{"id":"ship-medicare-counseling","name":"State Health Insurance Assistance Program Counseling","provider":"Administration for Community Living and state SHIPs","entitlement_type":"government-benefit","entitlement_type_label":"Government benefit","entitlement_type_context":{"definition":"A government-funded or administered benefit, service, coverage program, assistance program, or public access route.","domain":"public-benefits","archetype":"direct-program","agent_instruction":"Identify the administering jurisdiction and disclose income, household, age, disability, immigration, residence, renewal, fee, and capacity rules that apply."},"summary":"Local, objective Medicare counseling and enrollment assistance from federally funded State Health Insurance Assistance Programs.","benefit":{"description":"Free one-on-one help understanding Medicare, comparing coverage, handling appeals, and applying for cost-assistance programs.","estimated_value_usd":null},"discovery":{"focus":"public-service","has_estimated_dollar_value":false},"access":{"relationships":["Medicare-eligible person, beneficiary, family member, or caregiver"],"requirements":"Services are for Medicare-eligible people, beneficiaries, families, and caregivers. The program name and delivery organization differ by jurisdiction.","activation":"Use the SHIP locator or call 1-877-839-2675 to reach the local program.","cost_basis":"no-cost","cost_basis_label":"No-cost access","cost_basis_context":{"classification":"free","definition":"The core benefit has no required payment, purchase, deposit, paid membership, or pre-existing paid-product relationship under the captured terms.","agent_instruction":"Still disclose optional add-ons, transportation, parking, replacement charges, taxes, capacity, and eligibility conditions found in fees or requirements.","variation_patterns":null,"does_not_mean":null},"fees":"There is no cost to use SHIP counseling.","personalized":false,"regions":["US","50 states, DC, Puerto Rico, Guam, and U.S. Virgin Islands"],"expires":null},"status":"verified","last_checked":"2026-08-04","claim_url":"https://www.shiphelp.org/","source_url":"https://www.shiphelp.org/what-we-do/about-ships/","source":{"primary_url":"https://www.shiphelp.org/what-we-do/about-ships/","evidence":[{"source":"Administration for Community Living and state SHIPs","url":"https://www.shiphelp.org/what-we-do/about-ships/","kind":"provider","checked_at":"2026-08-04"}]},"parent":null,"coverage":{"level":"national","family":"aging-and-disability","jurisdiction":"United States","maturity":"direct"},"web_url":"/benefits/ship-medicare-counseling","taxonomy":{"version":"1.0","url":"/api/v1/taxonomy"}}