West Virginia SHIP Medicare help comes from paid professional counselors, not volunteers, and you reach them toll-free at 1-877-987-4463. The West Virginia Bureau of Senior Services describes West Virginia SHIP, its State Health Insurance Assistance Program, as free, objective, and confidential help for West Virginia Medicare beneficiaries and their families. A confusing Medicare summary notice, a drug plan that changed its coverage, a Medigap policy you're thinking of switching: those are the kinds of questions WV SHIP lists among its services.

In This Guide

West Virginia staffs its SHIP differently from most states. WV SHIP's own site says that although most SHIPs across the country are staffed by volunteers, its 80-plus professional counselors are paid employees of the Bureau of Senior Services, the Area Agencies on Aging through the Aging and Disability Resource Centers, or county aging providers (senior centers).

The program has been around a long time. The Bureau says West Virginia SHIP began in 1992 and is part of a national network of state programs that receive financial assistance from the federal Administration for Community Living (ACL).

Being paid doesn't loosen the independence rule. Under 42 U.S.C. 1395b-4, each state's SHIP grant plan must assure that the program's staff members, volunteer staff included, have no conflict of interest in providing the counseling. That assurance is written for staff, which means it covers WV SHIP's paid professionals as fully as it would cover a volunteer. ACL's conflict-of-interest resource for SHIP gives, as one example of a person with an inherent conflict, anyone who receives compensation for enrolling beneficiaries in a specific insurance plan. A licensed agent or broker can still be the right call for some people, and our comparison of SHIP counselors and Medicare brokers explains how each one is paid.

Which of West Virginia's Four Aging Regions Covers Your County

WV SHIP's counselors work across the state's aging network, so it helps to know which part of it serves you. The Bureau of Senior Services lists four Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs), part of the nationwide network created by the Older Americans Act, and says the AAAs contract with county senior centers for meals, transportation and other services. The statewide SHIP number in the callout above is the route the Bureau gives for Medicare counseling. Your region's AAA is the place to ask about the rest: a ride to appointments, meals, or a senior center near you.

Region Agency and town Phone Counties served
I Northwestern AAA, Wheeling 304-242-1800 Brooke, Calhoun, Doddridge, Gilmer, Hancock, Harrison, Marion, Marshall, Monongalia, Ohio, Pleasants, Ritchie, Tyler, Wetzel, Wirt, Wood
II WVSU-Metro AAA, Cross Lanes 304-720-6858 Boone, Cabell, Jackson, Kanawha, Lincoln, Logan, Mason, Mingo, Putnam, Roane, Wayne
III Upper Potomac AAA, Petersburg 304-257-1221 or 800-296-1221 Barbour, Berkeley, Grant, Hampshire, Hardy, Jefferson, Lewis, Mineral, Morgan, Pendleton, Preston, Randolph, Taylor, Tucker, Upshur
IV Appalachian AAA, Princeton 304-425-1147 or 800-473-1207 Braxton, Clay, Fayette, Greenbrier, McDowell, Mercer, Monroe, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Raleigh, Summers, Webster, Wyoming

The Bureau of Senior Services marks this list of West Virginia's Area Agencies on Aging as updated 7/24/2025.

What West Virginia SHIP Medicare Help Covers

WV SHIP publishes its own list of what its counselors do, and it's a practical check on whether your question belongs there. In WV SHIP's words, counselors:

  • Provide information and answer questions about Medicare, Medicare Advantage plans, Medigap plans, and long-term care insurance plans
  • Help beneficiaries and their families understand Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage and the options available in West Virginia
  • Answer questions and help resolve concerns about medical bills, insurance claims, and Medicare summary notices
  • Meet by telephone or in person to review national and state programs, including prescription drug discount programs and programs that help reduce out-of-pocket medical expenses
  • Educate beneficiaries about their rights to quality care and their options for appealing Medicare decisions

Long-term care insurance is on that list. If someone is trying to sell your parent a long-term care policy, WV SHIP is a place to ask questions about it before signing.

One thing to ask on your first call is whether the counselor will help you enroll in a plan or help you compare and decide. In its June 2026 report, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) says some SHIP grantees help enroll beneficiaries in Medicare plans, so the practice isn't the same in every state.

2026 Changed the Medigap Rules in West Virginia

West Virginia added two new Medigap protections in 2026, and both are good reasons to talk to WV SHIP before you act.

The first is a yearly birthday window. Under W. Va. Code § 33-15F-1(b), a person with a Medigap policy issued in West Virginia can replace it once per calendar year, in an application window that opens on the first day of their birthday month and runs 60 days. The state's Offices of the Insurance Commissioner summarize House Bill 4869, effective June 11, 2026, as providing this right. The West Virginia birthday right has real limits: the current policy must have been in force for at least 24 months, and the new policy must offer the same or lesser standardized benefits, generally from the same insurer or an affiliated one.

