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State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP)

 

Medicare State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIP) National Network logo, with the tagline 'Local Help for People with Medicare' directly beneath.State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIPs) provide counselors that can answer your questions and help you understand your health care choices, choose a Medicare plan and/or additional health insurance, and help you understand your rights and protections. These programs offer free one-on-one counseling and assistance to people with Medicare and their families. The name for these programs may vary from state to state. See the state-by-state listings of contact information below.

Through federal grants directed to states, SHIPs provide free counseling and assistance in all 50 states plus Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Trained SHIP counselors offer information, counseling and assistance to people with Medicare on a wide range of Medicare and Medicaid, and Medigap matters, including Medicare Advantage (formerly Medicare+Choice) health plan options, long-term care insurance, claims and billing problem resolution, information and referral on public benefit programs for those with limited income and assets, and other health insurance benefit information. In addition, SHIPs also support efforts to inform Medicare beneficiaries about fraud and abuse. This support is provided many different ways through the SHIPs, including telephone and face-to-face interactive sessions, public education presentations and programs, and media activities.

SHIPs are principally made up of a network of volunteers supported by local sponsoring organizations. Paid staff members manage these local programs and also serve as SHIP counselors. Under the direction and support of state program directors and trainers, SHIP counselors receive extensive training and continuous ongoing information updates about Medicare and other health insurance topics.

Contact your State Health Insurance Assistance Program for help with:

·          buying a Medigap policy or long-term care insurance,

·          dealing with payment denials or appeals,

·          Medicare rights and protections,

·          choosing a Medicare plan,

·          selecting a Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Coverage plan,

·          deciding whether to suspend your Medigap policy, or

·          questions about Medicare bills.

State SHIP contact information

The following list is believed current as of March 2006.

 

STATE

AGENCY NAME

TOLL-FREE NUMBER

LOCAL NUMBER

Alabama

Alabama Department of Senior Services

1-800-243-5463

1-334-242-5743
1-334-242-0995 (TTY)

Alaska

Alaska SeniorCare/Medicare Information and Referral Office

1-800-478-6065
In-State Calls Only

1-907-269-3680
1-907-269-3691 (TTY)

Arizona

Arizona State Health Insurance Assistance Program

1-800-432-4040

1-602-542-6366 (TTY)

Arkansas

State Health Insurance Assistance Program of Arkansas

1-800-224-6330

 

California

Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP) of California (SHIP)

1-800-434-0222
In-State Calls Only

1-916-419-7543  

Colorado

Colorado State Health Insurance Assistance Program

1-888-696-7213

1-303-894-7552
1-303-894-7455 (TTY)

Connecticut

CHOICES

1-800-994-9422
In-State Calls Only

1-860-424-5245
1-860-842-5424 (TTY)

Delaware

ELDERinfo

1-800-336-9500
In-State Calls Only

1-302-336-9500  

Florida

SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders)

1-800-963-5337

1-850-414-2060
1-850-414-2001 (TTY)

Georgia

GeorgiaCares

1-800-669-8387

1-404-657-5334  

Guam

Department of Public Health and Social Services

 

1-671-735-7399  

Hawaii

PLUS

1-888-875-9229

1-808-586-7299  

Idaho

Senior Health Insurance Benefits Advisors of Idaho (SHIBA)

1-800-247-4422
In-State Calls Only

1-208-334-4350  

Illinois

Senior Health Insurance Program of Illinois (SHIP)

1-800-548-9034
In-State Calls Only

1-217-785-9021
1-217-524-4872 (TTY)

Indiana

Indiana Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIP)

1-800-452-4800

 

Iowa

Senior Health Insurance Information Program of Iowa (SHIP)

1-800-351-4664

1-515-281-5705  

Kansas

Senior Health Insurance Counseling for Kansas (SHICK)

1-800-860-5260

1-316-337-7386  

Kentucky

Kentucky State Health Insurance Assistance Program

1-877-293-7447

 

Louisiana

Louisiana Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIP)

1-800-259-5301
In-State Calls Only

1-225-342-6334  

Maine

Maine State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP)

1-800-262-2232
In-State Calls Only

 

Maryland

Maryland Senior Health Insurance Assistance Program

1-800-243-3425
In-State Calls Only

1-410-767-1100
1-410-767-1083 (TTY)

Massachusetts

Serving Health Information Needs of Elders (SHINE)

1-800-243-4636

 

Michigan

Medicare/Medicaid Assistance Program of Michigan (MMAP)

