Louisiana SHIIP Medicare counseling is free, unbiased help by telephone or face to face, and if someone told you or a parent to "call SHIIP," this is the program they meant. It runs as the Louisiana Senior Health Information Program (LaSHIP), Louisiana's State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), through the Louisiana Department of Insurance, and its counselors help people on Medicare understand their coverage options and benefits. Here's how to reach a counselor and get the most out of the call.

In This Guide

Why Louisiana SHIIP Lives at the Department of Insurance

SHIP is federally funded in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and three territories. Louisiana's is run through the Louisiana Department of Insurance under the LaSHIP name.

You'll see two names for the same program. The national SHIP locator run by the SHIP National Technical Assistance Center lists Louisiana's program as the Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP), with 1-800-259-5300 as its number and the Department's LaSHIP page as its website. The Louisiana Department of Insurance itself uses LaSHIP. Same program, same counselors, so don't let the two acronyms send you hunting for a second office.

Neutrality isn't left to the honor system. Under 42 U.S.C. 1395b-4, each state's SHIP grant plan must assure that SHIP staff, including volunteers, have no conflict of interest in providing the counseling. The Administration for Community Living conflict-of-interest resource for SHIP names anyone paid for enrolling people in a specific insurance plan as an example of someone with an inherent conflict. That's the difference between a LaSHIP counselor and an agent, though an agent can still be the right call for some people; our comparison of SHIP counselors and Medicare brokers explains how each is paid.

Comparing Medicare Plans Sold in Your Parish

Medicare Advantage choices in Louisiana are listed parish by parish, and LaSHIP is the one publishing those lists. LaSHIP's Medicare Health & Drug Plans page posts a Part D prescription drug plan list, currently headed "2026 Part D Prescription Drug Plans," and separate lists of Medicare Advantage plans by parish. Pull up your parish's list before you call LaSHIP, and the conversation can start from the plans LaSHIP lists for where you live.

Timing decides what you can change. Medicare Open Enrollment runs October 15 through December 7 each year; in that window you can switch between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage or change or join a Part D drug plan, and the change takes effect January 1. If you're already in a Medicare Advantage plan, the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period from January 1 through March 31 allows one change: another Medicare Advantage plan, or a return to Original Medicare with a drug plan. Calling LaSHIP in October leaves room for a second conversation before the December 7 deadline. Our Medicare Open Enrollment guide covers that window in detail.

What Else You Can Bring to a LaSHIP Counselor

Plan comparison is the headline, but SHIP counseling covers more. Medicare.gov lists the Medicare questions SHIPs help with: your Medicare rights, billing problems, complaints about your medical care or treatment, how Medicare works with other insurance, and finding help paying for health care costs.

  • A denial letter. Medicare's guide "Medicare Appeals" (April 2026) tells people with Medicare to call their SHIP for free, personalized counseling, including help with appeals. The appeal levels and deadlines are in our guide to Medicare appeals.
  • A long-term care insurance policy. Federal law lists information regarding long-term care insurance among the counseling a state's SHIP program must provide. Expect information and a place to ask questions, not a legal review of your contract.
  • A Medicaid question tied to Medicare. The Congressional Research Service says SHIPs also assist with Medicaid eligibility and coverage issues.

Paying Less for Medicare in Louisiana

This is the Louisiana-specific reason a lot of families should call LaSHIP sooner. The Louisiana Department of Health runs the Louisiana Medicare Savings Program, the state's version of the federal Medicare Savings Programs, and for three of its groups, Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB), Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB) and Qualifying Individual (QI), Louisiana applies no resource (asset) test at all. Savings in the bank don't count against you for those three. Income still does:

Program Single Couple Asset test in Louisiana
QMB $1,350 $1,824 None
SLMB $1,616 $2,184 None
QI $1,816 $2,455 None

Those 2026 Louisiana Medicare Savings Program limits are the federal figures in Social Security's POMS manual for the row that covers Louisiana, and each one is the Louisiana Department of Health's poverty-guideline figure plus a $20 monthly income exclusion. The fourth program, Qualified Disabled and Working Individuals (QDWI), is the exception: it keeps a countable-resource limit of $4,000 for one person or $6,000 for a couple, and your home and one car don't count toward it. For all four Louisiana Medicare Savings Programs (QMB, SLMB, QI and QDWI), the Louisiana Department of Health requires that you be eligible for and enrolled in Medicare Part A.

You apply through the Louisiana Department of Health Medicaid program: online, by mail or fax, in person at a local Medicaid office, or by phone at 1-888-342-6207. Social Security's own guidance to its staff is to encourage people to apply even if their income looks somewhat over the limits. Our guide to Louisiana's Medicare Savings Programs walks through each tier.

