What Is SHIP?

The Senior Health Insurance Program (SHIP) is a FREE statewide health insurance counseling service for Medicare beneficiaries and their caregivers. SHIP is sponsored by the Illinois Department of Insurance. Please click here to view the SHIP brochure.

The Department has developed a list of publications and other resources to assist you in making informed health insurance decisions.

Click here for a copy of the 2009 Medicare Supplement Premium Comparison Guide.

SHIP is not affiliated with any insurance company.

SHIP counselors do not sell or solicit any type of insurance.

SHIP counselors are trained by the Illinois Department of Insurance to:

• Educate consumers and answer questions about Medicare, Medicare Supplement, long term care insurance, Medicare HMOs, private fee-for-service and other health insurance;
• Organize and assist in filing Medicare and Medicare Supplement claims; and
• Analyze Medicare Supplement and long term care policies.

If you are currently a SHIP Volunteer or Coordinator, click here for access to the SHIP Volunteers Homepage.

Interested in becoming part of SHIP? Here are some important organizational details!

All coordinators and counselors must be affiliated with a sponsoring organization. If you are interested in becoming a counselor, SHIP can put you in touch with a local SHIP sponsoring organization prior to training, if available. If no local sponsoring organization is available, SHIP may attempt to assist in recruiting an organization in that county.

• The Illinois Department of Insurance is the state agency that provides initial training, continuing education meetings and ongoing support for SHIP counselors, annual conferences, and program oversight.

• The sponsoring organization assists in recruiting volunteers, providing office space and office support services such as telephone access, copying, and mailing. If your agency wants to become a SHIP sponsoring organization, please submit a completed application form.

• The coordinator is the individual responsible for the local administrative aspects of the SHIP program, including promoting SHIP services, scheduling counseling sessions and responding to counselors' needs. This individual is usually a staff person at the sponsoring organization and acts as a "manager" for SHIP.

• The counselor is a trained volunteer who meets with clients to provide objective information on health insurance, advocacy assistance, or referral if appropriate. Volunteers are the "backbone" of SHIP.

For Further Information..... Write or call us at: Senior Health Insurance Program Illinois Department of Insurance 320 West Washington Street Springfield, Illinois 62767-0001 1-800-548-9034 (tollfree in Illinois) 217-785-9021 (outside Illinois) 217-524-4872 (TDD) Or drop us an e-mail at: DOI.SHIP@Illinois.gov