People with Medicare in Ohio, and family members calling for them, can reach the Ohio Senior Health Insurance Information Program (OSHIIP) on its free hotline at 800-686-1578. The Ohio Department of Insurance says many people call OSHIIP to get information for a parent, a grandparent, or another family member or friend covered by Medicare. Through OSHIIP, the Ohio Department of Insurance gives people with Medicare free, objective, one-on-one counseling, and OSHIIP also books free video appointments online.,

In This Guide

What Is OSHIIP?

OSHIIP is Ohio's version of a program that exists in every state. The Ohio Department of Insurance says every state and U.S. territory has a State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), and that programs in other states may go by different names. OSHIIP has been part of the Ohio Department of Insurance since 1992. For how SHIPs work nationally, see our guide to free Medicare counseling through your SHIP, and for how two other states run theirs, see our guides to California's HICAP and Florida's SHINE.

OSHIIP is funded by a federal grant and by the state of Ohio, according to the Ohio Department of Insurance. It describes OSHIIP as a local office where Medicare beneficiaries can get unbiased answers to their Medicare questions, review plan options, receive an explanation of benefits, and get enrollment assistance. That mix of plan review and plain explanation is useful when a Medicare letter or a plan change doesn't make sense.

The federal partner is the Administration for Community Living (ACL), which runs SHIP as a national program. ACL says SHIP has offices across the country and that you may know your local SHIP by another name, but the support it provides is the same. ACL also says SHIPs are supported through state and federal partnerships that are not reimbursed by private health insurance plans or entities, and that SHIP is not paid per enrollment. For the wider Ohio Medicare picture, including costs and plan types, see our Ohio Medicare plans and coverage guide.

What Medicare Questions Can an OSHIIP Counselor Help With?

OSHIIP's page on the Ohio Department of Insurance website lists the Medicare-related matters OSHIIP will answer questions about. Those subjects include:

  • Medicare health coverage for seniors and for people under age 65 with disabilities
  • Medicare prescription drug plans
  • Financial assistance programs for people with limited income
  • Long-term care insurance
  • Original Medicare

OSHIIP's hotline experts, speakers' bureau, and trained volunteers educate consumers about Medicare, Medicare prescription drug coverage (Part D), Medicare Advantage options, Medicare supplement insurance, long-term care insurance, and other health insurance matters, the Ohio Department of Insurance says. The same page says State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIPs) also assist with enrollment, appeals, and complaints related to health insurance.

ACL's national description of SHIP help fills in what that looks like in practice. ACL lists understanding your choices, plan comparison, paying for Medicare and prescriptions, troubleshooting billing issues, and submitting appeals among the things SHIPs help with. ACL says a SHIP can also assist with navigating access to providers, correcting billing issues, and filing complaints and appeals.

If the worry is paying for Medicare on a limited income, that is a subject you can raise with an OSHIIP counselor, since financial assistance programs for people with limited income are on OSHIIP's list of subjects. For background before you call, see our guides to Medicare Savings Programs and Extra Help with Part D costs.

How Do You Reach OSHIIP for Medicare Counseling?

You can reach OSHIIP by phone, by a TDD line, or through a video appointment you book online, and the right route depends on how urgent the question is and how you prefer to talk.

1
Step 1

Call the OSHIIP hotline

The OSHIIP hotline, 800-686-1578, is open from 7:30 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday. The Ohio Department of Insurance says anyone who cannot make a video appointment, has an urgent matter, or prefers to speak to someone by phone should call the OSHIIP hotline.

2
Step 2

Use the TDD line if you need one

The CMS Contacts Directory lists a local TDD number for OSHIIP of (614) 644-3745.

3
Step 3

Or book a free video appointment

The Ohio Department of Insurance's Medicare counseling and webinars page says you book an online OSHIIP appointment by finding a time and date on the OSHIIP Medicare Counseling scheduler, filling out a quick intake form, and checking your email for confirmation. OSHIIP's online appointments are video appointments, not phone calls, and they use Microsoft Teams.

