Tennessee SHIP: Free Medicare Counseling and How to Reach a Counselor
Tennessee's State Health Insurance Assistance Program — SHIP — is one of the only places a Medicare beneficiary can get advice from someone who isn't trying to sell them an insurance plan. SHIP counselors are trained volunteers who help with Medicare decisions, enrollment, and benefit questions at no charge. They receive no commissions and have no financial incentive to steer your parent toward any particular plan.
How to Reach Tennessee SHIP
- Statewide phone line: 1-877-801-0044
- Administered by: Tennessee Department of Disability and Aging
- Regional access: through Tennessee's nine Area Agencies on Aging and Disability (AAADs), reachable at 1-866-836-6678 or through the locator at tn.gov/disability-and-aging
Counseling is available by phone, and some regional offices offer in-person appointments. During Medicare Open Enrollment (October 15 through December 7), demand spikes and wait times can stretch to several weeks — call early in the season or outside peak months for faster scheduling.
What SHIP Counselors Help With
SHIP volunteers are trained to assist with a wide range of Medicare questions:
- Comparing Original Medicare against Medicare Advantage plans
- Evaluating Part D prescription drug plan options during Open Enrollment
- Explaining Medigap (Medicare Supplement) coverage
- Screening for Medicare Savings Program eligibility (QMB, SLMB, QI)
- Walking through Extra Help (Part D Low-Income Subsidy) applications
- Reviewing Medicare Summary Notices for billing errors
- Explaining rights under QMB balance-billing protections
SHIP counselors are particularly valuable when your parent is first turning 65 and facing the initial enrollment decisions, or when they've received a confusing notice from TennCare, Social Security, or a healthcare provider.
What SHIP Can't Do
Understanding the boundaries helps set expectations:
SHIP counselors do not process TennCare applications. They can explain eligibility rules and help your parent understand whether they might qualify, but the actual Medicare Savings Program application goes through TennCare Connect (online, phone, or in person at a county DHS office). SHIP and TennCare are separate state agencies.
SHIP does not manage portal access. If you need to file or track an MSP application through the TennCare Connect portal, that's between you and TennCare. Counselors can't log into your account or submit documents on your behalf.
SHIP does not handle appeals or legal disputes. If TennCare denies an MSP application, SHIP can explain the notice, but filing a State Fair Hearing or representing your parent at a hearing requires the TennCare Appeals Division (1-855-259-0701) or free legal aid — Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee (1-800-238-1443), Legal Aid of East Tennessee (1-860-523-8822), or Memphis Area Legal Services (1-800-723-7455).
SHIP relies on volunteers, which means expertise varies by location. Some counselors are deeply experienced with complex QMB scenarios; others handle straightforward plan comparisons. If the first counselor can't answer a technical question about income disregards or buy-in timelines, ask to be referred to a senior counselor.
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When SHIP Is Enough — and When You Need More
For plan comparison and basic enrollment questions, SHIP is the right call. For navigating the full TennCare MSP application process — understanding income disregards, tracking the buy-in timeline, handling renewal packets, or disputing a billing violation — you'll likely need a more structured resource.
The Tennessee Medicare Savings Programs & Extra Help Guide covers the application workflow, document requirements, and post-approval steps that SHIP counselors typically can't walk through in a single phone session. It's designed to work alongside SHIP, not replace it — use the guide to prepare, then call SHIP for the insurance decisions the guide deliberately doesn't make.
Get Your Free Tennessee — Medicare Savings Program Eligibility Checklist
Download the Tennessee — Medicare Savings Program Eligibility Checklist — a printable guide with checklists, scripts, and action plans you can start using today.