If you or a parent face a Medicare decision in Wisconsin, free Wisconsin SHIP Medicare counseling is one call away: 1-800-242-1060 for Medigap or Medicare Advantage, 855-677-2783 for Part D. The Wisconsin State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) offers Medicare members and their caregivers free and unbiased help, and its counselors don't sell anything. Wisconsin SHIP has more than one door: the Wisconsin Medigap Helpline, the Wisconsin Medigap Part D and Prescription Drug Helpline, a line for people who are deaf or hard of hearing, and in-person help from benefit specialists.

In This Guide

What Is Wisconsin SHIP, and Is It Really Free?

Wisconsin SHIP is the state's piece of the national State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) network. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) publishes the program's page, SHIP: Medicare Counseling for Wisconsin Residents, which tells Medicare members that they and their caregivers may be able to get free and unbiased help with the benefit through the program. DHS's volunteer page calls it the Wisconsin State Health Insurance Assistance Program.

Yes, it's really free, and that matters when you're not sure whose interests a caller has in mind. DHS states that Wisconsin SHIP services are free, that SHIP counselors don't sell anything and aren't paid by a company or plan, and that the program is funded through a grant from the federal Administration for Community Living (ACL).

The people you talk to are prepared for the job. Wisconsin SHIP counselors are screened, trained, and certified, and they can give you one-on-one, confidential Medicare guidance based on your needs. For SHIPs 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. In Wisconsin, the SHIP page points you to the Wisconsin Medigap Helpline and to benefit specialists, so expect to hear those names as well as "SHIP."

Our Wisconsin 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 everywhere. This page goes deeper into Wisconsin SHIP's own routes.

Which Wisconsin SHIP Phone Line Should You Call?

You can connect with a Wisconsin SHIP counselor over the phone or in person. On the phone side, Wisconsin SHIP has three routes, and each one takes a different kind of question. Two of the three are toll-free helplines run by the Wisconsin Board on Aging and Long-Term Care.

Line Phone Questions it takes
Wisconsin Medigap Helpline 1-800-242-1060 Counseling for Medicare members on employer-based health insurance, long-term care insurance, Medicare Advantage plans and Medicare supplement insurance
Wisconsin Medigap Part D and Prescription Drug Helpline 855-677-2783 Medicare Part D and other prescription drug coverage options
Office for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing 262-347-3045 Benefit specialists who help people who are deaf, hard of hearing or deaf-blind understand and apply for benefits

Here's how to match your question to a line. If you're comparing a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) policy against a Medicare Advantage plan, or working out how employer-based health insurance fits with Medicare, the Wisconsin Medigap Helpline covers those topics. If the question is about your drug coverage, such as which Part D plan to pick, the Wisconsin Medigap Part D and Prescription Drug Helpline at 855-677-2783 answers questions about Medicare Part D and other prescription drug coverage options. The SeniorCare prescription drug program, which our separate guide covers, is one of the programs a Wisconsin elder benefit specialist can help with.

If you or the person you're helping is deaf, hard of hearing, or deaf-blind, the Office for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing at 262-347-3045 has benefit specialists who can help people understand and apply for benefits.

Can You Get Wisconsin SHIP Medicare Counseling in Person?

Yes, through Wisconsin's benefit specialists. Wisconsin benefit specialists may provide individual counseling, group education, and/or advocacy with Medicare and other benefit questions. Wisconsin benefit specialists give trusted and confidential advice to older adults and people with disabilities about benefits, and their services are free.

The benefit specialist most tied to Wisconsin SHIP is the elder benefit specialist. All Wisconsin elder benefit specialists are trained as State Health Insurance Assistance Program counselors. You can see a Wisconsin elder benefit specialist if you are age 60 or older and live in Wisconsin. If you give permission, your family, friends, and caregivers can also talk to your Wisconsin elder benefit specialist, which helps when an adult child is handling a parent's paperwork from out of town.

Wisconsin has other kinds of benefit specialists for different groups:

  • Disability benefit specialists: in Wisconsin, help people with disabilities who are between the ages of 18 and 59.
  • Tribal nation benefit specialists: help older adults and adults with disabilities who are members of Tribal Nations understand and access benefits.
  • Deaf disability benefit specialists: work at the Office for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.
  • Work incentives benefit specialists: help people with disabilities make informed choices about returning to work.

To find a Wisconsin elder benefit specialist near you, start with your local Wisconsin Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC). DHS encourages people anywhere in Wisconsin to connect to their local ADRC or Tribal partner agency by calling 1-844-WIS-ADRC or visiting FindMyADRC.org. If you're under 60 and on Medicare, the Wisconsin Medigap Helpline provides counseling to Medicare members, so the phone route in the table above still applies to you.

What Can a Wisconsin SHIP Medicare Counselor Help You With?

Wisconsin SHIP can help with five parts of Medicare: costs, eligibility, enrollment, plan options, and programs that can save you money.

A Wisconsin elder benefit specialist can go further, because that role covers more than Medicare. Wisconsin elder benefit specialists can help with health insurance, including Medicaid, the Medicaid Purchase Plan (MAPP), Medicare, the SeniorCare prescription drug program, and other programs that help cover health care costs, as well as with income, housing and utilities, and expenses. That wider view is useful if Medicare costs are only one part of a household budget that's under strain.

