Missouri Connections for Health has held the Missouri State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) grant since 1993, providing free, unbiased advocacy, education, and assistance to Medicare beneficiaries through the work of over 200 trained and certified counselors and 180 community partners.

Every day, more than 10,000 Americans become Medicare-eligible. Faced with this growing segment of the population, demand for Missouri SHIP's services and those of its nationwide partners has increased. Understanding the A, B, C’s, and D’s of Medicare is often an overwhelming process.  It can also be an isolating experience if seniors and people with disabilities don’t know where to get help. Cognition and information processing becomes more difficult at older ages. Challenges with chronic health conditions and other life changes make it even more difficult, underscoring the importance of one-on-one assistance.

Our primary goal is to advise, educate, and empower individuals to navigate this increasingly complex program and make choices that best meet their needs. Missouri SHIP provides assistance with Medicare enrollment, resolving billing issues, assistance with selecting prescription drug plans, and Advantage plans, including Medigap and Supplemental plans. In addition, we assist with appeals and grievances, suspected waste and fraud, wellness and preventive services education, and programs to save consumers money.