse.
It is important to note that there are indeed many health insurance companies and affiliated brokers in Northeast Florida that offer excellent Medicare plans and who provide excellent customer service.
We welcome the opportunity to guide older adults during this critical period to review their Medicare coverage and determine if changes need to be made to their plans. SHINE volunteers are ready to meet with people over the phone and in person. Call the ElderSource Helpline at 1-888-242-4464 to schedule an appointment.
Think about SHINE as your must-have resource during Medicare open enrollment — or if you are soon to be celebrating your 65th birthday.
Linda Levin, CEO, ElderSource
This guest column is the opinion of the author and does not necessarily represent the views of the Times-Union. We welcome a diversity of opinions.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: ElderSource volunteers are must-have resource for Medicare decisions
