Harnett County’s Seniors Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) offers free and unbiased counseling to local seniors regarding Medicare, prescription coverage and varying insurance plans. The North Carolina Department of Insurance oversees the SHIIP. The program’s mission is to help elderly individuals save time and money while navigating the overwhelming process of selecting a Medicare plan.
During the past five years, many Campbell pharmacy students have completed SHIIP’s online certificate training and volunteered in the SHIIP office. One volunteer, CPHS alumna Amber Yopp (PharmD ’16), shared how her classroom training and knowledge of medications allowed her to counsel many individuals on generic vs. name brand prescriptions, helping save the seniors money.
LeAnn Blackmon oversees the SHIIP, and in 2017 her office helped 987 Medicare beneficiaries save more than $1.65 million. Blackmon stated that Campbell students “are invaluable to the Medicare Program” and are instrumental in greeting beneficiaries, organizing files, counseling individuals, working on special projects, distributing information and much more. Blackmon hopes that as CPHS volunteers graduate they will continue referring patients to the SHIIP/Medicare Program for additional assistance.