The second protects people leaving Medicaid. Under W. Va. Code § 33-15F-1(c), a West Virginian who is 65 or older and entitled to Medicare, and who loses Medicaid eligibility (including full or partial dual eligibility), gets 63 days from the date Medicaid ends to buy any Medigap policy sold to new enrollees, with no medical underwriting. If a parent's Medicaid is ending, that 63-day clock is the thing to bring to a WV SHIP counselor first. The full rules for both windows are in our guide to West Virginia's Medigap birthday rule.

One caution about older material. The Bureau's SHIP page links a Medigap rate comparison that it marks as updated November 2021, so treat any premiums in it as dated and ask a WV SHIP counselor what current policies cost.

Three Asset Limits on West Virginia's Own Pages: Help With Medicare Costs

The Bureau lists help with paying Medicare costs among the things West Virginia SHIP gives information about. In West Virginia, the main programs are the Medicare Savings Programs, which the West Virginia Department of Human Services (DoHS) runs and its Bureau for Family Assistance calls "Medicare Premium Assistance": the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) program, the Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary (SLIMB) program and the Qualifying Individual (QI-1) program.

Here's where a counselor earns their keep. West Virginia currently publishes three different asset limits for the Medicare Savings Programs across its own pages, and none of them is stated to be the one in force. The West Virginia Bureau for Medical Services member brochure still prints a Medicare Savings Programs asset limit of $9,660 for an individual and $14,470 for a couple (the standard that took effect January 1, 2025), and the Bureau for Family Assistance's eligibility fact sheet prints an even older $9,090 and $13,630. The 2026 federal Medicare Savings Program resource limit, by comparison, is $9,950 for an individual and $14,910 for a couple. The Social Security Administration tells its staff to encourage people to apply even when their income or resources look somewhat higher than the state limits, so a West Virginian a little over one of those numbers should apply anyway.

To apply, the Bureau for Family Assistance says to contact your local DoHS office. Income limits and what each program pays are in our guide to West Virginia's Medicare Savings Programs.

When Medicare Says No: Denials, Claims and Summary Notices

A denied claim or a bill you don't understand is a good reason to call WV SHIP. Medicare's own guide, "Medicare Appeals" (April 2026), tells people with Medicare to call their SHIP for free, personalized health insurance counseling, including help with appeals. WV SHIP lists both sides of that on its service page: helping resolve concerns about medical bills, insurance claims and Medicare summary notices, and teaching people their options for appealing Medicare decisions.

Have the summary notice or denial letter in front of you when you call. The appeal levels and deadlines are in our guide on how to appeal a Medicare denial.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will WV SHIP keep what I tell them private?

The West Virginia Bureau of Senior Services describes West Virginia SHIP's help as confidential. WV SHIP's online contact form adds one practical rule: don't submit personal information such as Social Security numbers or detailed medical history through the form, and WV SHIP says it will be in touch if it needs more.

Someone called about my Medicare card. Was that WV SHIP?

Treat it as a scam. WV SHIP's site warns that Medicare does not send yearly cards and will not call you about changes to your Medicare card, and that if you get such a call, you should hang up because it's a scam. Medicare also says it will never call you uninvited and ask for personal or private information; if someone calls and asks for your information or money, hang up and call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). WV SHIP's contact page heads its office as "West Virginia SHIP/SMP," pairing it with the Senior Medicare Patrol, the program that helps people with Medicare prevent, detect and report suspected Medicare fraud., Our guide to protecting yourself from Medicare fraud covers what to do next.

Can WV SHIP talk to a group at our hospital or senior center?

The Bureau of Senior Services says West Virginia SHIP will provide educational workshops for consumers or professional groups who need more information about Medicare benefits. A discharge planner, church group or senior center that wants one can start with WV SHIP's statewide line.

When in the year should I call WV SHIP?

Any time a problem comes up, but two windows are worth planning around. Medicare Open Enrollment runs October 15 through December 7, and changes made then take effect January 1; the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period, January 1 through March 31, lets people already in a Medicare Advantage plan make one change. If you hold a West Virginia Medigap policy, your birthday month now matters too, because that is when the 60-day birthday replacement window opens.

Learn More

MedicareMedicare Plans and Coverage in West VirginiaMedicare in West Virginia for 2026: Part A, Part B, Medicare Advantage, Part D, Medigap rules, WV SHIP counseling, and programs that cut 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. MedicareWest Virginia's Medigap Birthday Rule: Who Can Switch Plans Without Health QuestionsWest Virginia Medigap birthday rule: after 24 months, switch with no health questions, usually to your insurer or an affiliate at the same or lesser benefits. MedicaidWest Virginia Medicare Savings Programs: Help Paying Medicare CostsWest Virginia Medicare Savings Programs 2026: QMB, SLMB, and QI income limits, what each program pays, Part D Extra Help, and how to apply through WV PATH. 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. 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.

Find personalized help getting free WV SHIP counseling for a Medigap, drug plan or Medicare cost 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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