By Rachel Christian Last Modified: October 16, 2020
Each year from October 15 to December 7, current Medicare
recipients get a chance to evaluate and make changes to their health care and
drug coverage.
This annual opportunity is known as the open enrollment period.
But navigating this process without guidance can be complicated,
even overwhelming.
Thankfully, a network of federally funded programs is available
to help.
What Is SHIP?
The State Health Insurance Assistance Program, or SHIP, provides
one-on-one counseling and assistance to millions of Medicare beneficiaries
each year.
SHIP was formed by way of U.S. statute in 1990. Each SHIP
receives federal grant money and is administered at the state level by either
the Department on Aging or the Department of Insurance.
In 2019, states and U.S. territories received nearly $45 million
in federal money to support SHIP services.
The programs have different names in different places, such as
HIICAP (Health Insurance Information, Counseling and Assistance Program) in New
York and SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders) in Florida.
There are about 16,000 SHIP counselors nationwide, and each one
undergoes extensive screening, Medicare training and certification.
Counselors assist people who are new to Medicare as well as
those who have been enrolled for some time.
They also work with adult children who are helping their parents
navigate the system.
SHIP counselors are trained to help with various Medicare
issues, including:
·
Open enrollment
·
First-time Medicare
enrollment questions
·
Assistance for
lower-income people
·
Medicare penalties and
appeals
SHIP Makes Open Enrollment Easier
According to a recent Kaiser Family Foundation analysis,
45 percent of people on Medicare in 2017 said they rarely or never review or
compare their Medicare options.
The rate was even higher among beneficiaries ages 85 and older.
While some people may be satisfied with their current plans, the
analysis points out that “low switching rates could also indicate that many
beneficiaries find the process of comparing plans too challenging, are unaware
of the open enrollment period, or have limited confidence in their ability to
choose a better plan.”
That may be due, in part, to the growing number of available
plans to choose from.
In 2020, the average Medicare beneficiary had access to 28 Medicare Advantage plans and an
additional 28 Part D plans.
“Medicare can be incredibly complicated to manage and confusing
to sort through,” Rebecca Kinney, director of the Office of Healthcare
Information and Counseling for the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services’ Administration for Community Living, told RetireGuide.com.
When it comes to open enrollment, Kinney said SHIP counselors
can help people compare plan premiums, deductibles, provider networks, drug coverage
and other factors simultaneously to maximize value and lower costs.
Even if you want to use the Medicare Plan Finder tool
to explore options on your own, SHIP counselors are still available to answer
any questions along the way, Kinney added.
“SHIP is unique in that it is the only national program
available to provide this type of service to Medicare beneficiaries at the
local level free of charge and with no commissions,” Kinney said.
Medicare Open Enrollment in the Era of
COVID-19
Open enrollment is usually the busiest time of year for SHIP
counselors, said Shannon Hohl, program supervisor for Idaho’s Senior Health
Insurance Benefit Advisors, or SHIBA.
But this is the first year SHIBA is assisting people during a
global pandemic.
“I know that nationally, SHIP is a little nervous about open
enrollment this year,” Hohl told RetireGuide.com. “We don’t know if there’s
going to be more people needing help, or less. We’re just committed to doing
our best to serve everyone.”
Hohl said Idaho is uniquely positioned to accomplish this.
Because the state is mostly rural, SHIBA counselors haven been working with
beneficiaries over the phone for years.
In many other states, in-person seminars were the primary way
counselors educated people about open enrollment.
A Medicare beneficiary could sit beside a counselor while he or
she used the Medicare Plan Finder to help them pick the best Medicare Part D or Medicare Advantage
plan.
While some states are still offering this, most have
transitioned to phone and virtual counseling via Zoom, Skype or Webex.
States have implemented other creative solutions during the
pandemic, including drive-through counseling and online webinars.
With a beneficiary’s permission, counselors can even log into a
person’s MyMedicare.gov account
and see their last 12 months of drug claims, which can help when comparing the
cost of Part D plans.
