The Medicare system is one that often creates more questions than answers, but Manning Regional Healthcare Center (MRHC) is working to ensure that area seniors have the resources they need to make well-informed, important healthcare coverage decisions. A new Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) and Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) volunteer counselor, Dee Schmitz, is there to help area residents and safeguard them from becoming a victim of Medicare fraud. “We’re so excited to welcome Dee in her now role as a SHIIP volunteer, says CFO, Amy McLaughlin, CPA. “She will be a great resource for individuals turning 65, those who are considering changing Medicare benefits or for anyone simply wanting to learn more about their current benefits.” Schmitz will meet with individuals at the hospital on Wednesday afternoons, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., beginning July 31. After retiring as the business office manager at Regency Park Nursing & Rehab in Carroll, Schmitz went through a comprehensive training program to become a counselor. She chose this path, knowing it will be fulfilling to assist and educate others. “I’m looking forward to helping people with some of the confusion they experience when first approaching Medicare,” Schmitz says. I’m looking forward to meeting new people and working together to find solutions to their questions.” She will not recommend insurance companies, plans or agents, but rather help residents make informed decisions and learn how to detect Medicare scams. Schmitz and her husband, Tom, are residents of Templeton and have three children and six grandchildren. Anyone interested in setting up an appointment can call MRHC at 712-655-2072.
