ELLY GRIMM
• Leader & Times
Many senior citizens will be looking to enroll in Medicare and Medicaid later this year, and area offices are looking for volunteers to help with that.
“It's nearly the time of year for open enrollment for people on Medicare, and they have drug plans and other parts of their insurance that are under that umbrella. What our volunteers do is they take a class and get certified so when open enrollment rolls around – since we can't take care of everyone in our office – these volunteers help us in our work,” Southwest Kansas Area Agency on Aging Information and Assistance Director Luciana Martinez said. “For example, if we have a volunteer who's going to be getting certified in Liberal, once that person is certified, they can help people there who need to make updates to their plan(s) instead of having to make the drive to Dodge City. We have different areas with multiple volunteers, and they're able to help us with all of this work. Some people meet in libraries or senior centers or similar facilities to help people get enrolled. Enrollment starts Oct. 15 and goes through Dec. 7, and during that time, we help people get on the necessary programs to make sure they're getting the best care/coverage possible.”
Martinez then talked more about the training itself.
“First, people have to do some studying through the Web site through the state, which is https://kdads.ks.gov/kdads-commissions/aging-services/medicare-programs/shick, and then after those materials from the state are completed, there's a two-day in-person training they must attend, and it's after that when they get certified,” Martinez said. “Once they get all of that done, they're able to help us during open enrollment. There are also some webinars offered for people who can't actually make it in person due to whatever circumstances, so it's ultimately up to the person. Volunteers will receive training on Medicare, Medicare Prescription Drug Insurance, Medicare Supplemental Insurance, Long-Term Care Insurance and other health insurance subjects that are concerns of Kansans. And anyone with any questions about any of that can also get in touch with me at (620) 225-8230 or call (800) 860-5260.”
Martinez then offered encouragement for people to become volunteers and help.
“The main goal of all of this is to help our elderly citizens and make sure they're enrolled in what they need to be, so if people would help us help them meet their needs, that's amazing. And if you also happen to be bilingual, that's another bonus for us,” Martinez said. “Like I said earlier, if people can find a person to help them there in their community instead of making the drive all the way to Dodge City, that's a benefit to everyone. Volunteers also receive support from staff at the state and local levels, and regional SHICK Coordinators provide assistance, office space and equipment, supplies and training support. And there are some people who need some extra help in deciding what the next step needs to be because all the talk about co-pays and deductibles and all of that can be kind of confusing and maybe even a bit overwhelming, so our main goal is to help them navigate everything. There is a class coming up in June and then another one in July, so if people want to get into the July session, they would just need to get in touch with us at (620) 225-8230 and ask for me. Once they get in touch with us initially, we can get them started studying the online materials and then get them scheduled for the in-person class in July. But they do need to be done with the online materials before we can get them scheduled. Without our volunteers to help, people might not know about the different plans available and with healthcare costs the way they are right now, people are looking for ways to save money on medications and everything else they need, so this is a great way for them to get the best value they can.”
There are quite a few duties involved with being a volunteer, Martinez added.
“The customers would need to bring in their current information as far as who their insurance provider is, and if they want to go with a different plan, they can do that, or if they want to stay with their current coverage, they can do that too,” Martinez said. “They can also make updates as far as medications and things like that in order to make sure they stay properly covered and getting all their benefits. SHICK volunteers help Medicare beneficiaries, caregivers and other understand their choices, access the benefits available to them and find programs to help pay for mediations and other services. Our counselors' main job is to help their clients navigate the enrollment and make sure they're getting everything they need and making sure the costs aren't astronomical. Anyone who wants to help is more than welcome, and again, they would just need to contact us. These counselors would only be needed during the aforementioned open enrollment period and again, a goal is to make this more convenient for everyone. Once the open enrollment period is through, the volunteers won't be needed again until it rolls around next year, if they decide they want to help again. We do have multiple people who will be returning for this year, but we do still need people to fill the vacancies left by the people who decided not to come back.”
Overall, Martinez said, she hopes to have a lot of people sign up to be a volunteer.
“We appreciate anything anyone can do to help us with this work, and if you know you'll have some free time while the open enrollment process is going on, please consider helping us with this. It's a very fulfilling way to help, and it's truly a win-win for everyone,” Martinez said.
