State Health Insurance Assistance Program

The State Health Insurance Assistance Program, or SHIP, is a state-based program that offers local one-on-one counseling and assistance to people with Medicare and their families. Access to Healthcare Network administers SHIP throughout Northern Nevada.

Through Administration for Community Living (ACL) funded grants directed to states, SHIPs provide free counseling and assistance via telephone and face-to-face interactive sessions, public education presentations and programs, and media activities. The SHIPs were originally established to address the confusion caused by the increase in choices of Medicare supplemental insurance, or Medigap.

Since the program’s inception, however, the role of the SHIPs in serving people with Medicare has greatly expanded. Today, trained volunteer and partner counselors offer information, counseling and assistance to Medicare beneficiaries on a wide range of Medicare and Medicaid that includes help with premiums and co-pays through Medicare Savings Plans, and Medigap matters. Assistance also includes education and enrollment in Medicare prescription drug plans, Medicare Advantage options, information on long-term care insurance, claims and billing problem resolution, information and referral on public benefit programs for those with limited income and assets, and other health insurance benefit information. In addition, SHIPs also support efforts to inform Medicare beneficiaries about Medicare fraud and abuse.

SHIP services are free and unbiased, we won’t pressure you into a plan or sell you any health insurance products.