Free Medicare Counseling for Seniors Available in LaBelle

LABELLE, Fla. - April 17, 2019 - PRLog -- Seniors with concerns about Medicare and other health insurance options can receive free insurance counseling at a new location.  SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders) counselors are now providing free, unbiased Medicare counseling at Hope Connections in LaBelle (475 E. Cowboy Way). SHINE counseling sessions are available on the first, second, and fourth Tuesday of every month from 10:00 a.m. until noon.  Appointments are suggested, however walk-ins are welcome.

Offered locally through the Area Agency on Aging for Southwest Florida (AAASWFL), SHINE empowers seniors, their caregivers, and family members to make informed decisions about health care coverage.  SHINE is a volunteer program of the Florida Department of Elder Affairs and part of the national SHIP Program.

SHINE empowers seniors, their caregivers, and family members to make informed decisions about health care coverage. SHINE counselors can also help beneficiaries understand benefits available through Medicare, like preventive health care services. Additionally, SHINE counselors assist low-income Medicare beneficiaries with applying for cost-savings programs. As part of the national Senior Medicare Patrol program, counselors also educate beneficiaries to protect, detect, and report potential errors, fraud, and abuse with their Medicare coverage.

By partnering with organizations like Hope Connections, AAASWFL is able to assist more Medicare beneficiaries in Hendry County.
 
To make an appointment at a SHINE counseling site, or to receive assistance by phone, call the AAASWFL's toll-free Elder Helpline at 1-866-413-5337. Additional counseling sites can be found on the SHINE website: http://www.floridashine.org.

Currently celebrating its 40th year of service, Area Agency on Aging for Southwest Florida is a nonprofit organization serving Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Glades, Hendry, Lee, and Sarasota Counties.  AAASWFL is the state's designated Aging and Disability Resource Center for Southwest Florida.  The organization is committed to connecting older adults and adults with disabilities to resources and assistance for living safely with independence and dignity.  In addition to SHINE, supported programs include the Elder Helpline, health and wellness programming, and elder abuse prevention education.

More information is available at http://www.aaaswfl.org or by calling the toll-free Helpline at 866-413-5337 (866-41-ELDER).