Agency to discontinue Medicare counseling

Along with Leelanau County’s senior services department and the Northwest Michigan Community Action Agency, Area Agency on Aging of Northwest Michigan (AAANM) is one of the big three senior services organizations in the area.

AAANM Executive Director Heidi Gustine said they’ve served 4,598 northwest Michigan residents and helped them save $2 million. And in 2024, their Medicare counseling service helped Leelanau County residents save $308,000.

But due to state government centralization, AAANM and Leelanau County senior services will have to discontinue their Medicare counseling service Feb. 28, Gustine told the county board of commissioners Tuesday.