If you're facing a Medicare decision in Missouri, for yourself or a parent, free and unbiased Missouri SHIP Medicare counseling starts with a call to 1-800-390-3330., Missouri SHIP is Missouri's official State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), the same program that operated as Missouri CLAIM from 1993 to 2023, and it is a nonprofit that is not an insurance agency and does not sell anything. A Missouri SHIP counselor can walk you through a confusing Medicare statement, a Part D plan change or a stack of bills, and the program's Contact Center takes your question so a counselor can call you back.,

In This Guide

What Is Missouri SHIP Medicare Counseling, and Is It the Same as Missouri CLAIM?

Missouri SHIP and Missouri CLAIM are the same program. Missouri SHIP's About page says the program has been Missouri's official State Health Insurance Assistance Program since 1993 and operated as "Missouri CLAIM" from 1993 to 2023. In a news release published July 17, 2023, the Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance (DCI) announced that it had rebranded Missouri's State Health Insurance Assistance Program to Missouri SHIP, formerly known as Missouri CLAIM. So if a relative hands you a Missouri CLAIM brochure, the help it describes now comes under the Missouri SHIP name.

The SHIP name itself comes from a national program. The federal Administration for Community Living (ACL) describes SHIP as a national ACL program and says that, depending on your area, you may know your local SHIP by another name. Medicare's official "Medicare Appeals" guide, a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) publication, 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.

What sets the program apart from a sales call is its structure. Missouri SHIP describes itself as a nonprofit organization whose services are free, unbiased and confidential, and says it is not an insurance agency and does not sell anything. Brevy's Missouri Medicare plans and coverage guide gives the program a short section next to premiums and plan types. This page goes further, into who runs it, how the callback works, how to check a caller and how to volunteer. For how SHIPs work across the country, see our guide to free Medicare counseling through your SHIP.

Who Runs Missouri SHIP?

Missouri SHIP has three players behind it, and each one does a different job. DCI's news release published October 8, 2025 says Missouri SHIP is funded through a grant from ACL, that the funding is administered through DCI, and that the service is provided by Missouri Connections for Health, a nonprofit organization. In practice, the federal grant pays for the program, the state insurance department manages that money, and the counseling itself comes from a nonprofit rather than a state office.

That split matters when you decide whom to contact. The counselor who calls you back works through Missouri SHIP, not for an insurance company, and the program's About page says SHIP counselors cannot work for insurance companies.

What Can a Missouri SHIP Counselor Help You With?

A Missouri SHIP counselor covers more than the fall plan review. According to Missouri SHIP's Our Services page, the program's trained Medicare counselors can answer questions about Medicare, Medicaid (MO HealthNet), Medicare Advantage, Part D drug plans, and Medigap and supplemental insurance. The same page lists hands-on help too:

  • Enrolling in Medicare, and finding out whether you qualify for Medicare
  • Seeing whether you qualify for programs that help you save money on Medicare-related expenses
  • Signing up for a Part D drug plan, and checking your plan for changes during the Medicare Open Enrollment Period every year
  • Understanding and organizing your healthcare bills and statements
  • Submitting claims for Medicare, Medicare Advantage, and Medigap or supplemental insurance

That last item is one a family might not expect. A Missouri SHIP counselor can help submit a claim to Medicare, a Medicare Advantage plan or a Medigap insurer, so a parent's unpaid bill is a fair reason to call. DCI's July 17, 2023 release adds that Missouri SHIP helps Missourians eligible for Medicare, and their caregivers, choose a plan that best meets their needs. If you're weighing a Missouri Medigap policy, Brevy's Missouri Medicare Supplement guide is useful background to read before the call.

At the national level, ACL's SHIP overview flyer lists what SHIPs help with, including plan comparison, coverage and costs, troubleshooting billing issues, submitting appeals, and referral to other resources. ACL also says, of SHIPs nationally, that with your permission a SHIP will work with Medicare directly to help solve problems on your behalf.

How Do You Get Missouri SHIP Medicare Counseling?

Missouri SHIP's Our Services page says you can get help in one of three ways: by calling, by the online form, or at one of the program's events listed on its community events calendar. Each route leads to a counselor, but they move at different speeds.

