Local volunteers helped patients save a grand total of $431,459 during the Medicare open enrollment period in 2025. Volunteers Marla Steier, Paula Seely, Sharon Berte, Peg Skilling, Trish Casey and Carol Baas offered free Medicare counseling and support through the Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) during the open enrollment period during October, November and December.
SHIIP volunteers donate their time through a partnership with Kossuth Regional Health Center. These volunteers help patients who need extra assistance with Medicare plans. In 2025 volunteer counselors assisted over 960 individuals and volunteered a total of 917 hours.
SHIIP counselors help:
- Plan to make sure a patient’s medications are covered at the lowest cost and with the least amount of restrictions
- Review a patient’s current drug coverage and compare to new Medicare plans for the next year
- Check to see if patients are eligible for Part D Extra Help
- Further the patient’s understanding of options if he or she does not currently have a Medicare drug plan
SHIIP services are free, confidential and objective. Counselors are available to help anyone on Medicare with questions about the drug benefit. For more information about SHIIP counseling at Kossuth Regional Health Center call 515-295-4658. If you are interested in becoming a Volunteer SHIIP Counselor, you may call the volunteer office at shiipalgona4@gmail.com.
