Along with Leelanau County’s senior services department and the Northwest Michigan Community Action Agency, Area Agency on Aging of Northwest Michigan (AAANM) is one of the big three senior services organizations in the area.
AAANM Executive Director Heidi Gustine said they’ve served 4,598 northwest Michigan residents and helped them save $2 million. And in 2024, their Medicare counseling service helped Leelanau County residents save $308,000.
But due to state government centralization, AAANM and Leelanau County senior services will have to discontinue their Medicare counseling service Feb. 28, Gustine told the county board of commissioners Tuesday.
“Forty-two percent of those (Leelanau County residents) are over the age of 60,” Gustine said, citing a 2023 American Communities survey. “When we think about what individuals need moving into that age demographic, we often have the misconception that Medicare covers everything (but) there are about 10 different plans in this region.”
“Older adults, when they become Medicare eligible, have to navigate that discussion – hopefully on an annual basis, because things change so fast as the plans are trying to manage their costs and utilization goes up and drug costs go up – all of that,” she continued.
Gustine said the state of Michigan has made many attempts to make the infrastructure less complicated and easier to navigate. One of these is the Michigan Medicare Assistance Program (MMAP), but soon there will be a 1-800 phone service that will take all Medicare questions.
The state posted an application form for agencies that want to help operate that hotline, but upon review, Gustine said that AAANM “recognized the application and forms were too complicated for us to apply and meet the criteria (and) the infrastructure necessary.”
Gustine said that to meet these requirements, AAANM would have to do a complete restructuring of their organization and add new positions within four weeks, which was not considered feasible. This means a new, to-be-determined entity will come to provide this service instead.
“It is disturbing. I fully recognize the positive intent of the state of Michigan to create a system that is easier to navigate. It also means – depending on how conversations go – a competing system will be established to help your residents meet their aging needs,” Gustine said.
Gustine said AAANM has put in a request to the state explaining that they could not continue their MMAP services because of the new requirements and asking how they can help the next entity use the infrastructure they set up. As of Tuesday, they have not received a response.
To gauge the impact of these changes, County Commissioner Alan Campbell asked Gustine if these administrative reforms dismantled the AAANM. Gustine agreed it was a “partial dismantling” of her organization, but the AAANM will continue in other forms. This may include a new subcontract with the county’s senior services department.
At their Jan. 14 executive session, the county board of commissioners recommended an agreement between the senior services department and AAANM to provide Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA) outreach through Aug. 31, pending legal counsel and review.
Senior Services Director Lena Vander Meulen said that if this agreement is approved, AAANM will pay the county $700 for outreach activities, plus $100 per program enrollment up to 10 enrollments in this grant period. The board will consider formally entering this agreement, along with other items, at their Tuesday regular session.
