Friends Who SHICK Together

Judy and Sharon are long-time friends and educators who worked in Emporia-area schools for more than 30 years before they retired.

Judy and Sharon are among the more than 70 certified SCHICK counselors in the NC-FH AAA region. (staff photo)

The two educator share many memories and experiences. They also share a passion for helping others get trust-worthy information on Medicare. Both women volunteer through the Area Agency on Aging to serve as counselors for the Senior Health Insurance Counseling for Kansas (SHICK) program.

“We wanted older Kansans and caregivers to know where to and who to call to get help with Medicare", said Sharon. “By going to a SHICK counselor, people can know about all of their Medicare Part D options.”

Sharon, who worked 30 years as an educator and administrator in several school districts in the Emporia area, began volunteering as a SHICK counselor in 2018, after she and her husband had come across their own questions on Medicare while caring for elderly family members.

Judy, like Sharon, first learned about SHICK when trying to understand her mother’s Medicare benefits. It was there that she meet Doug, who was then the director of the county’s Department on Aging. “Almost every year, with Doug’s help, my mom was able to save money on her prescription plans,” Judy said. “This is why it is so important that everyone review their drug plans annually, because the plans change every year.”

Sharon and Judy emphasized that since Medicare is complex and every person’s situation is different, having a trained SHICK counselor as a guide can ease anxiety. “The different parts of Medicare allows a person a lot of flexibility,” said Judy. “It is complicated - and that is why SHICK counselors are needed.”

This excerpt is from a feature article that appeared in the October-November-December 2019 edition of Keynotes.