State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP)

The Tennessee State Health Insurance Assistance Program (TN SHIP) offers free and unbiased Medicare counseling to beneficiaries and their families. The program is funded by a federal grant from the Administration for Community Living and is administered on the state level by the Tennessee Commission on Aging and Disability. There are nine (9) SHIPs in Tennessee, including the Aging Commission of the Mid-South which serves Shelby, Fayette, Lauderdale, and Tipton counties.

SHIP offers information and assistance with:

• Medicare enrollment
• Prescription drug plans
• Medicare Advantage plans
• Supplemental insurance
• Applications for Medicare Savings Plans and Extra Help (low-income assistance programs which help pay for Medicare premiums and copays for qualifying individuals)

SHIP staff and trained volunteers provide one-on-one counseling as well as community outreach through presentations, health fairs, and distribution of educational materials. For more SHIP information or assistance, call 901-222-4111 (local) or 877-801-0044 (toll free).

Upcoming Events

• Medicare Annual Enrollment for Prescription Drug Coverage is Oct. 15^th- Dec.7^th . Our SHIP counselors can help you review your options so you can choose the plan that best suits your needs. Please download the TN SHIP Part D Worksheet and return it by mail, fax, or e-mail. For more information, call (901) 222-4111 or e-mail ship.smp@agingcommission.org. 

  
  

• TN SHIP provides information to Medicare beneficiaries so they can make the best choice when selecting their Medicare Drug Plan or Medicare Advantage Plan. In order for TN SHIP to provide plan comparisons, please bring all of your medications in the bottles from the pharmacy with labels that can be easily read. Counselors will not be able to assist anyone if they cannot read the name, dosage, and quantity of medications. Consumers MUST bring their RED, WHITE and BLUE Medicare Card to Annual Enrollment. This is your chance to pick the right plan for 2023!!

  
  

Would you like to learn more about Medicare?

Check out our upcoming Medicare 101 presentations:

For Medicare counseling or outreach opportunities contact:

Vivian King
SHIP Coordinator
Office: 901-222-4105
E-mail: King.Vivian@AgingCommission.org

Laura Pounder
MIPPA/QMB/LIS
Office: 901-222-4107
E-mail: Pounder.Laura@AgingCommission.org

Assistance to Medicare beneficiaries likely eligible for the low-income subsidy program (LIS) or the Medicare Savings Program (MSP) in applying for benefits: Prescription Drug assistance and enrollment; and Medicare Preventive Services awareness. For LIS/MSP Counseling contact:

SHIP/SMP Volunteer Opportunities

SHIP and SMP provides training that certifies our counselors with the education and confidence they need in order to help local beneficiaries with their questions. There are many different levels of volunteering, from handing out flyers to one-one-one counseling. To become a SHIP/SMP Volunteer at the Aging Commission, contact:

Vivian King
SHIP Coordinator
Office: 901-222-4105
E-mail: King.Vivian@AgingCommission.org

Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP)

Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) is a federally funded program that empowers seniors to prevent healthcare fraud. SMP recruits and retirees to serve as resources in their communities. Protect…Detect…Report! Protect yourself from Medicare errors, fraud and abuse. Learn to detect potential errors, fraud and abuse. If you suspect that you have been a target of errors, fraud, or abuse, report it.

Contact the Tennessee SMP if you need assistance with billing issues, Medicare appeals, and reporting Medicare fraud. 

Loni Hitchcock
Statewide SMP Coordinator
Office: 866-836-7677
E-mail: lholloway@ucdd.org

For more information, visit the Tennessee SMP website (click here)