Route When it's available What happens next
Phone helpline 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding federal holidays Contact Center staff take your question, and a counselor calls back (steps below)
Online contact form 24 hours a day, 7 days a week The message works like a phone call, and a counselor calls you back in 2-5 business days
Community events Dates on the program's community events calendar You meet counselors when they're in your area

The table above reflects Missouri SHIP's Contact Us and Our Services pages. Here's how a phone request moves through the system:

1
Step 1

Call the Missouri SHIP Contact Center

DCI says Missourians can get unbiased Missouri SHIP assistance at no cost throughout the year by phone, or arrange one-on-one counseling, by calling 1-800-390-3330.

2
Step 2

Give your name and your question

The Contact Center staff take your name and question for a counselor.

3
Step 3

Wait for the counselor's callback

A Missouri SHIP counselor calls you back within days to schedule an appointment or answer your questions.

4
Step 4

Keep sensitive numbers out of the online form

Missouri SHIP asks people not to send personal information such as a Social Security number or Medicare number with its contact form, and says it will collect that information later if it's needed.

When is the best time to contact Missouri SHIP?

DCI says Missouri SHIP assistance is available throughout the year, but a few Medicare deadlines make timing matter. The Medicare Open Enrollment Period runs October 15 through December 7 each year, and changes made during it take effect January 1 of the following year. Missouri SHIP's Volunteer page says its busy season for counseling runs October 1 to December 7, when 40% of the program's annual work occurs. With a callback window of several days, asking for help early in October leaves more room before the December 7 deadline.

Turning 65 is the other moment to plan around. Medicare's Initial Enrollment Period is a 7-month window around your 65th birthday: the 3 months before the month you turn 65, the month you turn 65, and the 3 months after. Missouri SHIP counselors list help enrolling in Medicare among their services, so a Missourian nearing 65 can ask for an appointment before that window opens. Brevy's guide to Medicare Open Enrollment explains the fall window in more detail.

How Can You Tell a Real Missouri SHIP Counselor From a Scam Call?

The program gives you a simple rule to check a caller. Missouri SHIP's Our Services page says a counselor from the program will never call you unless you ask for help. An unexpected call from someone claiming to be from Missouri SHIP, when you never contacted the program, doesn't fit how it works.

When a callback does come, the counselor should identify themselves. Missouri SHIP says that when one of its counselors calls, the counselor will tell you who they are and mention Missouri SHIP. If you're still not sure, Missouri SHIP says you can hang up and call its Contact Center at 1-800-390-3330, and the Contact Center staff can check whether a counselor called you. Calling back on the number you looked up yourself, rather than one the caller gives you, is what makes that check work.

If a caller asks for your Medicare number or pushes you toward a plan, and you think it may be fraud, Medicare's reporting Medicare fraud page explains how to report it. Brevy's guide to Medicare fraud protection covers the warning signs and the reporting steps.

Can Missouri SHIP Help You Pay for Medicare?

Missouri SHIP's role with cost help is to help you find out whether you qualify. DCI's October 8, 2025 release says Missouri SHIP helps Missourians on a limited income determine whether they qualify for a low-income subsidy (LIS) or Medicare Savings Programs (MSPs). The program's own services list includes seeing whether you qualify for programs to help you save money on Medicare-related expenses.

This page doesn't list income or asset limits, because those belong in the guides built for them. Missouri's Medicare Savings Program rules and how to apply are in Brevy's guide to Missouri Medicare Savings Programs, the national rules are in our guide to Medicare Savings Programs, and help with Part D drug costs is in our guide to Extra Help. If a counselor mentions MoRx, Brevy's MoRx guide explains it.

Who Are Missouri SHIP Counselors and Community Partners?

Missouri SHIP's About page says the program has 200+ counselors throughout Missouri providing local Medicare counseling in their communities. Missouri SHIP counselors receive extensive training to become certified and complete continuing education all year, according to the same About page. Some of these counselors are paid staff at their agency who counsel as part of their daily jobs, while others are traditional community volunteers.

