NS Aging - NC Dept of Insurance & Orange Co Seniors Health Insurance Information Program

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ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS • ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: September 6, 2007 Action Agenda Item No. SUBJECT: Contract Renewal Between NC Dept of Insurance and Orange County for Seniors' Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) DEPARTMENT: Aging PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No ATTACHMENT(S):. INFORMATION CONTACT: Contract Jerry Passmore 245-2008 NC Dept of Insurance SHIIP Brochure Katherine Leith 968-2082 PURPOSE: To consider a contract renewal to receive $5,000 from the NC Department of Insurance for the Seniors'. Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) administered by the Department on Aging for the period July 1, 2007-June 30, 2008. • BACKGROUND: SHIIP volunteers are an independent source for accurate information about insurance issues. Since 1987, the NC Department of Insurance has partnered with the Department on Aging to assist Orange County residents with health insurance questions and concerns without a sales motive. Since 1997, the Orange County volunteers and Coordinator have won a combined 11 statewide awards for program excellence. With the passing of the federal Medicare Modernization Act of 2003, a multitude of prescription plans and health care plans were created. All of these are very confusing to Medicare beneficiaries. SHIIP was mandated by the federal government to educate beneficiaries about these changes and review options. In response to the dramatic increase in requests for assistance, the Department of Insurance began in fiscal year 2006 to provide mini-grants to the SHIIP programs for recognition of the volunteers and reimbursement of expenses. Last fiscal year, more than 700 individuals received help from SHIIP Coordinator Katherine Leith, and 12 volunteers. This number is likely to grow in Orange County with a minimum of 600 persons turning 65 each year. FINANCIAL IMPACT: This fiscal year, the Department of Insurance has made available $5,000 for support of the SHIIP program in Orange County. No matching funds are required from Orange County. These funds, combined with $2,300 carried forward from last fiscal year, will be used to purchase two laptop computers for the SHIIP volunteers, employ two temporary part time people to be site coordinators for the required Medicare counseling sessions each Tuesday between October 2007 and March 2008, and to employ another part-time temporary person to assist with SHIIP reporting. Funds will also be used to sponsor a recognition luncheon for the SHIIP volunteers, and to purchase office and program supplies. • RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board approve the contract and authorize the County Manager to sign the contract between NC Department of Insurance and Orange County for support of the SHIIP program.