Senior Health Insurance Program

This section provides information about the Senior Health Insurance Program (SHIP), which is a free statewide health insurance counseling service for Medicare beneficiaries and their caregivers. In this section, visitors will find information and resources about applying for Medicare, sites in their area that they can get assistance applying for Medicare and tools for SHIP sites around the State to utilize in serving Medicare beneficiaries.

To contact SHIP, please call (800) 252-8966 or email AGING.SHIP@illinois.gov.

General Information

NEW! How SHIP Helped Me

Take a look at these testimonials where individuals talk about how the SHIP program's in-person assistance was essential for understanding the complexities of Medicare and making good choices and also how being educated by SHIP helped them save on their health care costs.

• "Before the help that I received here, it was like I was just a ball being thrown around."

• "We would be lost without this program."

• "If this service were not available, I think that I would have been in worse shape than I am now."

• "They make it easy. That's the beauty of it."

• "You shouldn't have to decide between food or medication...the Medicare Counselors help get you the cheapest program, the program that works best for you."
  

*For more information on "How SHIP Helped Me" please visit the website HERE.

Medicare Basics in American Sign Language Videos:

• An Overview of Medicare
  

• Medicare has Four Parts
  

• Medicare Advantage Plans
  

• Summary of Costs
  

• ALL Counties

Go to Find Health and Drug Plans or find a provider in your area.

• SHIP Brochure
  Chinese, Hindi, Polish, Russian, Spanish
  

• Get Covered Illinois
  

• Instructions to Help You Use the Medicare.gov Plan Finder Tool
  

Medicare Annual Open Enrollment 2021

• NEW Medicare Plan Finder
  

• How To Create An Account - Medicare Plan Finder
  

• Guide to Consumer Mailings

• Medicare Annual Open Enrollment Teaching Materials

• Original Medicare vs. Medicare Advantage (Part C)

• Medicare Advantage Plans Overview
  

• Medicare Part C and D Enrollment Periods
  

• Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage Plans Special Enrollment Period
  

2021 Medicare Plan Information

• Illinois Medicare Advantage (MA) Plans (file pending)
  

• Illinois Stand-Alone Prescription Drug Plans (PDP)
  

• Illinois Special Needs Plans (SNP) (file pending)
  

2020 Medicare Plan Information

• Illinois Medicare Advantage (MA) Plans

• Illinois Stand Alone Prescription Drug Plans (PDP)      

• Illinois Special Needs Plans (SNP)
  

2020-2021 Medicare Supplement Premium Comparison Guide

• Chicago Area | Northern Central Area | Southern Area
  

State and Federal Program Information

• 2020 Medicaid Income & Asset Limits
  

• Poverty Guidelines

• 2020 Spousal Impoverishment Guidelines
  

• Medicaid Spenddown Requirements
  

• 2020 Medicare Savings Programs Information
  

• Programas de Ahorros de Medicare 2020
  

• 2020 Extra Help Chart Income & Asset Limits
  

• Multilingual Extra Help Flyer
  

• Immigrant Senior Health Benefits
  

• Application for Benefits Eligibility