At the national level, ACL says SHIP counselors are members of your local community who have been screened, trained and certified as Medicare experts, and that many are volunteers. ACL also says SHIP is not paid per enrollment, which means the program's pay does not depend on how many people it signs up for a plan. If you're comparing a SHIP counselor with a licensed agent, our comparison of SHIP counselors and Medicare brokers explains how each is paid.

What are Missouri SHIP Community Partners?

Missouri SHIP Community Partners are local organizations that bring the program's counseling closer to home. Missouri SHIP's About page says the program has formal partnerships with community organizations across Missouri, and that a Community Partner may have staff members trained as Missouri SHIP counselors or may host its counselors for events or Medicare counseling sessions. Missouri SHIP's Community Partners page lists its partner organizations by region and says these organizations have agreements to provide Missouri SHIP counselors or to serve as local Medicare counseling. To get help from a Missouri SHIP Community Partner, the Community Partners page tells readers to call the Missouri SHIP Contact Center helpline at 1-800-390-3330, the same number listed in this guide's at-a-glance box.,

How Do You Volunteer With Missouri SHIP?

You don't need a Medicare background to volunteer with Missouri SHIP. Missouri SHIP's Volunteer page says you do not have to know anything about Medicare or health insurance to apply, because the program provides the training. Volunteers can work in different ways: some counselors help over the phone or through teleconferencing apps like Zoom, while others meet people in person, such as at a public library.

The program sets conflict-of-interest limits for volunteers. Missouri SHIP's Volunteer page says an active volunteer should not be affiliated with any insurance company or insurance agency, should not have a license to sell insurance, and should not have other conflicts of interest. Those program requirements sit on top of a federal rule: 42 U.S.C. 1395b-4 requires each state's SHIP grant plan to provide assurances that staff members, including volunteer staff members, of the counseling program have no conflict of interest in providing that counseling. ACL's conflict-of-interest resource for SHIP volunteers names anyone who receives compensation for enrolling beneficiaries in a specific insurance plan or plans as one example of a person with an inherent conflict of interest.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

No, Missouri SHIP and 1-800-MEDICARE are two different phone lines. 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) is the official Medicare contact line for beneficiaries, operated by CMS, and teletypewriter (TTY) users call 1-877-486-2048. Medicare.gov says 1-800-MEDICARE callers can talk or live chat with a real person 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except some federal holidays. Missouri SHIP, by contrast, is Missouri's own State Health Insurance Assistance Program, with local counselors who call you back.,

Can Missouri SHIP help with a Medicare appeal?

Medicare's own appeals guide points people to their SHIP for this. Medicare's official "Medicare Appeals" guide (CMS Product No. 11525, 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 Brevy's guide to Medicare appeals.

Can I call Missouri SHIP for a parent?

Yes, Missouri SHIP serves caregivers as well as people on Medicare. DCI says it offers free assistance to Medicare-eligible individuals and their caregivers through Missouri's State Health Insurance Assistance Program. ACL, speaking of SHIPs nationally, says SHIPs give free, in-depth, unbiased, one-on-one counseling to Medicare beneficiaries, their families and caregivers.

What if my parent is unhappy with a Medicare Advantage plan after January 1?

There is a second window for people already in a Medicare Advantage plan. 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 Missouri SHIP counselor can answer questions about Medicare Advantage and Part D plans before your parent uses that one change.

Learn More

MedicareMedicare Plans and Coverage in MissouriMedicare in Missouri for 2026: Parts A and B costs, Medicare Advantage, Part D, Medigap, the SLMB1/SLMB2 savings programs, and free MO 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. 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. MedicareMissouri Medicare Supplement GuideMissouri's Medigap anniversary rule lets you switch your Medicare Supplement to a cheaper company every year, same plan letter, no medical underwriting. MedicaidMissouri Medicare Savings ProgramsMissouri Medicare Savings Programs in 2026: QMB, SLMB, and QI income limits, Part B premium savings, Part D Extra Help, and how to apply through myDSS. MedicareMissouri MoRx GuideMORx, the Missouri Rx Plan, pays 50% of what you still owe for Part D drugs. See who qualifies, why enrollment is automatic, and what MORx will not cover.

Find personalized help getting free Missouri 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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