Community Chat

[Cats3000]

There's a poster askng for help.  I've seen similar postings here with the same kinds of questions.

Every state has SHIP(State Health Insurance Assistance Program) Counselors.  These are people who are trained to help people make the best choices for their healthcare needs.  They do not charge a fee.  They have no axe to grind.  They have no financial stake in what you ultimately choose.

They should be your only choice when it comes to helping you determine what Medicare Plans best meet your needs.

[Kachina624]

@Cats3000.   I often find the insurance/Medicare discussions here rife with misinformation.  Its a complicated subject, so i think your information is valuable and useful

[lavendar]

In Massachusetts they are called SHINE counselors.

[Allegheny]

This the actual email I received from mymedicare.

Learn about SHIPs

You may have heard about SHIPs — State Health Insurance Assistance Programs. SHIPs offer local, personalized counseling and assistance to people with Medicare and their caregivers. SHIPs can help you with things like: Your Medicare questions, including your eligibility, enrollment, benefits, premiums, deductibles, and coinsurance Complaints and appeals Navigating your choices when it’s time to enroll in Original Medicare (Medicare Part A and Part B), a Medicare Advantage Plan (like an HMO or PPO), or a Medicare drug plan Did you know that each state may call its SHIP by a different name (such as HICAP in California, or APPRISE in Pennsylvania)? Visit Medicare.gov to find out what SHIP is called in your state, and get specific contact information. Sincerely, The Medicare Team

This message is paid for by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It was created and distributed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. You're receiving this message because you signed up for email updates from the Medicare Team.