The Trump administration has moved to shutter or shrink many important federal programs that help people with Medicare maintain their health and independence. A reorganization of and threatened funding for one program in particular could strip a vital information source from current and future Medicare beneficiaries.
SHIPs Support Beneficiary-Centered Decisions
Located in every state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the US Virgin Islands, the 54 State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIPs) provide one-on-one, unbiased counseling for people nearing Medicare eligibility to help them make initial enrollment decisions. SHIPs also provide trusted, expert help with understanding and navigating Medicare coverage and enrollment rules and annual coverage evaluations, such as deciding between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage (MA) and finding MA or Part D drug plans that meet beneficiaries’ needs.
Administration’s Actions Threaten SHIPs
In 2014, Congress moved SHIPs from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to the Administration for Community Living (ACL)—the only federal agency dedicated to helping older adults and people with disabilities live safely and participate fully in their communities. Earlier this year, Elon Musk’s DOGE initiative decided to eliminate ACL, claiming that programs could be redistributed across other agencies. However, a leaked White House budget document suggested the administration was looking to eliminate most SHIP funding which would effectively end the program.
A leaked White House budget document suggested the administration was looking to eliminate most SHIP funding which would effectively end the program.
Alternatives to SHIPs Often Biased, Incentivized to Steer Clients
When consumers can’t access or don’t know about SHIPs, they are likely to turn to agents and brokers that have financial incentives to push them toward MA and specific plans, including plans that do not meet their needs. This has long been a concern, and enforcement efforts indicate it is an ongoing practice. A new federal lawsuit alleges that some MA organizations are directing agents and brokers to steer profitable consumers into MA plans and steer others—particularly people with disabilities—away.
A new federal lawsuit alleges that some MA organizations are directing agents and brokers to steer profitable consumers into MA plans and steer others—particularly people with disabilities—away.
These incentives, an increasingly complicated Medicare enrollment landscape, and the growing number of beneficiaries make access to unbiased help ever more necessary. SHIP counselors, many of them highly trained volunteers, do not earn commissions and have no financial stake in the individual’s enrollment choice.
SHIP Network Should Be Supported, Not Ended
Medicare Rights also offers one-on-one counseling, but we cannot duplicate the reach of the SHIP network. We will continue to urge the Trump administration and all policymakers to support and invest in SHIPs and other resources that can help people with Medicare and people nearing Medicare eligibility find, access, and afford the best coverage for their circumstances.
Find your local SHIP.
Further Reading
Read more about SHIPs.
Read more about the threats to SHIPs.
Read more about the federal lawsuit alleging beneficiary steering.
