After all my dealings with governmental medical assistance I never heard of this program ! A LARGE TYPE PAGE

I didn't think that I was that out of touch . In fact , I like to think because of my research on the subject , I would have know about the SHIP program before today . Have you heard of it ?

WHAT SHIP IS :

What Are SHIPs?

State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIPs) provide accurate, understandable, and objective information, counseling, and assistance to Medicare beneficiaries on a wide range of health insurance issues, including Medicare, Medicaid, long-term care, and prescription drugs.*So , after doing more research about SHIP , it seems that most offices are through senior service programs although SHIP claims to be for helping ALL people on Medicare/Medicaid. I guess it is all about personal contact. Get in touch with your local SHIP and ask what they have to offer you in your situation.-sl.

 SHIPs may be known by different names in each state, such as HICAP, SHINE, and SHEBA. Please refer to the SHIP enabling statute which explains their function and the services they provide to Medicare beneficiaries.

How Do SHIPs Work?

Dedicated volunteers, many of whom are retired professionals, provide much of the one-on-one, objective counseling for which SHIPs are known. Essentially, SHIPs operate through “neighbors helping neighbors” and “each one teach one” to help Medicare beneficiaries understand an increasingly complex health care system.

Why Are SHIPs Important

Beneficiaries are trying to navigate a health care system that is growing more complex each year. Recent changes within the mega structure of American health care-- including changes to Medicare, employer-subsidized retiree health care, and state Medicaid programs-- and the inter-relationship of these programs are particularly bewildering for seniors and people with disabilities. These changes contribute to what one commentator has called, “the profusion of confusion.” (That is an understatement!)-sl

FIND A SHIP IN YOUR AREA:

http://www.hapnetwork.org/ship-locator/

Interesting . After posting all this information and going to the SHIP location finder , the map does not work ( at least for me) . I am not sure what this means , but maybe we could all type ________________(our state) SHIP program in our search engine and see what happens. I hope it works !-sl.

HERE IS A BETTER LINK SITE TO FIND SHIP IN YOUR AREA :

*Information taken from the site network found at the link above. Paraphrased .-sl.