SHIBA - Statewide Health Insurance Benefit Advisors

Have questions about health insurance? In Washington State, the answer is SHIBA: a nonprofit, volunteer-based service developed precisely to give you answers. Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors are volunteers who are trained and supervised to provide you with the education, information about options, and referrals you need to make smart, cost-effective, low risk choices about health insurance.

Problem solving & planning | Free, impartial, confidential | People you can count on | Do I Need SHIBA? | A range of educational tools | Make an appointment

Problem solving & planning

SHIBA trains volunteers to counsel consumers on a range of senior health insurance options, issues and concerns. Advisors can:

• Detect policy overlap, gaps, or fraud
• Advocate for consumer rights
• Educate about Medicare and Medsups, long-term care, employer-related benefits, managed care / HMO's, health care reform, disability issues
  and more.
  

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Free, impartial, confidential

SHIBA's counseling, advocacy and education services are free. It's 100 percent impartial since no SHIBA advisor has any affiliation with any insurance company or product. And all interactions are kept completely confidential.

SHIBA is also accessible. There's a SHIBA unit in nearly every country in Washington State. All of them offer one-on-one support individual counseling by appointment with a caring peer expert.

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People you can count on

SHIBA volunteer advisors:

• Receive 20+ hours of basic training, consistent updates, and supervision by State Insurance Commissioner's staff
• Are supported by sponsoring organizations that coordinate each "unit" locally
• Are equipped with complete, accurate, up-to-date information on the health insurance issues that concern you

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Do I need SHIBA?

SHIBA's mission is to assist and educate you so that you can make informed decisions. SHIBA can help you:

• Understand the basics of employer plans, Medicare, long-term care, and other health insurance
• Evaluate your current policy or compare policies side by side
  plan for retirement
• Process medical billings, claims, appeals
• Learn your rights and options as a health insurance consumer
• Understand health care reforms and how they affect you

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A range of educational tools

SHIBA educates and assists through:

• Individual counseling
• Community education / public speaking
• Informational publications, videos, broadcasts and other materials
• Referrals, when appropriate

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Make an appointment with a local SHIBA volunteer advisor

SHIBA Advisors are available by appointment at:

• South Whidbey call the Bayview Senior Center at (360) 321-1600 or (360) 678-3373
• Central Whidbey call Whidbey General Hospital - at (360)678-5151 or 321-5151
• Oak Harbor call Oak Harbor Senior at (360) 279-4580

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