Alaska Medicare Information Office: Free SHIP Counseling for Seniors
Your parent needs help choosing a Part D drug plan or understanding a confusing Medicare notice, and you don't know who to trust. Insurance brokers have a financial interest in what they recommend. The Alaska Medicare Information Office does not.
What SHIP Counselors Do
The Alaska Medicare Information Office functions as the state's State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). It's a federally funded program that provides free, unbiased Medicare counseling to beneficiaries and their families. Call 1-800-478-6065 to connect with a counselor.
SHIP counselors help with:
- Comparing Part D prescription drug plans based on your parent's actual medications
- Explaining Medicare Savings Program eligibility and walking through the application
- Reviewing Medigap (Medicare supplement) options — particularly important in Alaska, where there were no general public Medicare Advantage plans in 2026
- Sorting out billing disputes and confusing Medicare Summary Notices
- Understanding Extra Help eligibility for reducing prescription drug costs
The counseling is genuinely unbiased. SHIP counselors are prohibited from selling insurance products or steering beneficiaries toward any particular plan. They work from Medicare's plan finder data and compare options based on your parent's specific drug list and pharmacy preferences.
What SHIP Cannot Do
SHIP counselors provide advice, not administrative representation. They cannot sign applications on your parent's behalf, assemble and submit documents to DPA, or serve as an authorized representative for ongoing case management.
If you need someone to file the Medicare Savings Program application for your parent, that requires a DPA Authorized Representative designation (Form GEN-58) — a separate process through the Division of Public Assistance.
During peak enrollment periods, appointment wait times can stretch to several weeks. Call early if you need help before a deadline.
Aging and Disability Resource Centers
Alaska's ADRC system (Senior and Disability Services) provides a broader range of support beyond Medicare-specific questions. Call 1-800-478-9996 to reach the ADRC network.
ADRCs can help with:
- Long-term care options and home and community-based services referrals
- Connecting with local senior services, transportation, and meal programs
- Navigating between Medicare, Medicaid, and other benefit programs
For families dealing with both Medicare cost help and broader care coordination — your parent needs the Part B premium covered but also needs help staying in their home — an ADRC intake can address both tracks simultaneously.
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When to Use Each Resource
Use SHIP (1-800-478-6065) for Medicare-specific questions: plan comparisons, MSP eligibility screening, billing disputes, and understanding notices.
Use ADRC (1-800-478-9996) for broader aging services: home care, adult day programs, caregiver support, and multi-benefit coordination.
Use DPA (1-800-478-7778) when you're ready to actually file an application or check the status of a pending case.
The Alaska Medicare Savings Programs & Extra Help Guide covers the full application process that picks up where SHIP counseling leaves off — once you know your parent qualifies, the guide walks through each step of getting them enrolled and keeping benefits active at renewal.
Get Your Free Alaska — Medicare Savings Program Eligibility Checklist
Download the Alaska — Medicare Savings Program Eligibility Checklist — a printable guide with checklists, scripts, and action plans you can start using today.