SHIIP Counselors Help to Save Time and Money

A few years ago, Waverly resident Bob Squires received a bill in the mail from Medicare. Shocked to see the increase in cost, Squires called Joe Wolfe. Wolfe is a Waverly Health Center (WHC) volunteer and a counselor with the Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP). SHIIP is a free and objective Medicare health insurance counseling service of the State of Iowa Insurance Division. 

WHC serves as the local sponsor site for SHIIP in Bremer County. WHC has several trained SHIIP counselors who provide confidential and unbiased mentorship to hundreds of residents in Bremer County and the surrounding areas. 

“Medicare is such an important program and understanding what it offers helps assure that anyone eligible gets the health benefits they deserve,” said Keegan Voelker, community outreach specialist and SHIIP site coordinator at WHC. “This program is such an asset to our area. These counselors are some of the best people our community members could work with.” 

Squires and Wolfe meet every fall during Medicare’s open enrollment period. Together, they enter Squires’s prescription drug list into Medicare.gov. Wolfe also provides guidance, comparing plans and answering questions. Squires can pick any plan of his choice, due to the unbiased guidance of the SHIIP counselors. Appointments last about one hour, but the effects last much longer. 

“I saw a big increase in my plan and realized I should have made an appointment with a SHIIP counselor much sooner,” said Squires. “I have saved hundreds of dollars per year since I started meeting annually with Joe.” 

Squires wants his peers to be aware of the potential changes that come each year with prescription drug plans. “There are so many people, just like me, who have a drug plan and are paying more than they need to,” he says. “I didn’t know I should be meeting with a SHIIP counselor until the cost really surprised me.” 

The SHIIP counselors at WHC take appointments year-round. To speak with a counselor, leave a voicemail with your name and contact information at (319) 483-1300.

Click here to learn more > Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) | Waverly Health Center