4
Step 4

Or ask about a local volunteer

A local OSHIIP volunteer can meet with you in person or speak with you over the telephone, according to the Ohio Department of Insurance. If you'd rather sit down with someone face to face, say so when you call the hotline.

OSHIIP says the quick intake form in the video booking helps it prepare for the appointment, so fill it out with the question you most want answered. If a daughter is booking for a parent from work, a video appointment on a laptop can be easier than trying to reach the hotline during business hours, as long as the parent can join the call.

What Free Webinars and Events Does OSHIIP Offer?

The Ohio Department of Insurance invites Ohioans to a free Welcome to Medicare webinar, which it says focuses on Medicare enrollment, eligibility, and choices for people turning 65. The Department lists these topics for the Welcome to Medicare webinar:

  • Making Medicare enrollment and coverage decisions
  • Current job-based and retiree insurance options
  • Medicare costs for people with higher incomes, known as the income-related monthly adjustment amount (IRMAA)
  • Programs for people with limited incomes that help reduce Medicare costs
  • An overview of Medicare coverage options and enrollment timelines

The Department also runs live, virtual webinars with OSHIIP Medicare experts on how the Medicare Open Enrollment Period, October 15 to December 7, can work for you. ACL says SHIP isn't just for people new to Medicare and that, because needs and options may change over time, it is important to review your Medicare plan every year during Open Enrollment. Webinar dates change from season to season, so check the Department's Medicare counseling and webinars page for the current schedule.

Two other OSHIIP resources reach beyond one-on-one sessions. The Ohio Department of Insurance says people covered by Medicare can request a virtual or in-person speaker from OSHIIP's speakers' bureau, and that OSHIIP's speakers can discuss Medicare and issues related to health insurance for people covered by Medicare. The Department also offers free OSHIIP literature, including Ohio shoppers' guides.

Who Are OSHIIP's Volunteers, and Can You Become One?

The Ohio Department of Insurance says OSHIIP has trained and certified more than 800 volunteers across the state. The Department describes OSHIIP's volunteer counselors as experts on Medicare and related health insurance matters, and says local volunteer counselors are involved in your neighborhood. ACL says SHIP counselors nationally are members of your local community who have been screened, trained, and certified as Medicare experts, that many are volunteers, and that they pride themselves on providing unbiased, confidential counseling.

The Ohio Department of Insurance says that without volunteers OSHIIP could not fulfill its mission, and that dedicated people are needed to volunteer in all parts of Ohio. According to the Department, OSHIIP volunteers learn Medicare in easy-to-use online training modules and help people in their community. If you've spent years sorting out a parent's coverage, that experience is a head start, and the Department's OSHIIP page is the place to start asking about volunteering.

Will an OSHIIP Counselor Steer You Toward a Plan?

A federal independence rule covers OSHIIP along with every other state's SHIP. Federal law, at 42 U.S.C. 1395b-4, requires a state's SHIP grant plan to provide assurances that staff members, including volunteer staff members, of the health insurance counseling program have no conflict of interest in providing that counseling.

ACL's conflict-of-interest resource for SHIP and Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) programs says no person who has a conflict of interest in connection with the work they will do at the SMP or SHIP, whether personal, philosophical, or financial, may serve as a volunteer. The same ACL resource says SHIP and SMP volunteers do not promote any personal or business interest while undertaking their assignment. ACL gives one example of a person with an inherent conflict of interest: anyone who receives compensation for enrolling beneficiaries in a specific insurance plan or plans.

The money side lines up with that rule. ACL says SHIP is not paid per enrollment and is not reimbursed by private health insurance plans or entities, and the Ohio Department of Insurance calls OSHIIP's information and counseling objective. If you're weighing an OSHIIP counselor against a licensed agent or broker, our comparison of SHIP counseling and Medicare brokers walks through how the two are paid and what that means for the advice you get.

Can OSHIIP Help With a Medigap Choice or an Appeal?