If cost is your main worry, it helps to know the names of the federal programs before you call. Our guides to Medicare Savings Programs, Wisconsin Medicare Savings Programs, and Extra Help with drug costs explain each one's rules, and Medicare's own pages on Medicare Savings Programs and SSA's Extra Help page are the official references. Bring those questions to a Wisconsin SHIP counselor, since programs that can save you money are one of the five areas Wisconsin SHIP covers.

If you want to appeal a Medicare decision, a SHIP counselor can help with that too. Medicare's official "Medicare Appeals" guide tells people with Medicare to call their SHIP for free, personalized health insurance counseling, including help with appeals. Nationally, ACL's conflict-of-interest resource says SHIPs provide free, in-depth, unbiased, one-on-one health insurance counseling and assistance to Medicare beneficiaries, their families, and caregivers. Appeal levels and deadlines are in our guide to Medicare appeals, and the basics of the Parts of Medicare are on Medicare.gov.

What Should You Do If You Have Both Medicare and Medicaid?

If you have both Medicare and Medicaid, talk with a Wisconsin SHIP counselor before you switch plans. DHS's Wisconsin SHIP page links to DHS information about Medicare plans for people with Medicaid. Medicaid is also one of the programs a Wisconsin elder benefit specialist can help with, so a person 60 or older with both types of coverage can bring the whole picture to one meeting. Our guide to Wisconsin Medicare Savings Programs covers Wisconsin's Medicare Savings Programs.

Where Do You Report Suspected Medicare Fraud in Wisconsin?

Suspected fraud goes to a separate program, not to the Wisconsin SHIP helplines. If you suspect Medicare fraud, errors, or abuse in Wisconsin, DHS says to call the Wisconsin Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) at 888-818-2611. The Wisconsin Senior Medicare Patrol works to help prevent, detect, and report health care fraud and abuse.

Our guide to Medicare fraud protection explains common scams, and Medicare.gov's page on reporting Medicare fraud covers the federal route.

How Do You Volunteer With Wisconsin SHIP?

Wisconsin SHIP takes volunteers, and you don't need an insurance background. As a Wisconsin SHIP volunteer, you can help people with Medicare understand their health care and save money, and SHIP provides all the training. Wisconsin SHIP volunteer tasks include presenting Medicare information in the community (scripts provided), counseling people on their health care choices, entering data, and preparing or distributing information and materials.

You can volunteer with Wisconsin SHIP in two places:

  • Locally: with your local aging office or ADRC, in person or remotely, based on local guidelines.
  • With the Medigap Helpline: at the Board on Aging and Long-Term Care's Medigap Helpline, remotely or in an office in Madison.

Professionals have their own track. Wisconsin's professional SHIP network includes social workers, case managers, clinic staff, and others, and professional volunteers may be eligible for continuing education hours or units (CEH/CEU) administered through University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point Continuing Education. The Wisconsin Senior Medicare Patrol also takes remote volunteers, and you can call 888-818-2611 to learn more.

Nationally, 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can my daughter or son contact Wisconsin SHIP for me?

Yes. Wisconsin Medicare members and their caregivers may be able to get free and unbiased help through Wisconsin SHIP, so a family caregiver can make the first contact, for example by calling the Wisconsin Medigap Part D and Prescription Drug Helpline at 855-677-2783 about a parent's drug plan.

Is Wisconsin 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 (text telephone) users call 1-877-486-2048. Wisconsin SHIP is a state program funded through a federal ACL grant that gives free, unbiased counseling through the helplines and benefit specialists listed on the DHS SHIP page.

When should I contact Wisconsin SHIP about next year's plan?

Plan to talk with a Wisconsin SHIP counselor before or early in Medicare Open Enrollment, which runs October 15 to December 7 each year. Changes made during Open Enrollment take effect January 1 of the following year, and the plan must get your enrollment request by December 7. Our guide to Medicare Open Enrollment explains what you can change, and the Medicare Plan Finder is on Medicare.gov.

Is a Wisconsin SHIP counselor the same as an insurance agent?

No. 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. 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. Our comparison of SHIP counselors and Medicare brokers explains how each is paid.

How do I find a SHIP if my parent lives outside Wisconsin?

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.

Learn More

MedicareMedicare Plans and Coverage in WisconsinMedicare in Wisconsin for 2026: Parts A and B costs, Medicare Advantage, Part D, Medigap, free Medigap Helpline counseling, and ForwardHealth MSP eligibility. 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. MedicareWisconsin Medicare Supplement GuideWisconsin Medigap works differently: one base plan plus riders, not the federal A-N letters. See the core benefits, riders, cost-sharing plans, and who to call. MedicareWisconsin SeniorCare Prescription Drug HelpWisconsin SeniorCare costs $30 a year and cuts prescription prices for residents 65 and older. See the 2026 income levels, copays, and how to apply. MedicaidWisconsin Medicare Savings ProgramsWisconsin Medicare Savings Programs 2026: QMB, SLMB, and QI income limits, what each program pays, automatic Part D Extra Help, and how to apply in Wisconsin. 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.

For free, unbiased help, call the Wisconsin Medigap Helpline at 1-800-242-1060, or 855-677-2783 for Part D and prescription drug questions.

Find personalized help getting free Wisconsin 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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