If someone told you to "call SHIP" about a Medicare decision in Tennessee, for yourself or a parent, the help they mean is free and one phone call away. TN SHIP, the Tennessee State Health Insurance Assistance Program, gives free, unbiased Medicare counseling to Tennessee's Medicare-eligible individuals, their families and caregivers. Getting that Tennessee SHIP Medicare help starts with a call to 1-877-801-0044, an email to dda.ship@tn.gov, or the online form on the TN SHIP page.

In This Guide

What Is TN SHIP, and Who Runs It?

TN SHIP is Tennessee's State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). The program's page describes TN SHIP as a federally funded program that provides free, unbiased counseling and assistance to Tennessee's Medicare-eligible individuals, their families and caregivers. The same page notes that the project was supported, in part, by grants from the U.S. Administration for Community Living (ACL), part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

TN SHIP sits inside the Tennessee Department of Disability and Aging (DDA), whose commissioner's page names the State Health Insurance Assistance program among DDA's programs for older adults. If an older directory listing sends you to the Tennessee Commission on Aging and Disability instead, the FAQ below explains the change.

You don't need to be new to Medicare to use it. Whether you are new to Medicare or a seasoned beneficiary, TN SHIP's trained counselors can assist you with your Medicare questions, the program's page says. Nationally, ACL describes SHIP as a national program of ACL and notes that, depending on your area, you may know your local SHIP by another name.

Our Tennessee Medicare plans and coverage guide covers costs and plan choices across the state, and our guide to free Medicare counseling through your SHIP explains how SHIPs work nationwide. This page goes deeper into TN SHIP itself.

What Medicare Help Does Tennessee SHIP Offer?

The clearest picture of what TN SHIP is set up to help with is its own help-request form. Under "What do you need help with?", the form on the TN SHIP page lists these options:

  • Understanding the Parts of Medicare
  • Getting information about your health insurance options when you retire
  • High healthcare costs, and learning about assistance programs like Medicare Savings Programs and the Low-Income Subsidy, also called Extra Help
  • A billing problem that needs an appeal
  • Information on long-term care coverage or insurance
  • Other

Drug coverage gets its own question. The TN SHIP form says TN SHIP can help you find the Medicare drug plan that is most cost effective for you, and it asks whether you want to learn more about a cost comparison of your prescription drug plan options. If your prescriptions are the reason you're calling, say so on the form or on the phone.

ACL's national list of what SHIPs are there to help with covers the same ground: understanding your choices, how to enroll, plan comparison, coverage and costs, paying for Medicare and prescriptions, troubleshooting billing issues, submitting appeals, and referral to other resources. ACL also says that with your permission, SHIP will work with Medicare directly to help solve problems on your behalf.

How Do You Request Tennessee SHIP Medicare Help?

TN SHIP gives you three ways in. Pick whichever is easiest for you or the person you're helping.

1
Step 1

Call or email

TN SHIP's page says to get started by contacting TN SHIP at 1-877-801-0044 or by emailing dda.ship@tn.gov.

2
Step 2

Or fill out the online form

The TN SHIP page carries a contact form where you choose what you need help with from its list of options.

3
Step 3

Have your basics ready

The form asks your county of residence, your zip code, your age group (under 65, or 65 or older), whether you are enrolled in Medicare, and whether you or a family member ever served in the military.

The zip code matters more than it looks. The TN SHIP form explains that knowing your zip code helps it send your question to the person who can best help you. Get it right, especially if you're filling out the form for a parent who lives in a different county from you.

Where Can You Get Tennessee SHIP Medicare Help in Person?

If you'd rather sit down with someone, DDA publishes a Medicare Counseling Sites map. The page invites anyone with Medicare questions to choose a location on the map to find a counseling site where a certified SHIP/SMP (State Health Insurance Assistance Program and Senior Medicare Patrol) counselor can help answer their questions.

The sites are ordinary community places. Examples on the list include Collierville Library, Bartlett Senior Center and Benton County Office on Aging. Check the map for the site nearest you and contact it before you go.

What happens at a site follows the national SHIP model. ACL says that when you contact your local SHIP, a certified counselor will give you one-on-one guidance based on your unique situation and needs, and that SHIP counselors are members of your local community who have been screened, trained and certified as Medicare experts.

If your question is about possible fraud rather than coverage, our guide to Medicare fraud protection explains how Medicare scams work and how to report Medicare fraud.

Can TN SHIP Help You Pay for Medicare?