Medicare's own guides send readers to their SHIP for both of these decisions. Medicare's March 2026 guide Choosing a Medigap Policy tells readers who need help comparing and choosing a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) policy to call their State Health Insurance Assistance Program. On its Medicare page, the Ohio Department of Insurance describes OSHIIP as offering free, objective Medicare health insurance information and one-on-one counseling, and invites Ohioans to schedule one-on-one counseling and attend online webinars. Ohio's Medigap enrollment windows and guaranteed-issue rules are covered in our Ohio Medicare Supplement guide.

For a denied claim or service, Medicare's April 2026 guide Medicare Appeals (CMS Product No. 11525) tells people with Medicare to call their State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) for free, personalized health insurance counseling, including help with appeals. The 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. In Ohio, that program is OSHIIP, which the CMS Contacts Directory lists as Ohio's SHIP at the Ohio Department of Insurance. If you call the OSHIIP hotline about a denial, have the denial notice in front of you. How the Medicare appeals process works, step by step, is laid out in our guide to appealing a Medicare denial.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can OSHIIP help if my plan is billing me wrong or denying something?

Yes. The Administration for Community Living (ACL) lists troubleshooting billing issues and submitting appeals among the things SHIPs help with. The CMS Contacts Directory lists OSHIIP as Ohio's SHIP, and the OSHIIP hotline is 800-686-1578, open from 7:30 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Have the bill, the plan's letter, or the denial notice in front of you when you call. If the problem is a denial, the appeal section above links to our step-by-step guide to the Medicare appeals process.

Can I call OSHIIP for my parent?

The Ohio Department of Insurance says many people call OSHIIP to get information for their parents, grandparents, or other family members and friends who are covered by Medicare. ACL says that, with the Medicare beneficiary's permission, a SHIP will work with Medicare directly to help solve problems on that person's behalf, so plan for your parent to be available to give that permission.

Is OSHIIP the same as 1-800-MEDICARE?

OSHIIP and 1-800-MEDICARE are two different lines. 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) is the official Medicare contact line for beneficiaries, operated by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and TTY users call 1-877-486-2048. OSHIIP is Ohio's SHIP, run by the Ohio Department of Insurance, and its hotline is 800-686-1578. CMS says to call a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan first for a plan-specific issue, and to contact 1-800-MEDICARE for an Original Medicare concern or when the plan could not resolve the inquiry.

Can I talk to OSHIIP if I'm under 65 and on disability?

Yes: OSHIIP's free services are for people enrolled in or eligible for Medicare, including people under age 65 with disabilities, according to the Ohio Department of Insurance.

Can OSHIIP speak to my senior center or community group?

The Ohio Department of Insurance says you can request a virtual or in-person speaker from OSHIIP's speakers' bureau, and that OSHIIP's speakers can discuss Medicare and issues related to health insurance for people covered by Medicare. The Department says to call OSHIIP at 800-686-1578 to request a speaker for your event.

Learn More

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. MedicareMedicare Plans and Coverage in OhioMedicare in Ohio for 2026: Part A, Part B, Medicare Advantage, Part D, Medigap rules, OSHIIP counseling, and programs that help pay your Medicare costs. 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. MedicareOhio Medicare Supplement (Medigap) GuideOhio Medigap guide: the one-time six-month open enrollment window, guaranteed-issue rights, what Ohio's rule says for people under 65, and where to get help. MedicareHow to Appeal a Medicare DenialA Medicare denial isn't final. Here's how to appeal one through all five levels, with 2026 deadlines, dollar thresholds, and the fast track for urgent care. MedicareMedicare Savings ProgramsMedicare Savings Programs help low-income enrollees pay Part B premiums and, with QMB, all cost-sharing. See the four MSPs, 2026 limits, and how to apply. MedicareMedicare Extra HelpMedicare 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. MedicaidNext Generation MyCare OhioMyCare Ohio changed in 2026. Here is how Next Generation MyCare works: the four carriers, the phased statewide rollout, who can enroll, and how to act.

Find personalized help getting ready for a free OSHIIP Medicare counseling session 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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