North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey today announced that Seniors’ Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) Director Melinda Munden has been named as the co-recipient of the first annual Mike Klug Award.
The award was given during the U.S. Administration for Community Living (ACL) Office of Healthcare Information and Counseling’s (OHIC) 2023 SMP/SHIP/MIPPA National Conference held in Bethesda, MD, on July 27.
The conference gathers professionals with the Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) Program, State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) or who work with the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA).
“Our SHIIP program is one of the best in the country, and much of this can be attributed to Melinda’s strong leadership,” said NC Department of Insurance Commissioner, Mike Causey. “This is not the first time our program has been honored and I’m proud of her for garnering this prestigious award.”
The award was created to honor its namesake’s achievements posthumously. Mike Klug was a nationally respected and accomplished expert on Medicare who had served SHIP and SMP through the ACL’s national centers. The other recipient is Larry Spivack, a retired attorney and volunteer SHIIP counselor for the Arizona SHIIP in the state’s Region One Area Agency on Aging.
Munden has served SHIIP and DOI in various capacities since 2005.
About SHIIP
SHIIP is a division of the North Carolina Department of Insurance that assists people with Medicare, Medicare Part D, Medicare supplement, Medicare Advantage and long-term care insurance questions. We also help citizens recognize and prevent Medicare billing errors and possible fraud and abuse through our N.C. Senior Medicare Patrol program.