TN SHIP can steer you toward programs that lower your Medicare costs and help you apply. The TN SHIP form offers "My healthcare costs are high" as a help option, naming Medicare Savings Programs and the Low-Income Subsidy as examples of assistance programs.

The form then asks two screening questions. The TN SHIP help-request form asks whether your income is less than 150% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) and, if it is, whether you would like a counselor to help you apply for the assistance programs. Treat that as a question on an intake form, not as the rule for any one program, and let a counselor work through the details with you.

Each program's own income and resource rules are in our guides to Tennessee Medicare Savings Programs, Medicare Savings Programs nationally and Extra Help with drug costs.

Can TN SHIP Help With Medigap or an Appeal?

Yes on both, according to Medicare's own publications.

For Medicare Supplement Insurance, called Medigap, Medicare's March 2026 guide "Choosing a Medigap Policy" tells people to call their State Insurance Department or their SHIP to get state-specific information about Medigap. In Tennessee, the state insurance regulator is the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance (TDCI), whose Health Insurance Information page lists a Medicare Supplement Companies document and a Medicare Supplement Rates page. Tennessee's own Medigap rules are in our Tennessee Medicare Supplement guide.

For appeals, Medicare's official "Medicare Appeals" guide tells people with Medicare to call their SHIP for free, personalized health insurance counseling, including help with appeals. The TN SHIP form lists "I am having a billing problem that needs an appeal" as one of its help options. Appeal levels and deadlines are covered in our guide to Medicare appeals.

Is TN SHIP on Your Side?

TN SHIP puts its position plainly: "We do not promote any insurance agency, and we maintain confidentiality with all of our clients."

Federal law backs that up. Under 42 U.S.C. 1395b-4, each state's SHIP grant plan must provide assurances that staff members, including volunteer staff members, have no conflict of interest in providing the counseling. ACL's conflict-of-interest resource 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 behind SHIP points the same way. Nationally, ACL says SHIP is 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. If you're weighing a SHIP counselor against a licensed agent, our comparison of SHIP counselors and Medicare brokers explains how each is paid.

How Do You Volunteer With TN SHIP?

TN SHIP recruits volunteers to help other Tennesseans with their benefits. Its page says it has volunteer opportunities to assist consumers with understanding their Medicare and Medicaid benefits, that training is available across the state, and that interested people should email dda.ship@tn.gov for more information.

Nationally, ACL says many SHIP counselors are volunteers. Federal law (42 U.S.C. 1395b-4) requires each state's SHIP grant plan, including Tennessee's, to provide assurances that staff members, including volunteer staff members, have no conflict of interest in providing the counseling.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I contact TN SHIP for my parent?

Yes. TN SHIP describes its counseling as serving Tennessee's Medicare-eligible individuals, their families and caregivers, so an adult child can call, email or fill out the form. Use your parent's county and zip code on the TN SHIP form, since the form says your zip code helps it send your question to the person who can best help you.

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

No. 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) is the official Medicare contact line operated by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and TTY users call 1-877-486-2048. TN SHIP is Tennessee's own free counseling program, reached by phone, by email at dda.ship@tn.gov, or through its online form.

Can I use TN SHIP before I'm on Medicare?

Yes. TN SHIP describes its counseling as serving Tennessee's Medicare-eligible individuals, and one of the help options on its form is getting information about your health insurance options when you retire.

Is TN SHIP still part of the Tennessee Commission on Aging and Disability?

The commission no longer stands on its own. DDA's commissioner page says the Tennessee Department of Disability and Aging (DDA) merged the Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and the Tennessee Commission on Aging and Disability, and it lists the State Health Insurance Assistance program (SHIP) among DDA's programs for older adults. So an older listing that sends you to the commission for SHIP now leads to DDA and TN SHIP.

How do I find a SHIP if I move out of Tennessee?

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 your state.

Learn More

MedicareMedicare Plans and Coverage in TennesseeMedicare in Tennessee for 2026: Part A, Part B, Medicare Advantage, Part D, Medigap, plus TennCare programs that help pay your Medicare costs. 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. MedicareTennessee Medicare Supplement GuideTennessee Medigap guide: the one-time open enrollment window, the under-65 disability and ESRD right, 63-day guaranteed-issue clocks, and where to get help. MedicaidTennessee Medicare Savings ProgramsTennessee Medicare Savings Programs in 2026: QMB, SLMB, and QI income limits, the Part B premium savings, Part D Extra Help, and how to apply through TennCare. MedicareExtra Help With Medicare Drug CostsMedicare 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.

Find personalized help getting free TN SHIP Medicare counseling 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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