Timber River Connections now serving as Lewis County health insurance benefits advisor sponsor

Jul. 25—Timber River Connections, formerly known as Lewis County Seniors, is serving as the new Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (SHIBA) sponsor for Lewis County as of July 1.

A public service offered by the Washington state Office of the Insurance Commissioner, SHIBA volunteers have been helping people with Medicare for more than 46 years, a news release from the Office of the Insurance Commissioner stated.

Over 230 trained volunteers statewide provide free, confidential Medicare counseling and education to people in their communities. They assist people with Medicare plans, prescription drug access, fraud and abuse, and more.

"I'm grateful to Timber River Connections for joining our SHIBA team," Insurance Commissioner Patty Kuderer said. "What makes our program so successful is that people can get help in their own communities and that takes local organizations stepping up to partner with us."

A nonprofit corporation, Timber River Connections is focused on helping senior citizens with nutritional, social, educational and enrichment programs. The organization serves meals, creates learning and enrichment opportunities, helps seniors with issues directly impacting their health and wellness and reaches out to the community with fundraisers and other community events.

"We are so excited to partner with and host the SHIBA program," Nicole Barr, executive director, said. "Timber River Connections' goal is to bring resources like SHIBA to each of our centers throughout Lewis County. By providing both digital access as well as volunteer assistance, we are providing our older adults with the tools needed to ensure they are meeting their individual needs."

This is the first time SHIBA has had a presence in Lewis County, and it's looking for new SHIBA volunteers to help people with their Medicare questions and issues.

To inquire about volunteering with SHIBA, call Timber River Connections at 360-748-0061.

Until Timber River Connections is able to get new volunteers trained, call the SHIBA program in Tumwater for help with Medicare at 800-562-6900, or visit www.insurance.wa.gov/medicare.

Timber River Connections is located at 2545 N National Ave, Chehalis.

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