Increase Text Size   smaller text tool iconmedium text tool iconlarger text tool icon
State Health Insurance Counseling and Assistance Programs (SHIP): Free Medicare Counseling

SHIPs, or State Health Insurance and Assistance Programs, are not a source of funding for eldercare.  SHIPs are free, state counseling services that help seniors understand their Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Medigap and Medicaid benefits. Anyone with Medicare related questions is free to call a SHIP’s counselor even if they are not currently enrolled in Medicare.

Staffed by volunteers, these programs provide seniors with one-one-one counseling to help them take full advantage of their benefits.  All states have a toll-free telephone number, although often they cannot accommodate the volume of callers they receive.  In these cases, they will call you back or allow you to schedule an appointment. Some states also offer face-to-face appointments, usually at the local Area Agency on Aging office. 

Please note that some states use abbreviations other than “SHIP” to designate this office. SHIIP, SHINE, HICAP, and SHIBA are among other names that are used. Also be aware that this program was formerly called the Information Counseling and Assistance (ICA) Grants Program.

State Program

Website

Phone

Alabama SHIP -

State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP)

1-800-243-5463

Alaska SHIP -

Alaska State Health Insurance Program (SHIP)

1-800-478-6065

Arizona SHIP -

Arizona State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP)

1-800-432-4040

Arkansas SHIIP -

Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP)

1-800-224-6330

California HICAP -

California Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP)

1-800-434-0222

Colorado SHIP -

Senior Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP)

1-888-696-7213

Connecticut CHOICES -

Connecticut Program for Health Insurance Assistance, Outreach, Information & Referral Counseling and Eligibility Screening (CHOICES)

1-800-994-9422

Delaware ELDERinfo -

Delaware Insurance Department ELDERinfo

1-800-336-9500

District of Columbia HICP -

Health Insurance Counseling Project (HICP)

202-739-0668

Florida SHINE -

Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders (SHINE)

1-800-963-5337

Georgia -

GeorgiaCares Resources

1-800-669-8387

Hawaii -

SAGE Plus

1-888-875-9229

Idaho SHIBA -

Senior Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (SHIBA)

1-800-247-4422

Illinois SHIP -

Senior Health Insurance Program (SHIP)

1-800-548-9043

Indiana SHIIP -

State Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP)

1-800-452-4800

Iowa SHIIP -

Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP)

1-800-351-4664

Kansas SHICK -

Senior Health Insurance Counseling for Kansas (SHICK)

1-800-860-5260

Kentucky SHIP -

State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP)

1-877-293-7447

Louisiana SHIIP -

Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP)

1-800-259-5301

Maine SHIP -

Maine State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP)

1-877-353-3771

Maryland SHIP -

Senior Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP)

1-800-243-3425

Massachusetts SHINE -

Serving Health Information Needs of Elders (SHINE)

1-800-AGE-INFO (243-4636)

Michigan MMAP -

Michigan Office of Services to the Aging

1-800-803-7174

Minnesota SHIP -

Minnesota State Health Insurance Assistance Program

1-800-333-2433

Mississippi SHIP -

Mississippi State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP)

1-800-948-3090

Missouri Claim -

CLAIM

1-800-390-3330

Montana SHIP -

Montana State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP)

1-800-551-3191

Nebraska SHIIP -

Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP)

1-800-234-7119

Nevada SHIP -

State Health Insurance Advisory Program (SHIP)

1-800-307-4444

New Hampshire SHIP -

NH SHIP - ServiceLink Resource Center

1-866-634-9412

New Jersey SHIP -

State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP)

1-800-792-8820

New Mexico -

Benefits Counseling Program

505-476-4799

New York HICAP -

Health Insurance Information Counseling and Assistance Program (HIICAP)

1-800-701-0501

North Carolina SHIIP -

Seniors' Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP)

1-800-443-9354

North Dakota SHIC -

Senior Health Insurance Counseling (SHIC)

1-888-575-6611

Ohio OSHIIP -

Ohio Senior Health Insurance Information Program (OSHIIP)

1-800-686-1578

Oklahoma SHICP -

Senior Health Insurance Counseling Program (SHICP)

1-800-763-2828

Oregon SHIBA -

Senior Health Insurance Benefits Assistance Program (SHIBA)

1-800-722-4134

Pennsylvania - APPRISE

APPRISE

1-800-783-7067

Puerto Rico SHIP -

State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP)

1-800-981-7735

Rhode Island SHIP -

Senior Health Insurance Program (SHIP)

401-462-4444

South Carolina I-CARE

Insurance Counseling Assistance and Referrals for Elders (I-CARE)

1-800-868-9095

South Dakota SHINE -

Senior Health Information and Insurance Education (SHIINE)

1-800-536-8197

Tennessee SHIP -

Tennessee State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP)

1-877-801-0044

Texas HICAP -

Health Information Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP)

1-800-252-9240

Utah SHIP -

Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIP)

1-800-541-7735

Vermont SHIP -

State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP)

1-800-642-5119

Virginia VICAP -

Virginia Insurance Counseling and Assistance Program (VICAP)

1-800-552-3402

Virgin Islands VI SHIP -

Virgin Islands State Health Insurance Assistance Program (VI SHIP)

340-772-7368

Washington SHIBA -

Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (SHIBA) HelpLine

1-800-562-6900

West Virginia WV SHIP -

West Virginia State Health Insurance Assistance Program (WV SHIP)

1-877-987-4463

Wisconsin SHIP -

Wisconsin SHIP (SHIP)

1-800-242-1060

Wyoming WSHIP -

Wyoming State Health Insurance Program (WSHIP)

1-800-856-4398
 
We make every effort to provide accurate and up to date information. If you find inaccurate or outdated information, please let us know so we can continue to improve the site for the benefit of the community.