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By Mike Causey

A provision in the state Senate budget could sink our SHIIP program.

SHIIP stands for the Seniors’ Health Insurance Information Program. Tens of thousands of North Carolina seniors seek help from SHIIP every year with their Medicare questions and choices. Last year, SHIIP helped more than 69,000 senior citizens.

The SHIIP program helped North Carolina Medicare beneficiaries save $53 million in 2024: $36 million through cost-saving enrollments and federal assistance program application submissions and $17 million through recovered benefits from complaints and medication program assistance.

Staff members from SHIIP help seniors navigate the Medicare maze and train counselors to help serve Medicare beneficiaries across the state. That means in each of North Carolina’s 100 counties, seniors with Medicare questions can either pick up the phone and speak directly with a Medicare counselor or go to their local senior center or aging office to get in-person help.

SHIIP is the only organization in North Carolina that provides unbiased, accurate, highly personalized one-on-one counseling about Medicare in all 100 counties at no cost to the consumer.

SHIIP isn’t selling insurance plans. SHIIP has no financial interest in which plan a Medicare beneficiary chooses. SHIIP’s purpose is to provide accurate and easy to understand information to seniors so they can choose the Medicare plan that’s best for them.

Seniors are barraged with television ads, mailers and phone calls, especially during open enrollment periods, where marketers offer a number of policies that may or may not be best for them. Medicare requirements and coverages can be overwhelming and confusing. SHIIP is there to help seniors navigate through the storm of information.

The Senate budget passed last month would cut 100% of in-state appropriated funding, or 11 full-time positions and $953,298. That’s penny wise and pound foolish, given that the Department helped save seniors $53 million last year. Further, these cuts would not save a dime in General Fund revenue. Whereas most state appropriations come from General Fund revenue sources, such as income and sales taxes, the Department of Insurance reimburses the General Fund for its appropriations with monies from the Insurance Regulatory Fund, which includes fees paid by insurance companies and professionals to conduct business in North Carolina.

This proposal would have a devastating impact on SHIIP’s ability to assist North Carolina’s 2.2 million Medicare beneficiaries. This potential cut comes at a time when the number of people eligible for Medicare is growing and the Medicare program is becoming increasingly more complex. Senior citizens across North Carolina have come to rely on the sound, unbiased advice SHIIP provides.

SHIIP is a model program for the rest of the country and can still be saved. I’m working to encourage House members to not go along with the Senate plan to cut the SHIIP positions. I’m also asking our senators to reconsider and recognize the value the program provides to many senior citizens. 

Mike Causey is insurance commissioner for North Carolina.

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