North Dakota SHIC: Free Medicare Counseling and What It Can't Do
What SHIC Is
The State Health Insurance Counseling program is North Dakota's free, unbiased Medicare counseling service. It's run through the North Dakota Insurance Department — not by insurance companies — so counselors have no financial incentive to push any particular plan.
SHIC counselors help with:
- Explaining Medicare Part A, Part B, Part D, and Medicare Advantage options
- Comparing Part D prescription drug plans during open enrollment
- Verifying basic income eligibility for Medicare Savings Programs (QMB, SLMB, QI)
- Reviewing Medicare Summary Notices for errors
- Assisting with QMB balance billing complaints against providers
- Helping coordinate Part A buy-in enrollment at Social Security
How to Reach SHIC
Call the toll-free number: 1-888-575-6611. The program operates out of the Insurance Department and serves all of North Dakota.
Availability drops during the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (October 15 through December 7), when demand for plan comparison help surges. If you need MSP assistance, consider calling outside that window when wait times are shorter.
What SHIC Cannot Do
SHIC counselors are advisors, not application processors. Program regulations limit what they can take on:
They can't fill out your forms line by line. SHIC will explain what Form SFN 958 requires, but they won't sit with you and complete every field. That task falls to the applicant or their authorized representative.
They can't serve as your authorized representative. A SHIC counselor can't sign forms on your parent's behalf or manage the case with ND HHS. That requires either the applicant's own signature or formal authorization through the SFN 958 Authorized Representative section, a Power of Attorney, or guardianship.
They can't gather financial documentation. Pulling bank statements, Social Security award letters, and burial fund records is on the family. SHIC can tell you what's needed, but they can't collect it for you.
They can't handle provider billing disputes end-to-end. For QMB balance billing violations, SHIC can advise on the federal protection and help escalate. But drafting dispute letters, tracking responses, and following up with collection agencies is the family's responsibility.
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Getting the Most From a SHIC Appointment
Come prepared. Before calling, gather:
- Your parent's Medicare card number
- The gross monthly Social Security amount (from the annual benefit letter)
- A rough list of current prescription medications (for Part D plan comparison)
- Any notices from ND HHS about eligibility changes
A focused call with organized information gets more useful guidance than a general "we need help with Medicare" conversation.
Where SHIC Ends and Self-Preparation Begins
SHIC fills the advisory gap — it answers "does my parent qualify?" and "which plan costs less?" But the hands-on work of compiling documentation, completing applications, tracking processing, and disputing bills lands on families.
The North Dakota Medicare Savings Programs & Extra Help Guide bridges that gap with document checklists, form-completion guidance, and billing dispute tools that complement what SHIC provides.
Get Your Free North Dakota — Medicare Savings Program Eligibility Checklist
Download the North Dakota — Medicare Savings Program Eligibility Checklist — a printable guide with checklists, scripts, and action plans you can start using today.