Become a Volunteer for the Medicare Information Office
Empower Alaskans to make informed health care decisions
Overview
The goal of Alaska Medicare Information Office is to counsel, educate, and empower Alaskans to make informed Medicare and other health insurance-related decisions. To help us achieve this goal, we recruit and train State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) & Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) volunteers.
SHIP & SMP volunteers offer unbiased support to Medicare beneficiaries and families, helping them navigate complex Medicare decisions through personalized guidance. Volunteers are trained and certified as Medicare counselors to assist with enrollment, plan reviews, and troubleshoot issues that may arise.
We offer the following roles:
• Administrative Support
• Certified Medicare Counselor (Can we link to Medicare counselor Certification”?)
• Exhibitor
• Information Distributor
• Presenter
• Coordinator of Volunteers*
• Complex Interactions Specialist*
*These roles require at least 2 years of experience as a Certified Medicare Counselor
Who qualifies?
Given the sensitive nature of the SHIP & SMP work, the need for objectivity, and the possibility of fraud and abuse, the screening of volunteers must be done carefully to avoid a conflict of interest or a perceived conflict of interest.
Depending on the volunteer role, qualities we look for in a volunteer include good communication, active listening, ability to complete the training, willingness to learn, and enthusiasm to work with diverse backgrounds.
How to sign up
Complete the volunteer application:
Volunteer partner agency application Email your applicationFax: 907-269-2045
Mail:
Medicare Information Office
1835 Bragaw St Suite 350
Anchorage, AK 99508
After we have reviewed your application, we will contact you to discuss the next steps.
How to use
For additional training opportunities or if you have questions about these steps contact the Medicare Information Office staff at (907) 269-3680 or 1-800-478-6065
Become a SHIP Volunteer from SHIP TA Center on Vimeo.