MMAP Volunteer, George Wojdacki, Receives the BCBSM Claude Pepper Award

George Wojdacki shows off the check he received on behalf of AgeWays as the winner of the Claude Pepper Award.

Southfield, Mich. (June 4, 2014).  George Wojdacki, a volunteer Outreach Specialist with the AgeWays Medicare Medicaid Assistance Program (MMAP), was presented with the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Claude Pepper Award for Senior Volunteer on June 3, 2014 at Older Michiganians Day on the lawn of the State Capitol in Lansing.

A resident of Macomb County, George does most of his volunteering in Macomb and St. Clair counties, helping older adults understand their Medicare options and healthcare benefits by providing one on one counseling.  As one of the program’s key outreach volunteers, George also brings his love of being in front of an audience to the MMAP program, providing presentations on several Medicare subjects including “New to Medicare” and “Medicare Fraud and Abuse.”  He enjoys the intrinsic reward of seeing the look on the faces of the individuals he counsels when he is able to help save them money on their Medicare coverage or find a Medicare plan that provides more coverage to meet their needs.

“George continually demonstrates an attitude of caring and compassion toward older adults through his kindness and passion to share what he knows to help them,” said AgeWays’s MMAP Manager Jennifer Therrien. “He gives 150% when he is counseling, thinking of every possible way to save an older adult money while providing the most benefits they need. George works toward creating a future where Medicare and Medicaid aren’t confusing and people can access the services they need without financial hardship.”

George learned about the volunteer opportunity through his physician who thought he would be a great volunteer for the program with his work experience in the pharmaceutical industry. George was a pharmaceutical sales representative for 14 years and a district manager for a large pharmaceutical company for 21 years.

He is very pleased with the cooperation, support and training he receives from MMAP staff.

“It’s such a good opportunity to work with such great people,” said Wojdacki.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan presents the Claude Pepper Award annually to two outstanding senior citizen advocates who demonstrate a strong concern for the special needs of older adults. The award was named after the late U.S. Congressman who campaigned for senior citizens’ rights.

For more information on volunteering for MMAP visit our website at http://www.mmapinc.org or call 1-800-803-7174.

Older Michiganians Day 2014 activities were held on the East Lawn of the State Capitol Building in Lansing from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on June 3, 2014.  To learn more about Older Michiganians Day 2014, contact Ryan Cowmeadow at 248-262-1282.

About Michigan Medicare/Medicaid Assistance Program (MMAP)
MMAP (pronounced “map”) provides free health benefits counseling services for Michigan’s Medicare beneficiaries, including younger adults who have Medicare due to a disability and Medicare beneficiaries who may also qualify for Medicaid. MMAP counselors provide personalized counseling to help beneficiaries understand and make informed decisions about their Medicare benefits and plan options. MMAP also promotes Medicare Fraud Awareness and works to educate beneficiaries on how to detect and report suspected Medicare Fraud.

MMAP is part of the national networks of State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIP) and Senior Medicare Patrols (SMP). It is dedicated to providing objective and confidential health benefits counseling services and is not affiliated with nor does it receive funding from the insurance industry. Funding for MMAP comes from grants from the Michigan Office of Services to the Aging and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Beneficiaries who would like to talk with a MMAP counselor should call 1-800-803-7174.