Do You Need Help With Medicare costs?
If you have limited income and resources, you may be able to get help paying some of your Medicare expenses through Extra Help or Medicare Savings Programs. You must be enrolled in or eligible for Medicare Part A and meet the income and resource guidelines.
To find out if you may be eligible, please refer to the chart below for current income and resource limits.
For more information or help determining your eligibility, contact your local Albia SHIIP office by calling 641-932-1703. You may also dial 1-800-351-4664 for customer support, email shiip@iid.iowa.gov, or visit https://shiip.iowa.gov/.
The Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) is a free, objective, and confidential service offered through the State of Iowa to help people sort through confusing information about Medicare and health insurance. Trained and state-certified volunteer counselors assist thousands of Iowans annually, helping them save millions of dollars. These counselors can also upon request, assist with applications for, and enrollment in Medicare prescription drug plans, health plans, and assistance programs.
In 2002, Ruth Belzer was instrumental in starting the Albia SHIIP program sponsored by Monroe County Hospital. She set the foundation for the success of the program and volunteered tirelessly for fifteen years. To ensure that the program remained strong, she recruited competent and caring volunteers. Currently, Kathy Griffin and Ann Stocker are the local SHIIP volunteers. Ann recently stated, “As a new counselor at the Albia SHIIP office, I have a great appreciation for the program and the help that we can provide to Medicare recipients from the local area. Kathy Griffin and Martha Hornick have both earned a great deal of respect and appreciation from their clients.”
There are 62 SHIIP offices in Iowa staffed by 350 volunteers. The Albia SHIIP office was recognized at the Fall training session held in Des Moines, Iowa on October 11, 2021. Based on statistics from the 2020 Medicare open enrollment season, the Albia SHIIP office received state-wide recognition for being #3 in the State of Iowa for MIPPA. MIPPA is a grant received by the state that provides funding that helps clients receive financial assistance to pay their Medicare Part A & B deductibles, co-pays, and co-insurance.
Albia SHIIP volunteer counselors, Kathy Griffin and Ann Stocker, will answer questions and provide one-on-one assistance upon request. The SHIIP office offers appointments year-round. For an appointment, please call 641-932-1703, or e-mail albiashiip@gmail.com. The Albia SHIIP office is located at the east entrance of Monroe County Hospital & Clinics, 6580 165th Street, Albia.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
When the pandemic started in early 2020 the Federal government required Iowa Medicaid to maintain continous coverage for members. This is changing as of March 31, 2023. Beginning in February 2023 Iowa Medicaid will begin reviewing income and resources of all people who were allowed to continue to receive Medicaid benefits during the Covic-19 pandemic. There are several things that persons on Medicaid should make sure they do:
1. Update their contact information with Medicaid: by calling 1-800-388-8366 Monday to Friday between the hours of 8 am to 5 pm.
2. Check their mail: Open all mail! All persons on Medicaid will be mailed a letter about their Medicaid coverage.
3. Complete and return any Medicaid forms sent: If not returned they may lose their Medicaid coverage.
If any assistance is needed please contact your local SHIIP office at 641-932-1703 or State office at 1-800-351-4664.
If your are not eligible for Medicare your can contact Iowa Navigators at 1-877-474-6284.
SHIIP-SMP Volunteer Spotlight
Nestled near the border of southern Iowa, Medicare beneficiaries in and around Monroe County represent some of the highest need individuals. Despite supporting a high percentage of low-income and high need clients, last year, one SHIIP-SMP counselor held 726 appointments with 343 unique clients – the largest number of appointments for one person in the state.
Monroe County Hospital & Clinics (MCHC) in Albia began sponsoring the SHIIP-SMP program in 2003, historically maintaining at least two volunteer counselors to help individuals and their families navigate Medicare options. Martha Hornick and Kathy Griffin both served together starting in 2015, with Ann Stocker stepping in to help as Martha “retired” from her SHIIP-SMP volunteer service in 2021. After Kathy shared her plans to wrap up seven years of service, she and Ann worked hard to identify a new volunteer to help. Unfortunately, they were unable to find someone ready and able to step into the role before the new volunteer training began.
Medicare Fraud on the Rise During Annual Open Enrollment
Every fall, Medicare beneficiaries have an opportunity to review and change their Prescription Drug Plan or Medicare Advantage Plan during the Open Enrollment Period (OEP) from October 15 to December 7.
Medicare Prescription Drug Plan and Medicare Advantage Plan costs, benefits, drug formularies and provider networks can change each year. Comparing and evaluating options can help individuals find better coverage and even save money – but navigating options can feel overwhelming and stressful. With so many Medicare beneficiaries under pressure to make choices about their 2026 enrollment in a short period of time, scammers are ready to take advantage of their uncertainty.
Medicare fraud has ballooned to an estimated $100 billion each year, which impacts the Medicare Trust Fund and funding for beneficiary services. Below are some common red flags Medicare beneficiaries can look out for to protect themselves and Medicare from scammers:
- Callers claiming to be from Medicare, asking to confirm a Medicare number. Medicare will never call a beneficiary asking for personal information – hang up immediately!
- Unsolicited text messages or phone calls offering assistance with plan comparisons – especially those that put pressure to make an enrollment right away or offer gifts to enroll in a plan.
- Anyone who says they need a beneficiary’s Medicare number, Social Security number or bank information to run a plan comparison. This information can be used to enroll a beneficiary in a plan without their permission. Remember, for a plan comparison, only a person’s age and county of residence is needed.
Before enrolling in a plan, Medicare beneficiaries should make sure they understand what the plan covers, whether their providers are in network, if their prescriptions are covered and benefits offered. Medicare beneficiaries receive an Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) in September from their Prescription Drug Plan or Medicare Advantage Plan. This is a summary of any changes in the plan’s cost, coverage and service area that will take effect on January 1 of the next year. Some beneficiaries will receive notice that their plan is ending, and they will need to find a new plan during the Open Enrollment Period. This is a critical time to read all mail from your plan, provider or Medicare to stay informed of possible changes.
If the Part D or MA plan has not been cancelled and a Medicare beneficiary is happy with current coverage after reviewing plan changes and options for the year ahead, no action is necessary during Open Enrollment. They will automatically be re-enrolled for the following year.
Plan options for the year ahead can be found at Medicare.gov/plan-compare. Through the Medicare website, Medicare beneficiaries can see and compare plan options available in their zip code in 2026, even incorporating their specific prescriptions and pharmacies. “Navigating the Open Enrollment Period can seem daunting, but you don’t have to do it alone,” said Kristin Griffith, Director of the Iowa Insurance Division’s Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) and Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP). “We have well-trained and certified SHIIP-SMP counselors across the state equipped to help you with this process.”
Free, confidential, and unbiased SHIIP-SMP Medicare counseling is provided as a service through the Iowa Insurance Division. Iowans seeking assistance can visit shiip.iowa.gov to find a counselor in their county or find additional information on how to compare plans at shiip.iowa.gov/medicare-open-enrollment-period. The SHIIP-SMP consumer help line at 1-800-351-4664 can also answer general Medicare questions and provide phone numbers for local SHIIP/SMP sites in Iowa.
Help from Medicare is also available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except some federal holidays, at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). TTY users can call 1-877-486-2048.
- Key dates to remember:
- October 15: Open enrollment begins
- December 7: Open enrollment closes
- January 1: 2026 coverage begins
