North Carolina’s health insurance industry is an innovator on the subject of senior health care issues like Medicare and long term care insurance, thanks to the Seniors Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP). SHIIP not only assists seniors with questions about everything from their Medicare benefits to available drug prescription plans, they offer a number of other benefits as well, from educating Medicare beneficiaries and caregivers about long term care insurance, to independent living options and disability resources. The program, which was created in 1986 by North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Jim Long, has become so successful that many other states now use it to counsel seniors on a host of issues as well, a plan North Carolina health insurance agents eagerly embrace, because it provides additional guidance on affordable health plans for seniors searching for answers to questions that health insurance plans in North Carolina alone may not always address.
Veterans or retired military for example, have access to a database on everything from education to handicapped parking privileges, while other programs provide counseling on everything from how to recognize and avoid scammers who prey on the elderly, to residents rights for long term care in assisted living facilities. Many of the programs offered by SHIIP use trained volunteers to offer information and counseling on topics such as Medicare, supplemental policies, and long-term care insurance as well. And because North Carolina’s senior population ranks among the top twenty states in the nation for residents over the age of 65, North Carolina health insurance agents in particular are particularly well versed in issues important to senior health plans, as well as ways to reduce the likelihood of filing a claim on the first place. Exercise, nutrition, social interaction, regular check-ups and minor safety precautions can make the difference between getting injured and staying active of course, but programs like the Seniors Health Insurance Information Program can help “fill in the blanks” for seniors who have concerns about more practical issues like what constitutes a disability, how to file a Medicare claim, and if the health plan you may have had when you were employed still provides you with any benefits now that you are retired.
If you find that the health insurance plan you had when you were employed isn’t meeting your current needs, or is no longer an option, contact a licensed North Carolina health insurance agent to find out what coverage you need, if a supplemental insurance plan makes sense, if you are paying too much, or there is a loophole in your coverage that you should be aware of before something happens. Health insurance can be expensive, but just like the Seniors Health Insurance Information Program, the more you know about how getting older affects everything from your prescription drug plan to how your existing insurance coverage may fall short in the event of an injury, means you have more control over what you spend, what benefits you receive, and what you can do to make sure that you are prepared if something does happen. That’s one of many reasons why North Carolina continues to be a leader in the health insurance industry, and why your North Carolina health insurance agent or broker may be one of the best health insurance resources you have when it comes to affordable health insurance.