RALEIGH -- Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin is pleased to announce that people in Gates County can now receive free, unbiased counseling about Medicare at the Gates County Community Center, 130 US Hwy 158 West, in Gatesville.

The Gates County site has a trained counselor from SHIIP, the Seniors’ Health Insurance Information Program, who is available to answer questions about Medicare, Medicare prescription drug coverage, Medicare Advantage, long-term care insurance and other health insurance issues. SHIIP can also help Medicare beneficiaries find out if they are eligible for financial assistance for their prescription drug costs.

SHIIP is a division of the North Carolina Department of Insurance and has volunteers in all 100 counties in North Carolina.

To schedule a counseling appointment or learn more, call Gates County SHIIP coordinator Renee Nicholson at 252-357-0677 or visit www.ncshiip.com.