Submitted by the Inter Island Healthcare Foundation.

Effective July 1, Inter Island Healthcare Foundation is the new Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors sponsor for San Juan County. Inter Island replaces SHIBA sponsor Island Hospital.

A public service offered by the Washington State Office of Insurance Commissioner, SHIBA volunteers statewide provide free, impartial and confidential Medicare counseling and education to people in their communities about Medicare health plans, prescription drug access, programs to help pay for Medicare, fraud and abuse, and more. Read more about SHIBA.

Inter Island Healthcare Foundation Board of Trustees Member Evan Perollaz approached the Foundation’s other board members several months ago with a proposal to sponsor SHIBA. According to Evan, “The other board members enthusiastically agreed as they recognized the value SHIBA volunteers provide to supporting healthcare in the islands.”

There are currently six volunteers, located on Lopez, Orcas and San Juan Islands, who offer services to all San Juan County residents.

SHIBA volunteers offer Medicare services at the following locations:

Lopez Island: Family Resource Center, 23 Pear Tree Ln. To schedule an appointment, call 360-468-4117.

San Juan Island: Joyce L. Sobel Family Resource Centers, 476 Market St, Friday Harbor. To schedule an appointment, call 360-378-5246, ext. 207.

Orcas Island: Orcas Senior Center, 62 Henry Rd, Eastsound. To schedule an appointment, call 360-376-5892.