Medicare is complex, and Medigap Helpline volunteers support agency staff in providing the Medigap Helpline's statutorily authorized services. These services include free telephone counseling, public education, and training for professionals on Medicare-related insurance and long-term care insurance for individuals in Wisconsin.
To inquire about becoming a Medigap Helpline volunteer, complete this form:
Volunteer Inquiry Form (External Link)
What does a Medigap Helpline volunteer do?
The Medigap Helpline has the following volunteer roles that support the Medigap Helpline and Wisconsin SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Program). These roles support these programs by providing unbiased help to Medicare beneficiaries, their families, and caregivers, or by providing public education and outreach to educate Wisconsin residents on the available services from the Medigap Helpline. The video below provides additional information about volunteering with SHIP and interviews from SHIP volunteers on their experiences. Click each role below to view the corresponding volunteer role description.
Outreach volunteers at the Medigap Helpline help promote the Medigap Helpline's services and share how community members can access assistance. Through outreach and building relationships with their community, outreach volunteers become trusted peers to assist with connecting community members with unbiased SHIP services. Types of outreach Medigap Helpline volunteers complete include:
- Medicare Beneficiary Outreach in a Professional Capacity
- Distributing Information About the Medigap Helpline
- Peer-to-Peer Outreach
- Serving as an Exhibitor at Community Events
All volunteer positions for this role have been filled; please still inquire if you are interested in this role.
Part D volunteers at the Medigap Helpline help agency staff by assisting Medicare beneficiaries in selecting and reviewing their Medicare prescription drug coverage using the Medicare.Gov Plan Finder tool. Part D volunteers will need access to a computer and the internet to assist with these services remotely. Part D volunteers complete Plan Finders on behalf of beneficiaries who are unable or uncomfortable using the Medicare Plan Finder web tool.
Video About Volunteering With SHIP
How do I become a Medigap Helpline Volunteer?
As a state agency, the Board on Aging and Long Term Care has formal requirements for Medigap Helpline volunteers, including a background check and conflict of interest disclosure requirements. An overview of the volunteer application and onboarding process, including a general timeline, can be found below.
Initial Volunteer Recruitment & Application
Prospective volunteers complete and submit the Volunteer Inquiry Form (External Link).
Medigap Helpline staff follow up with prospective volunteers, confirming interest and clarifying any information shared through the inquiry form.
Prospective volunteers complete a formal volunteer application and conflict of interest form.
Application and conflict of interest materials are reviewed.
If all materials are approved or remedied as necessary, an onboarding meeting is scheduled.
Volunteer Onboarding
An initial volunteer onboarding meeting will be scheduled with each group of approved volunteer applicants. Before this meeting, volunteers will be asked to complete the required
background check (External Link). These meetings will generally occur at the following times for each volunteer role. The initial onboarding meeting will include:
- An overview of the volunteer role,
- A short Medigap Helpline program overview,
- Introductions with program leadership/staff, and
- Opportunities for questions and clarification on the volunteer role.
Outreach Volunteer
| February, May, and July Each Year
|
Part D Volunteer
| July Each Year
|
Once the volunteer onboarding meeting is completed, volunteers will be sent applicable program policies, including our confidentiality policy, to review and sign. After these agreements are completed, the applicable SHIP program training can be started.
What training and opportunities are available for volunteers?
Medigap Helpline volunteers have access to program-facilitated and State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) trainings. Volunteers will have the ability or requirement (see role descriptions above for more information) to complete Basic and/or Part D SHIP Counselor training coursework. This coursework provides a base of knowledge and information about the SHIP network and Medicare-related insurance options. The topics covered may include:
- General Information
- Original Medicare
- Medicare Supplement Policies
- Medicare Advantage
- Medicare Prescription Drug Plans (Part D)
- Other Prescription Drug Options
- Financial Assistance Programs
- Medicare.gov Plan Finder
- Senior Medicare Patrol
- Medicare Appeals
- And More!
Additional annual update trainings on select topics may also be available.
More Volunteer Opportunities
Additional similar volunteer opportunities may be available from the following organizations. Please inquire through the following green underlined links for more information about each volunteer opportunity.
Additional volunteer opportunities within the SHIP network may be available at your local Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC). Review the materials located at the above link or contact your local ADRC for more information.
Long Term Care Ombudsman Program Volunteers make unannounced visits to designated long term care settings on a weekly basis. Volunteers observe, listen to, and interact with the residents. They observe general conditions of the facility and keep a log of this data. Volunteers talk with the residents and families, guiding them in the right direction to resolve issues. Volunteers listen to and advocate for the resident with issues that may include, but are not limited to personal hygiene, daily cares, diet/meal issues, comfort, activities, staff relationships, personal empowerment, and facility conditions.
More information about this program can be found at the above link.
You can volunteer remotely with the Wisconsin Senior Medicare Patrol, which works to help prevent, detect, and report health care fraud and abuse. Call 888-818-2611 or review the information included at the link above to learn more.