Legal Assistance & Financial Counseling




Public Benefits Advocacy:
The Aging Office staff has knowledge of programs and services available through human services agencies. Assisting in the understanding of these programs and linking needs with availability is the primary goal.

Legal Assistance:
The Agency collaborates with Legal Aid of Nebraska to provide legal advice and brief services to Nebraska residents over 60 years of age through their ElderAcessLine. Phone calls to the ElderAcessLine are answered by an experienced paralegal who will ask you questions about your situation. The Elder Law attorney will be available to either talk to you when you call or to call you back at a specific time. 

Call the ElderAcessLine for information about:
• Medicare
• Medicaid
• Grandparents Rights
• Consumer Protection
• Simple Wills
• Power of Attorney
• Advanced Directives
• Homestead Exemptions
• Other Legal Concerns

ElderAccess Line:  1.800.527.7249   1.402.827.5656

Education:
The Agency staff is available to speak on a variety of timely aging issues. Topics include advance directives, financial counseling, consumer protection, long term care insurance, etc.


Medicare Part D:
Agency staff is available for education, consultation and assistance throughout the year. During the annual sign up period November 15 through December 31 the Agency takes appointments for assistance in-house and facilitates sign up sites throughout our seventeen county service area.

Beginning January 1, 2006 Medicare started offering prescription drug coverage to people with Medicare. To get Medicare prescription drug coverage, you must choose and join a Medicare drug plan. Medicare drug plans will be offered by insurance companies and other private companies approved by Medicare. Medicare drug coverage is available to everyone with Medicare. There is additional help for those who need it most. If a person qualifies for the extra help paying for their Medicare drug plan premium, and/or for some of the cost they would normally pay for their prescriptions. The drug plans can change their premiums and copays each year. This process starts each November 15 and goes through December 31. With an effective date of January 1 of the following year. Each year the eligible individual needs to take a look at the plans and the drugs that they are on. They can change plans only during that time. The SHIIP program (see below) is a vital tool with this process.

Medicare Filing Assistance:
This service is available in most areas through Agency staff or trained SHIIP volunteers (see below). Problems in filing, follow-up or appeals are handled through the Agency's administrative office.

SHIIP - Senior Health Insurance Information Program:
This program provides information and counseling to older Nebraskans and persons with disabilities regarding Medicare, Medicaid and health insurance. The Mission - Because Medicare, Medicaid, and other types of health insurance can be confusing to most people, the federal government, through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, funds a senior health insurance assistance program in every state. The Nebraska Senior Health Insurance Information Program is located within the Nebraska Department of Insurance. SHIIP has a statewide network of volunteer counselors trained to help people with Medicare across Nebraska. Anyone interested in becoming a trained volunteer should contact the Aging Office.

Contact our West Central Nebraska Area Agency on Aging office at 308.535.8195  1.800.662.2961


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