The Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) is a free-of-charge, unbiased service where seniors and concerned relatives or friends can receive advice regarding their health insurance needs.

The SHIIP program helps seniors understand insurance information by providing assistance in:

• Filing insurance claims
  
• Canceling unneeded policies
  

In a unique, cost-effective approach, SHIIP combines the work of staff at the state level, local sponsor groups and senior volunteers trained by the SHIIP staff. These volunteers offer free, confidential counseling to their peers and the sponsoring agency manages the program locally.

The main goals of SHIIP are to inform, educate and assist consumers in making informed decisions on topics related to senior health. They accomplish this in three ways:

• One-to-one peer counseling
  
• General education
  
• Toll-free consumer hotline
  

The SHIIP program was created in 1990 to address the health insurance related questions and problems of older Iowans. Of particular concern are:

• Medicare
  
• Medicare supplement insurance
  
• Medicare managed care
  
• Long-term care insurance
  
• Medicare and insurance claims
  
• Medicaid
  
• Other types of health insurance
  
• Insurance marketing and consumer protection