No longer taking appointments: Vermont sees unprecedented demand for Medicare counseling

Vermont’s area agencies on aging are no longer taking appointments for Medicare counseling during this open enrollment period.

Written by Molly Ormsbee, for NBC 5, published November 13, 2024

Due to an unprecedented demand for free Medicare counseling assistance Vermont’s five Area Agencies on Aging announced that they are no longer able to schedule appointments for the remainder of this year’s open enrollment season.

During annual Medicare open enrollment, from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7, Medicare beneficiaries can review their plans and make changes. Vermont’s five agencies administer the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), offering free and confidential health insurance counseling.

Vermont’s statewide SHIP director, Sam Carleton, said demand for the program has grown year over year due to a growing demographic of aging Vermonters.

“Adding to that, several insurance companies are no longer offering their plans in Vermont for 2025,” Carleton said. “This includes traditional Medicare Part D plans as well as several popular Medicare Advantage plans including Wellcare, AARP/UnitedHealthcare, and the UVM Medical Center/MVP plan that impacted over 6,000 Vermonters statewide.”

SHIP programs are funded and regulated under the federal Administration for Community Living and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, but according to V4A director Mary Hayden, federal funding for those programs has remained flat, while the nation’s aging demographic has grown.

“Vermont is the third oldest state in the nation, so we are feeling the impact of an increasing need for many services for older and disabled Vermonters,” Hayden said.

To cope with the surge in demand, Area Agencies on Aging have repurposed non-SHIP staff during open enrollment season, recruited SHIP volunteers and interns, and improved operational procedures.

Read the full article on the NBC-5 website.