As a SHIP Counselor volunteer, you will objectively counsel Medicare Beneficiaries, their caregivers or representatives who have problems and/or questions with Medicare, Medicare Supplement, Medicare managed care or long-term care insurance. Responsibilities of a SHIP counselor include

• having and maintain an email address,
• satisfactorily complete the initial SHIP training session,
• conduct individual health insurance counseling sessions with complete confidentiality to the client,
• must be able to navigate the Internet,
• may assist with Medicare and Medicare appeals claim filing,
• be an advocate for SHIP clients,
• be willing to contribute 8-10 hours per month counseling SHIP clients,
• complete a client contact report for each counseling session to regularly report SHIP activities on SHIP Tracking and Reporting System (STARS) by the end of each month.
• Must counsel without conflict of interest.
• Must attend ongoing education programs or meetings and agree to background check

Cannot be affiliated with the insurance industry or insurance claims filing business to the extent that serving as a SHIP volunteer could be used for personal and financial gain.

If you are interested in giving back to the community, contact Deborah Lee Sheppard at dsheppard@seniorservicesassoc.org (email is the best method) or by phone, 630-553-5777.