✔ Backed by: Medicare.gov (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) · SHIP Technical Assistance Center · Administration for Community Living (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services). Each fact links to its source, and the full list is at the bottom of this post.
Medicare Open Enrollment runs from October 15 to December 7. If you want to join or switch plans, the plan must get your request by December 7. Your new coverage then starts January 1.[1] That leaves about six weeks from today to get free Medicare help if you need it.
For a lot of people, this time of year means a mailbox full of glossy flyers, TV ads, and phone calls from numbers they do not recognize. It can feel like everyone wants to help you, and each of them is pointing in a different direction. There is a free source of help that is easy to miss in all that noise: your State Health Insurance Assistance Program, or SHIP.
What a SHIP is
SHIPs are local programs that give one-on-one help and education to people with Medicare, their families, and caregivers.[4] There is a SHIP in all 50 states, plus Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.[4] The national SHIP website says there is no cost to use SHIP services. It also describes SHIP counseling as coming from a trusted, unbiased source.[3][5] SHIPs are federally funded through the Administration for Community Living, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.[5]
This is not a tiny operation. The Administration for Community Living reports a national network of more than 2,200 local sites and over 12,500 team members. These team members, many of them trained volunteers, are certified to help people.[4] In 2020 alone, SHIPs counseled more than 1.8 million people with Medicare, their families, and caregivers.[4]
What Medicare help a SHIP counselor can give
SHIP counselors can talk with you about Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage plans, Medicare drug coverage, and Medigap policies.[4] They can help you enroll, make changes during Open Enrollment, and understand what Medicare covers. They can also show how Medicare works with other coverage you have, such as retiree coverage or Medicaid.[5] If money is tight, they can help you apply for Medicaid, the Medicare Savings Programs, and Extra Help with drug costs.[4] And if something has gone wrong, they can help with appeals and complaints.[5]
Here is what that can look like. James is 71 and gets a letter saying his drug plan is changing next year. He is not sure whether his heart medicine will cost more. He calls his local SHIP, sets up a phone appointment, and goes through his medicine list with a counselor. By the end of the call, he understands how two or three plans would handle his medicines. Then he picks one on his own timeline, without pressure.
How SHIP Medicare help is different
Plan representatives and licensed agents can be useful, and many people work with them. But a plan’s sales line is there to talk about that plan. The Administration for Community Living describes SHIP’s work as objective counseling,[4] and the national SHIP site calls it unbiased.[5] That gives you a place to compare your options side by side and ask “what if” questions.
No matter who you talk to this season, it is fair to ask, “Are you paid by any plan if I enroll?” A trustworthy helper will answer that question plainly. And be careful with your Medicare number. Share it only with someone you contacted yourself through a number you trust. Our post on Medicare Open Enrollment scams has more tips.
How to reach your SHIP
The easiest starting point is shiphelp.org. Use the “Find Your SHIP” button to connect with the program in your area, or call 877-839-2675.[3] Medicare.gov’s Talk to Someone page also points to SHIPs for free health insurance counseling.[2]
If you would rather call Medicare directly, 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) lets you talk or chat with a real person 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except some federal holidays. TTY users can call 1-877-486-2048.[2]
Try to reach out soon. Calling early gives you time for a follow-up question or a second appointment before the December 7 deadline.
What to have ready
A little prep makes your appointment much more useful. Gather these before you call:
- Your Medicare card and any plan cards you have now
- A list of every medicine you take, with the strength and how often
- The doctors, hospitals, and pharmacy you want to keep
- Any letters your current plan sent about next year
- Details on other coverage, such as retiree, employer, VA, or Medicaid
Tru-Tips: Save the SHIP number in your phone today as “Medicare help, free.” The next time a confusing letter or a pushy call comes in, you will know exactly who to ask.
Questions to ask your counselor
Once you are on the call, these questions can help you get to what matters most:
- “Will my doctors and pharmacy be in network with this plan?”
- “About how much would I pay over the year with the medicines I take now?”
- “Could I qualify for Extra Help or a Medicare Savings Program?”
- “What happens if I do nothing and keep my current plan?”
If you are already in a Medicare Advantage plan, there is also a Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period from January 1 to March 31.[1] You can ask your counselor what that period allows in your situation.
Calling for someone you love
SHIPs help families and caregivers too, not just the person with Medicare.[5] If you are helping a parent, partner, chosen family member, or friend, it often works best to call together. You can say: “I’m helping my mom with her plan choice. She’s right here with me on speaker.” Ask the counselor what they need from both of you so the call goes smoothly.
If you are aging on your own, SHIP can be a steady, neutral voice in your corner. You do not need a family member on the line to get good help.
One Tru Step: Visit shiphelp.org or call 877-839-2675 today and set up a time to talk with a counselor before December 7.
Let’s talk
Have you ever worked with a SHIP counselor? What is one thing they helped you understand about your Medicare choices? Your story might be just what a neighbor needs to pick up the phone.
Sources and further reading
- Medicare.gov: Joining a Plan
- Medicare.gov: Talk to Someone
- SHIP Technical Assistance Center: Get Trusted, Local Medicare Help
- Administration for Community Living: State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP)
- SHIP Technical Assistance Center: About SHIPs
Sources checked October 25, 2026. General education; individual care and coverage questions require an appropriate professional.
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