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Our Residents

SHINE helps match residents with health insurance options

SHINE helps match residents with health insurance options

Springfield Housing Authority elderly and handicapped residents who are finding themselves confused by the array of available health care options, take heart.

Help is here.

Three SHA resident services officials have been trained to give advice on Medicare, Medigap, Medicare HMOs, prescription insurance and much more, as part of a Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs program called SHINE – that stands for Serving the Health Information of Others.

Resident Services Coordinator Candra Cripps, Ross Program Coordinator Amy Santiago and Site Coordinator Fidan Gousseynoff are now certified SHINE counselors, and are now certified counselors.

Resident Services Manager Pamela Wells said counseling is available at no charge to help elderly and those with handicaps navigate their way through what for many is a maze of options and looming deadlines.

“Our certified counselors can now help our seniors understand some of the decisions they have to make with regards to insurance,” Wells said. “It’s very complicated. What you choose depends on what your income is, and what your medical issues are.”

And when new programs or changes to existing programs come out, things get even more complicated, she said.

Forest Park Manor resident Corinne Turcotte reviews health insurance options with Candra Cripps, SHA resident services coordinator who is a certified SHINE counselor.

Forest Park Manor resident Corinne Turcotte reviews health insurance options with Candra Cripps, SHA resident services coordinator who is a certified SHINE counselor.

Residents say they appreciate the expertise.                                                        

Corinne Turcotte has lived at Forest Park Manor the past 19 years, and found a lifesaver in Cripps when she missed a deadline for her insurance plan, without realizing it. She met with Cripps and things quickly got sorted.

“Candra’s great,” Turcotte said. “I was having problems with my insurance, and she helped me straighten everything out.”

Cripps, Gousseynoff and Santiago have all options listed in a large binder that continually gets updated. In fact, they attend regular SHINE sessions for ongoing training and to receive any information on changes to the health care option system.

“It can be confusing trying to figure out what is your best option, when you need to apply, and how it’s all going to work,” explained Cripps. “We’re here to help.”

Seniors and handicapped residents needing help with insurance decisions can call Santiago at Riverview, 737-7697, Gousseynoff at Gentile, 785-1498, and Cripps, all other locations, 785-5019.

3979 days ago / Our Residents
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