1-800-803-7174

1-517-886-1029  

Minnesota

Minnesota SHIP/Senior LinkAge Line

1-800-333-2433

 

Mississippi

Mississippi Insurance Counseling and Assistance Program (MICAP)

1-800-948-3090

1-601-359-4929  

Missouri

CLAIM Program of Missouri (SHIP)

1-800-390-3330

1-573-817-8320  

Montana

Senior and Long Term Care Division of Montana

1-800-551-3191
In-State Calls Only

1-406-444-7870  

Nebraska

Nebraska State Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP)

1-800-234-7119

1-402-471-2201  

Nevada

State Health Insurance Advisory Program of Nevada

1-800-307-4444

1-702-486-3796  

New Hampshire

Health Insurance Counseling Education and Assistance Services (HICEAS)

1-800-852-3388
In-State Calls Only

1-603-225-9000  

New Jersey

New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services

1-800-792-8820
In-State Calls Only

1-609-943-3433  

New Mexico

Benefits Counseling Program New Mexico Aging and Long-Term Service Department

1-800-432-2080
In-State Calls Only

1-505-476-4799  

New York

Health Insurance Information Counseling and Assistance Program (HIICAP)

1-800-333-4114

 

North Carolina

North Carolina Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP)

1-800-443-9354
In-State Calls Only

1-919-733-0111  

North Dakota

North Dakota Insurance Department

1-888-575-6611

1-701-328-2440  

Ohio

Senior Health Insurance Information Program of Ohio (SHIP)

1-800-686-1578

1-614-644-3458
1-614-644-3745 (TTY)

Oklahoma

Oklahoma Senior Health Insurance Counseling Program (SHICP)

1-800-763-2828
In-State Calls Only

1-405-521-6628  

Oregon

Oregon Senior Health Insurance Benefits Assistance (SHIBA)

1-800-722-4134
In-State Calls Only

1-503-378-2054
1-503-947-7280 (TTY)

Pennsylvania

APPRISE

1-800-783-7067

1-717-783-8975  

Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico State Health Insurance Assistance Program

1-877-725-4300

 

Rhode Island

Rhode Island Senior Health Insurance Program (SHIP)

 

1-401-462-4444  

South Carolina

Bureau of Senior Services of South Carolina

1-800-868-9095

1-803-734-9902  

South Dakota

Adult Services and Aging of South Dakota

1-800-536-8197

1-605-336-6722
1-605-367-5760 (TTY)

Tennessee

Tennessee Commission on Aging and Disability

1-877-801-0044

1-615-532-3893 (TTY)

Texas

Department of Aging and Disabilities Services

1-800-252-9240

 

Utah

Aging and Adult Services of Utah

1-800-541-7735
In-State Calls Only

1-801-538-3910  

Vermont

Area Agency on Aging of Vermont

1-800-642-5119
In-State Calls Only

 

Virgin Islands

State Health Insurance Assistance Program of Virgin Islands

 

1-340-772-7368  

Virginia

Virginia Insurance Counseling and Assistance Program (VICAP)

1-800-552-3402

1-804-662-9333  

Washington

Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors of Washington

1-800-562-6900

1-360-725-7000
1-360-664-3154 (TTY)

Washington D.C.

Washington, D.C. Health Insurance Counseling Project (HICAP)

 

1-202-739-0668
1-202-973-1079 (TTY)

West Virginia

Bureau of Senior Services of West Virginia

1-877-987-4463

1-304-558-3317  

Wisconsin

State Health Insurance Assistance Program of Wisconsin

1-800-242-1060

1-608-246-7013  

Wyoming

State Health Insurance Information Program of Wyoming (SHIP)

1-800-856-4398

 

 

Additional Information

SHIP (formerly the Information, Counseling and Assistance (ICA) Grants Program) was created under Section 4360 of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA) of 1990 (Public Law 101-508). This Act authorizes the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the Federal Medicare agency, to make grants to states for health advisory services programs for people with Medicare.

Grant funding is available for SHIPs to plan and operate a variety of information, counseling, and assistance activities. States have wide latitude in providing SHIP services. However, programs must offer locally accessible services to all eligible persons requesting assistance, develop an intra-state agency referral system, and communicate timely and accurate health care information.

The SHIPs were originally established to address the confusion caused by the increase in choices of Medicare supplemental insurance, or Medigap. Since the program's inception, however, the role of the SHIPs in serving people with Medicare has greatly expanded.

Source

http://www.medicare.gov/Contacts/

http://www.cms.hhs.gov/Partnerships/10_SHIPS.asp

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