If a Medicare bill, a denied claim or a drug plan choice has you stuck in Mississippi, free Mississippi SHIP Medicare counseling starts with a call to 1-844-822-4622. The Mississippi Department of Human Services (MDHS) says anyone can get free help through its State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), whatever their income, and that the help is free, un-biased and confidential. A Mississippi SHIP counselor can compare policies with you, sort out paperwork, and help with claims and appeals, for Medicare, Medicaid or a supplemental policy.

In This Guide

What Is Mississippi SHIP Medicare Counseling, and Is It Really Free?

Mississippi SHIP is Mississippi's State Health Insurance Assistance Program. Medicare's "Medicare Appeals" guide defines a SHIP as a state program that gets money from the federal government to give free local health insurance counseling to people with Medicare. Mississippi SHIP is administered through the MDHS Division of Aging and Adult Services (DAAS), working with local Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) and the Mississippi Access to Care Network. Mississippi SHIP offers counseling in person and by phone.

Yes, Mississippi SHIP counseling is free, and there is no income test to pass first. MDHS's SHIP flyer describes the service as free and objective one-on-one counseling to help Mississippians with Medicare, Medicaid and associated plans.

Free help is only worth having if the person helping has nothing to sell you, and federal law speaks to that. Federal law (42 U.S.C. 1395b-4) requires each state's SHIP grant plan to provide assurances that SHIP staff members, including volunteers, have no conflict of interest in providing counseling. The Administration for Community Living (ACL) conflict-of-interest resource for SHIP programs names anyone who receives compensation for enrolling beneficiaries in a specific insurance plan as one example of a person with an inherent conflict of interest. Our comparison of SHIP counselors and Medicare brokers explains how each one is paid.

Our Mississippi Medicare plans and coverage guide covers costs and plan types across the state, and our guide to free Medicare counseling through your SHIP explains how SHIPs work everywhere. This page stays with Mississippi SHIP itself.

Which Mississippi SHIP Phone Number Should You Call?

Start with 1-844-822-4622, the number every MDHS source and the federal contacts directory agree on. MDHS's SHIP flyer asks callers to use 1-844-822-4622 to schedule a free counseling session, so expect to set up a time rather than finish everything on the first call.

Government sources also list several other numbers, and they don't all match. Here is each one, as its source prints it:

Number Who it reaches Where it's listed
1-844-822-4622 Mississippi SHIP (a line it shares, explained below) MDHS SHIP release, MDHS Finding Services page, CMS contacts directory
601-709-0624 Mississippi SHIP, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. MDHS SHIP release
(601) 359-4577 Mississippi SHIP (local line) CMS contacts directory
(601) 359-4956 or (888) 240-7539 MDHS Division of Aging and Adult Services Mississippi Insurance Department Medicare page
(601) 359-3569 or (800) 562-2957 Mississippi Insurance Department counseling Mississippi Insurance Department Medicare page

The first three rows come from MDHS's release and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' contacts directory: MDHS gives 1-844-822-4622 or 601-709-0624 for SHIP, while the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) directory lists 1-844-822-4622 with a local line of (601) 359-4577. The CMS directory lists Mississippi SHIP's mailing address as Mississippi Department of Human Services, 750 North State Street, Jackson, MS 39202. Neither source says the other is out of date, so if one Mississippi SHIP number doesn't get you through, try the next one before you give up.

The last two rows come from the Mississippi Insurance Department (MID) Medicare page, which says you may receive Medicare and health insurance counseling from MID at (601) 359-3569 or (800) 562-2957, or from the MDHS Division of Aging and Adult Services at (601) 359-4956 or (888) 240-7539.

Don't be surprised if a call to 1-844-822-4622 is answered for the Mississippi Access to Care Network. MDHS lists (844) 822-4622 both as the number to call SHIP and as the number to call the Mississippi Access to Care Network, whose centers help older people and people with disabilities, and their families, find long-term care services and supports. Tell whoever answers that you want a SHIP counselor for a Medicare question.

Which Medicare Problems Can You Bring to Mississippi SHIP?

A Mississippi SHIP counselor helps with problems as well as plan choices. MDHS says that whether it is Medicare, Medicaid, supplemental insurance or other coverage, SHIP personnel are trained to answer questions, compare policies, organize paperwork, and help with claims and filing appeals. That makes a denied claim or a confusing stack of statements a reason to call, not just a plan decision.

MDHS's Finding Services page lists the specific help in more detail. SHIP volunteers help older Mississippians and caregivers understand Medicare benefits, organize doctor and hospital bills, file Medicare appeals, review Medicare Supplemental Insurance, evaluate "Medicare+ Choice or Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) options," understand Medicaid eligibility, and explore long-term care options. The page uses the word volunteers, while MDHS's release speaks of SHIP personnel and counselors, so the person you reach may be a volunteer or a staff member.

Choosing a plan. Mississippi SHIP counselors provide free, confidential, individual counseling to help people find the most comprehensive and cost-effective Medicare health plan and Part D coverage, according to MDHS. MDHS's flyer adds that SHIP can help you find a prescription drug plan or Medicare Advantage Plan for the lowest estimated cost for the year.

