||| FROM DONNA WELLS for OFFICE OF THE INSURANCE COMMISSIONER ||| 


Effective July 1, 2023, Orcas Senior Center (OSC) in Eastsound is the new Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (SHIBA) sponsor for all of San Juan County. Orcas Senior Center replaces the existing SHIBA sponsor Inter-Island Healthcare Foundation in Friday Harbor.

A public service offered by the Washington state Office of Insurance Commissioner, SHIBA volunteers serve people of all ages. Over 250 trained volunteers statewide provide free, impartial and confidential counseling and education to people in their local communities on Medicare, health care and prescription drug access, fraud and abuse, and more.

Lynnette Wood, a member of the OSC Board of Directors and Acting Executive Director, says, “We are honored to have been chosen to bring this important service to San Juan County for the next two years, serving residents county-wide with volunteers based on Orcas, Lopez and San Juan Islands. Anyone who is part of our “rural” population can benefit—that means all of us! Sponsoring SHIBA adds to our growing suite of services to the community that includes Companion Services (“Hearts and Hands” and “Buddy Check-in”); Home Maintenance & Repair; numerous social, health and wellness programs; the lunch program; and more.”

The Orcas Senior Center is located at:
62 Henry Road
Eastsound WA 98245
360-376-6759