Serving the Health Information Needs of Elders (SHINE) overview
The SHINE (
Serving the
Health
Information
Needs of
Elders) Program provides health insurance counseling services to elderly and disabled adults. SHINE counselors are trained to handle complex questions about Medicare, Medicare supplements, Medicare Health Maintenance Organizations, public benefits with health care components, Medicaid, free hospital care, prescription drug assistance programs, drug discount cards, and long-term health insurance.
SHINE Program History
Since 1988, the SHINE Insurance Counseling program has helped over 400,000 Massachusetts residents save money on their health care. The program is administered by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs in partnership with hundreds of social service community based organizations. Additional financial support comes from the federal agency that administers Medicare, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the federal Administration on Aging, and in kind support from more than 400 community-based organizations.
For More Information
To access SHINE facts sheets and guidebooks, go to the Public File Library section of this web site and search by the category “SHINE.” For additional information on health insurance options, visit
www.medicareoutreach.org.
