State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP)

State Health Insurance Assistance Program more commonly known as SHIP is a state program that gets funding from the federal government to provide free local health coverage counseling to people with Medicare.

Every state has a SHIP program, but it may be called a different name (In Florida, SHINE; In Ohio, OSHIIP).

SHIP provides free information to help consumers make decisions regarding their health care choices.

♦ SHIP helps answer questions about:

• Medicare

• Medicare Supplement Insurance

• Medicare Advantage (managed care programs)

• Medicare Part D

• Long term care financing options

• Prescription coverage

• Low-income assistance.

SHIIP also provides training to other agencies that serve people with Medicare.