But Hohl notes that each state is adapting to COVID-19
differently. It’s important to contact your local SHIP to see what’s available.
The best place to find the SHIP in your area is through the
SHIP Technical Assistance Center locator.
How SHIP Can Help You
During open enrollment, SHIPs can help you navigate the Medicare
Plan Finder, understand available enrollment options and walk you through
picking the best plan.
These decisions can add up to hundreds — or even thousands — of
dollars in out-of-pocket savings each year.
Delaware’s state government website boasts that its SHIP has
provided more than 2,930 counseling sessions so far this year, reportedly
saving beneficiaries more than $192,000 in premiums.
There’s also Medicare Savings Programs that can help
cover premiums and, in some cases, deductibles, coinsurance and copayments.
People with low incomes often don’t realize they’re eligible for
these extra help programs, Hohl said.
Since these savings programs are administered at the state
level, local SHIP counselors are well-suited to help financially struggling
seniors navigate the process.
Counseling sessions can get booked up fast, so it’s wise to
contact your local SHIP early in the open enrollment period to make an
appointment.
Go to www.shiptacenter.org to
find the SHIP in your area. Or, call the national network at 1-877-839-2675.
Rachel Christian
STAFF
WRITER, is a writer and researcher for RetireGuide.com.
She covers annuities, Medicare, life insurance and other important retirement
topics. Rachel is a member of the American Finance Association and the
Association for Financial Counseling & Planning Education.
9 Cited Research Articles
1.
Lin-Fisher, B. (2020, October 11).
Need Medicare help? There's virtual, phone assistance available. Retrieved
from https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/news/2020/10/11/medicare-advantage-part-d-prescription-drug-plan-virtual-phone-help/5913263002/
2.
Schwartz, A. (2020, October 8). The
Medicare enrollment process is failing seniors and needs to be modernized.
Retrieved from https://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-medicare-enrollment-process-is-failing-seniors-and-needs-to-be-modernized-11602183719
3.
Lankford, K. (2020, October 2). How
SHIPs Can Help With Your Medicare Questions and Problems. Retrieved from https://money.usnews.com/money/retirement/medicare/articles/how-ships-can-help-with-your-medicare-questions-and-problems
4.
Delaware.gov. (2020, September 23).
Medicare Assistance Bureau Innovates to Serve Residents During COVID-19.
Retrieved from https://news.delaware.gov/2020/09/23/medicare-assistance-bureau-innovates-to-serve-residents-during-covid-19/
5.
¬¬¬, J. et al. (2019, December 2).
No Itch to Switch: Few Medicare Beneficiaries Switch Plans During the Open
Enrollment Period. Retrieved from https://www.kff.org/medicare/issue-brief/no-itch-to-switch-few-medicare-beneficiaries-switch-plans-during-the-open-enrollment-period/
6.
Cubanski, J. and Damico, A. (2019,
November 14). Medicare Part D: A First Look at Prescription Drug Plans in 2020.
Retrieved from https://www.kff.org/report-section/medicare-part-d-a-first-look-at-prescription-drug-plans-in-2020-issue-brief/
7.
Damico, A. et al. (2019, October
24). Medicare Advantage 2020 Spotlight: First Look. Retrieved from https://www.kff.org/report-section/medicare-advantage-2020-spotlight-first-look-data-note/#:~:text=Number%20of%20Plans%20Available%20to,since%202011%20(Figure%203).
8.
Administration for Community Living.
(2019). State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) Funding. Retrieved
from https://acl.gov/sites/default/files/programs/2019-06/SHIP%20Funding%20revised.pdf
9.
State Health Insurance Assistance
Programs National Network. (n.d.). About Us. Retrieved from https://www.shiptacenter.org/about-us
https://www.retireguide.com/news/ship-medicare-open-enrollment-help/
No comments:
Post a Comment