Drug costs run through different doors. Extra Help, the Low-Income Subsidy for Part D, is administered by the Social Security Administration, not the state. LaSHIP's Medicare Resources page also points to Louisiana SenioRx, which the Department says helps eligible people get prescription medications at low or no cost, with qualification based on criteria set by individual drug companies. Federal sources list the Medicare Savings Programs and Extra Help among the programs SHIP helps people with limited income apply for, so a LaSHIP counselor is a reasonable first stop before you fill out either application.

Using Louisiana's Medigap Birthday Rule

Louisiana gives people who already have a Medigap policy an extra chance to switch each year. Under La. R.S. 22:1112, a Louisiana Medigap policyholder gets a 63-day open enrollment period starting on their birthday, during which they can buy any Medicare supplement policy offered by the same insurer or one of its affiliates. La. R.S. 22:1112 does not extend Louisiana's Medigap birthday right to unrelated insurers.

The health protection is narrower still. During Louisiana's 63-day Medigap birthday window, the insurer can't deny you, add conditions or charge more because of your health only if the new plan's letter carries benefits equal to or less than your current plan's. Louisiana's birthday-rule statute (La. R.S. 22:1112) grants that health-underwriting protection only for an equal-or-lesser plan letter and says nothing about underwriting if you move up to a richer Medigap plan letter. That's exactly the kind of question to run past a LaSHIP counselor before you sign, because Medigap policy comparison is part of what federal law says SHIP counseling covers. Our Louisiana Medigap birthday rule guide has the full detail.

Getting Ready for Your LaSHIP Call

Have your Medicare card, your current plan's name, and a list of every prescription with doses in front of you; it makes a drug-plan comparison much faster.

Be ready to try more than once. In its June 2026 report, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) says SHIP funding hasn't kept pace with growth in Medicare enrollment and that counselors face capacity constraints as call volumes have risen. If you can't get through by phone, the LaSHIP call-back form is another way in. For a quick question about Original Medicare or a claim, 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227, TTY 1-877-486-2048) is answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except some federal holidays; save LaSHIP for the side-by-side comparison.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I call LaSHIP about a parent's Medicare?

Families are part of who SHIP counseling serves: nationally, SHIPs help people with Medicare and their families choose a plan, understand costs and apply for Extra Help. If you can, have your parent on the line or sitting with you, so the counselor hears their medications, doctors and current plan firsthand.

What does the LaSHIP call-back form ask for?

LaSHIP's "Still Have Questions?" form asks for your name, phone number, ZIP code and email, plus a brief explanation of your question in up to 500 characters, and the Department says a LaSHIP counselor will contact you. Use the space for the one question you most need answered, such as the plan name you're weighing or the letter you received.

Does LaSHIP help people on Medicare who are under 65?

The Louisiana Department of Insurance describes LaSHIP's job as helping Medicare beneficiaries understand their coverage options and benefits. Medicare beneficiaries include some people under 65, such as people with a disability, End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Mention how you qualified for Medicare at the start of the call, because it can change which plans and Medigap rules apply.

Will LaSHIP actually sign me up for a plan?

Ask LaSHIP directly. Nationally, SHIP team members are trained to help people obtain coverage through Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Part D and Medigap, but MedPAC reports that only some SHIP grantees help enroll beneficiaries in plans., If LaSHIP helps you compare and you enroll yourself, keep a note of the plan name and the date you enrolled.

Learn More

MedicareMedicare Plans and Coverage in LouisianaMedicare in Louisiana for 2026: Parts A and B, Medicare Advantage, Part D, Medigap, MSP, free SHIIP counseling, and how to lower your costs. MedicareFree Medicare Counseling: What SHIP Is and Whether It's Really UnbiasedSHIP gives free Medicare counseling. Federal law requires its counselors to have no conflict of interest, and ACL bars licensed insurance agents. Find yours. MedicareLouisiana's Medigap Birthday Rule: Switch Plans Without UnderwritingLouisiana's Medigap birthday rule: 63 days from your birthday to buy any plan your insurer or an affiliate offers, guaranteed issue on equal-or-lesser plans. MedicaidLouisiana Medicare Savings Programs: Help Paying Medicare CostsLouisiana pays your Medicare Part B premium and counts none of your assets for QMB, SLMB, and QI. See the 2026 income limits and how to apply through LDH. MedicareMedicare Extra Help: The Part D Low-Income SubsidyMedicare Extra Help can cut Part D drug costs to a few dollars a prescription. See 2026 income and resource limits, what it pays, and how to apply. MedicareSHIP Counselor vs. Medicare Broker: Who Actually Pays Each OneA SHIP counselor and a Medicare broker are both free to you, but one is paid by the government and one by the insurer. See who pays each and when to use which.

Find personalized help getting free Louisiana SHIIP counseling on a plan, cost or Medigap question at brevy.com.

The information on Brevy.com is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional legal, financial, or medical advice. Rules vary by state and program and change frequently. Always verify with the relevant agency or a qualified professional. Brevy is not a law firm, financial advisor, or healthcare provider.

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