Accuracy of Medicare Information Provided by State Health Insurance Assistance Programs

Director of public policy and regulatory affairs Kacey Dugan and director of research and strategy Ilse Peterson co-authored a study titled “Accuracy of Medicare Information Provided by State Health Insurance Assistance Programs” that examined how counselors with the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) provide information to Medicare beneficiaries.

Dugan and Peterson’s study focused on determining if SHIP counselors accurately and completely provide Medicare recipients information about their coverage options. Across 184 completed “mystery shopping” encounters, the percentage of accurate answers ranged from 26.1% (when asked whether a specific clinician was in network) to 94.3% (when asked about differences between traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage).

The authors concluded that the results suggest SHIPs may require additional resources to better train counselors on addressing the full spectrum of needs of Medicare beneficiaries on their coverage options.