Keep SHIBA alive

We recently expressed our concern to Sens. Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray and Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers regarding the future of the Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (SHIBA) during this time of health care legislative chaos.

We note the ever-increasing number of baby-boomers reaching 65 and qualifying for Medicare and Part D prescription drug coverage. Not only are these numbers increasing daily, these health care programs and complex and mystifying and so is how to enter the system. SHIBA has been the rock to assist persons trying to navigate the complex system of government and private players in the elder health care system.

The SHIBA program is run effectively and efficiently by a small dedicated state staff and hundreds of equally dedicated and well-trained volunteer counselors around the state. It is difficult to imagine the tens of thousands of senior citizens not having the SHIBA resource available to assist them.

We urged our legislators, as the saga of health care legislation and funding continues its erratic course, to do everything in their power to see that the SHIBA program, both in Washington and other states, continues to exist and remains adequately funded.

Thomas Mosher

Spokane