Smiling Sandy Lacey, part-time Nurse

SHIIP Services Offered at Horn Memorial

Horn Memorial Hospital continues to be a sponsor for the Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP). SHIIP is a free, confidential service through the State of Iowa that helps Iowans make informed decisions about Medicare and other health coverage. It is funded by the state and a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The purpose of SHIIP is to advocate for, inform, educate and assist consumers on Medicare and related health insurance issues. The program provides information to consumers so they can make informed decisions and access resources to address their health insurance needs.

Our local volunteer that works through an office at Horn Memorial Hospital is Sandy Lacey. Sandy is a part-time nurse who has been employed at Horn Memorial for 24 years. She retired to a part-time position as of January 2009, but still desired to "do something worthwhile" in her retirement. Fortunately, the need for a SHIIP counselor and her retirement coincided, leaving Ida County with a healthcare-educated volunteer! She completed her SHIIP training in 2008.

Sandy commented, "After I completed my first appointments last year, I realized that there is a great need for SHIIP counseling. The senior health insurance options are very confusing to people. We are bombarded with offers from various insurance companies, and the choices are overwhelming. I feel like I make the biggest impact with assistance in choosing a Part D plan (drug coverage). I have saved people hundreds of dollars by helping them identify the plan that best covers their individual list of prescriptions. Helping seniors make sense of the Medicare program has been a very rewarding activity."

If you need assistance with Medicare related decisions, call Horn Memorial Hospital at 364-3311 to schedule an appointment.