In Kansas, free Reno County Medicare assistant program could end

Senior Health Insurance Counseling for Kansas, a free program assisting hundreds of seniors navigate Medicare plans, could soon be cut, The Hutchinson News reported.

In a 29-1 decision, the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee voted in early June to cut funding for free state Medicare assister programs for seniors, including SHICK. SHICK is part of is the national federally-funded State Health Insurance Assistance Program, which provides free health benefits counseling for Medicare members and their families.

SHICK costs over half a million to operate in the state. Nationally, SHIP costs $52.1 million, according to The Hutchinson News. In Reno County, SHICK assisted 728 citizens over the age of 60 during the 2015 Medicare Part D open enrollment period.

Director of the Department of Aging for Reno County Barbara Lilyhorn said SHICK saved seniors $1,000 each last year, The Hutchinson News reported.

The Senate and the House will need to vote to end SHIP before the cuts are finalized.

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