Timing. Medicare Open Enrollment runs October 15 through December 7 each year, and changes made during it take effect January 1 of the following year. Because the flyer asks you to schedule a session, call Mississippi SHIP well before December 7 rather than in the last week., Our guide to Medicare Open Enrollment explains what you can change during that window.

Appeals. Medicare's own "Medicare Appeals" guide (April 2026) tells people with Medicare to call their SHIP for free, personalized health insurance counseling, including help with appeals. The appeal levels and their deadlines are in our guide to Medicare appeals.

Can Mississippi SHIP Lower What You Pay for Medicare?

Mississippi SHIP can check whether you may qualify for help, though it doesn't make the final decision. MDHS says SHIP counselors can check whether people are eligible for the Medicare Savings Programs, and that people with Medicare who are having difficulty paying for medical care may qualify for them. MDHS says the Medicare Savings Programs can help save money on premiums, prescription drugs and other health care costs.

The application itself goes to the state Medicaid agency. State Medicaid agencies determine Medicare Savings Program eligibility, and in Mississippi the Mississippi Division of Medicaid certifies eligibility for all of the Medicare cost-sharing groups. Mississippi's rules set no assets test for any of its three Medicare Savings Program groups (QMB, SLMB and QI), so savings alone don't rule you out. Our guide to Mississippi Medicare Savings Programs walks through the income limits and how to apply.

Who Can Help With a Medigap Question in Mississippi?

Two state offices answer Medigap questions in Mississippi. MDHS lists reviewing Medicare Supplemental Insurance among the things Mississippi SHIP volunteers help with. The Mississippi Insurance Department's Medicare Supplement Shopper's Guide says its Consumer Services Division is available to provide additional help, at 601-359-3569 in the Jackson area or statewide toll-free at 1-800-562-2957. The MID guide says counseling services are available to advise on buying Medicare Supplement insurance and on Medicaid, without charge.

Timing matters with Medigap, because some rights to buy a policy apply only in certain situations. Medicare's "Choosing a Medigap Policy" guide tells people to call their SHIP to make sure they qualify for a guaranteed issue right, and to call their State Insurance Department if they're denied Medigap coverage in one of those situations. In Mississippi, that means Mississippi SHIP for the eligibility question and the Mississippi Insurance Department if an insurer turns you down. Our Mississippi Medicare Supplement guide covers the state's Medigap rules and enrollment windows.

How Do You Prepare for a Mississippi SHIP Call?

A little preparation turns a Mississippi SHIP session into real work on your own situation. Because Mississippi SHIP counselors help organize paperwork and doctor and hospital bills, bring the bills, plan notices or denial letters you have questions about, and a list of your prescriptions if you're comparing drug plans. If you're comparing plans, you can look over the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov before the call.

1-800-MEDICARE is another place to ask Medicare questions. 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) is the official Medicare contact line, operated by CMS, and TTY users call 1-877-486-2048. Medicare.gov says callers to 1-800-MEDICARE can talk or live chat with a real person 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except some federal holidays. For a problem with a specific Part D or Medicare Advantage plan, CMS directs people to call their plan first, using the number on their member ID card.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I call Mississippi SHIP for my mother or father?

Yes. MDHS's SHIP flyer says SHIP provides information and help to people with Medicare, people who may need Medicare, and people looking into Medicare for someone else. MDHS's Finding Services page also names caregivers among the people SHIP volunteers help.

Is Mississippi SHIP the same as 1-800-MEDICARE?

No. 1-800-MEDICARE is the official Medicare contact line operated by CMS, while Mississippi SHIP is the state's counseling program run through the MDHS Division of Aging and Adult Services.,

My parent lives in another state. How do I find that state's SHIP?

Medicare's "Medicare Appeals" guide says you can visit shiphelp.org or call 1-800-MEDICARE to get the phone number for the SHIP in any state.

My parent is unhappy with a Medicare Advantage plan after January 1. Is it too late?

Not necessarily. The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period runs January 1 through March 31 each year, and a person already in a Medicare Advantage plan may make one change during it, either to another Medicare Advantage plan or back to Original Medicare with a drug plan. A Mississippi SHIP counselor can help compare the options before your parent uses that one change.

Learn More

MedicareMedicare Plans and Coverage in MississippiMedicare in Mississippi for 2026: Parts A and B, Advantage, Part D, Medigap, and Medicare Savings Programs with no asset test, plus free SHIP counseling. MedicareFree Medicare Counseling Through Your SHIPSHIP gives free Medicare counseling. Federal law requires its counselors to have no conflict of interest, and ACL bars licensed insurance agents. Find yours. MedicareMississippi Medicare Supplement GuideMississippi Medicare Supplement: six months after Part B at 65 to buy any policy with no health-based denial or pricing, plus a disability window under 65. MedicaidMississippi Medicare Savings ProgramsMississippi Medicare Savings Programs 2026: QMB, SLMB, and QI income limits, no asset test, Part B premium help, and how to apply through DOM. MedicareSHIP Counselor vs. Medicare BrokerA 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 Mississippi SHIP Medicare counseling for yourself or a parent 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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