Dear Editor:
Many senior citizens have questions about their Medicare coverage. There is now an organization in each state and territory that can help you — SHIP, which stands for State Health Insurance Assistance Program.
Each state or territory receives funding from the federal government to give free health insurance counseling to people with Medicare. Nationwide, over 12,000 SHIP counselors help two million people annually with their Medicare questions. SHIP counselors can help you understand the various types of Medicare health plans, such as Medicare Part A and Part B within the original Medicare plan, as well as Medicare managed care plans and private free-for-service plans. They can also answer questions about the types of private insurance that supplement Medicare, such as Medigap.
In addition to explaining your choices, the SHIP counselors can help you select the type of coverage that fits your individual needs and locate insurance companies in your area. Other SHIP services include help with the questions about your Medicare bill and finding out if you qualify for programs that can help with your health care costs.
Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) to get the number of your local SHIP (TTY/TDD at 1-877-486-2048 for the hearing and speech impaired) or look on the Internet at www.medicare.gov under the “Helpful Contacts” section.
Yvonne Bryant
Social Security Manager, Jersey City