YOU Could Become a SHIP Counselor

Barbara Wilcox, SHIP Counselor

If you have been reading The Retiree Guardian, you know that I am a SHIP Counselor. You know that I write articles about Medicare for the Guardian, but that’s not all I do.  I also teach Medicare 101 classes and I provide one-on-one Medicare counseling to people who call in to the SHIP office where I volunteer.  I have been doing this work for about twelve years as a volunteer, and I find it to be stimulating and rewarding.  Plus, as an added bonus, I learn things about Medicare that I can use to help myself, my family, my friends and my fellow phone company retirees.

Right now, the SHIP office in Denver where I volunteer is gearing up for the fall Medicare Open Enrollment period, and we are recruiting additional volunteers. I realize that most of you don’t live in the Denver area, but no matter where you live in the 50 United States or in the US Territories, there is a SHIP office near you, and they all need volunteers. Call 1-877-839-2675 to find the SHIP office in your area.

I got involved in SHIP in the fall of 2011.  CenturyLink (CTL) announced they were no longer going to provide Company health insurance to Post-1990 retirees who were on Medicare.  Instead, they set up Health Reimbursement Accounts (HRAs) for us to use to purchase our own insurance to supplement Medicare and to cover prescription drugs. We had to sign up for our own insurance to be effective January 1, 2012.

If you were impacted by this change, you may recall that the rollout was anything but smooth.  Here we were, a bunch of retirees on Medicare who hadn’t needed to buy supplemental insurance or prescription drug insurance, because CTL had been providing it. Suddenly, we were faced with choosing our own insurance, and we were overwhelmed by the options.  Supposedly we could get help from the insurance broker CTL had contracted to assist us, but that wasn’t working out for most of us.  Deadlines were approaching, and many of us were panicking.

I happened to be talking with a phone company friend who lives in Grand Junction, and she said, “Don’t you have a SHIP office in Denver? Call them.”  It turned out that Jean was a volunteer SHIP counselor herself in Grand Junction.  I called the Denver SHIP office, and I explained that we had a bunch of people who needed help with Medicare choices fast. I asked if they could talk to a group of us at once, and they said yes, that they teach Medicare 101 classes.  So, our Denver chapter of AUSWR CO/WY arranged for one of their staff members to come talk to us. It was a huge success, so we set up more meetings.

I felt that SHIP had saved the day for so many of us. SHIP was not trying to sell us insurance. Instead, SHIP was educating us so that we could sort through the insurance options and decide what insurance would suit our individual needs.

After the dust had settled, I contacted the SHIP office again and asked if they could teach Medicare 101 classes for us on a regular basis.  I knew that there were a lot of post-1990 retirees who had taken early retirement and had Company retiree health insurance until age 65. But when they turned 65 and went on Medicare, they would lose the Company insurance and switch to the HRA. They too would be faced with learning their options and making a good choice of supplemental and prescription drug insurance. We set up quarterly Medicare 101 classes for telephone retirees.  The more I saw of the SHIP program the more I realized what a treasure it is.  Yes, they teach classes, but they also give one-on-one counseling to people on Medicare or who are about to go on Medicare.

It wasn’t long before I wanted to get more involved. I applied to be a volunteer SHIP counselor and was accepted. I went through the intensive training, and I’ve been doing the work ever since. Of course, Medicare keeps changing, so I get more training each year. I get excellent support from the paid staff and my fellow volunteers.  When I run into a situation I can’t figure out, or a client asks me a question I can’t answer, I have lots of resources to go to.

Why do I keep doing this work?  For one thing, it keeps me on my toes. I have to keep up to date on Medicare changes. I’m always learning something new. The people who call us for help represent the broad spectrum of Americans who are on Medicare, and I enjoy hearing their stories and helping them navigate the system. In addition, I get to continue helping my fellow phone company retirees. Most of all, I feel I am amply paid by the thanks I receive from the clients that I help. My biggest reward is hearing someone say, “It was all so confusing, and now I understand!”

Here are answers to some questions you may have.

Q           What is SHIP?

A            SHIP stands for State Health Insurance Assistance Program.  It is a Federal program, under The Department of Health and Human Services. It gives grants to the states, and each state sets up and runs its own program, contracting with local agencies to provide the services.

Q           What is SHIP’s mission?

A            SHIP provides unbiased help to Medicare beneficiaries, their families, and caregivers. Whether you are new to Medicare, reviewing Medicare plan options, or have questions on how to use your Medicare, SHIP can help.

Q           What do SHIP Counselors do?

A            SHIP Counselors provide one-on-one help to Medicare beneficiaries and their caregivers. The counseling is usually done over the phone, but it also can be done in person at a SHIP office.

Q           Does SHIP sell insurance?

A            No. SHIPs are not allowed to be licensed to sell insurance. Neither are they allowed to recommend one insurance company or policy over another.  They educate and inform their clients of their options so that the client can make the best decision to meet his/her needs.

Q           What qualifications are needed to be a SHIP volunteer?

A            I’d say what is needed most is a willingness to learn about Medicare in a lot of detail and a desire to educate and to make Medicare easier for the client. Those of us who are on Medicare are especially sought out to be volunteers, because we have personal experience with Medicare and know some of the pitfalls first hand.  We also are peers of the clients we are helping, which makes for easy rapport with the clients. But, volunteers are not required to be on Medicare. Because we work with vulnerable people, we are also required to pass a background check.

Q           If I wanted to volunteer to be a SHIP Counselor, what kind of training and support would I receive?

A            The initial training for a new SHIP Counselor is intensive and thorough. You must complete 17 online courses, and you must pass the exam to be certified as a SHIP Counselor.

Q           So what happens next?  When I pass the exam, do I just start answering the phone?

A            Usually your SHIP director will arrange for you to shadow experienced counselors, and perhaps team up with another counselor to take some calls at first.  Even when you are ready to take calls on your own, you always have support available from the staff and other volunteers in your SHIP office.

Q           Would I need to use a computer to be a SHIP Counselor?

A            Yes. As I mentioned, most of the training is done online. SHIP offices use computer systems to track calls and document interactions with clients. We use the Medicare.gov web site a lot, to look up information and to search for insurance to meet a client’s needs.  Your SHIP office will provide all of the equipment needed (computers and phones) and will train you how to use it.

Q           How much time would I be expected to give as a SHIP volunteer?

A            In my SHIP office, I am expected to give a minimum of four hours a week, on average.  Usually, that means volunteering for a half day each week, but if I am going out of town or have other obligations, I can modify my schedule.  Usually, I work more than four hours a week during the fall Open Enrollment period.

Q           I’ve noticed that Medicare keeps changing.  Would I get additional training to keep up to date on the changes?

A            Yes.  There is annual training given before Open Enrollment opens in October, and it covers changes to Medicare as well as changes to things like the Medicare web site Medicare.gov. Other training courses are available throughout the year.

Q           What if I’m interested in volunteering, but I’m not sure I want to be a Counselor. Does SHIP need volunteers for other types of work?

A            It depends on the individual SHIP office, but I believe that most would welcome a volunteer who wants to do work other than counseling. For example, in my office, a volunteer helps get out mailings.

Q           What do I do to get started?

A            Contact your local SHIP office and tell them you are interested in volunteering. If they are accepting new volunteers, then they will have you fill out an application.

To find your local SHIP office, call 1-877-839-2675

Questions, comments?  Contact Barbara Wilcox at bmw80205@gmail.com, 303-377-5761