Isn't Medicare Confusing? Get Free Health Insurance Help from Your Local SHIP!

Medicare can be extremely confusing. Fortunately, there are volunteers in every state to help you with your Medicare questions and problems. And best of all, this help is FREE, funded by federal tax dollars. These programs, called SHIPs (State Health Insurance Assistance Programs), help people navigate through confusing Medicare waters.

What do SHIPs do?

SHIPs offer free, one-on-one counseling about Medicare and related health insurance benefits. Every SHIP has highly trained volunteer counselors who provide individual assistance. SHIP Counselors provide personalized help either in-person or by phone.

Additionally, SHIPs give public presentations, conduct community outreach, communicate with the media, and offer training sessions for volunteers and professionals. Through these activities, SHIPs help people with Medicare make informed health benefits decisions.

Who do SHIPs help?

SHIPs help all people with Medicare. This includes older adults (age 65+) and younger persons who have Medicare because of a disability. SHIPs also offer this help to others who need Medicare assistance, such as family members, caregivers, and advocates.

How can SHIPs help me?

SHIPs can help you better understand Medicare benefits and resolve Medicare related problems. Some topics that SHIPs can help you with include:

Original Medicare (Medicare Parts A & B)
Medicare Health Plans (Medicare Part C)
Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage (Medicare Part D)
Medigap Supplemental Insurance
Medicare Savings Programs
Medicare Fraud, Abuse, & Waste
Retiree Insurance Benefits
Long Term Care Insurance
Other Prescription Options, and
Medicaid (only some SHIPs)

Some problems that SHIPs can help you resolve include: