Insurance Counseling

SHIP-STATE HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM:

Medicare is insurance for the elderly and disabled. There are several parts to Medicare and many choices to be made by the consumer. To assist in these decisions, the State of South Carolina and the Federal government have put together a program call the State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) or alternately known as the Insurance Counseling Assistance and Referrals for Elders program (I-CARE). What it means to consumers is there are people throughout the state who can provide health insurance counseling for Medicare, Medicare Supplement, Medicare Savings program, Medicare Advantage Plans and Senior Medicare Fraud programs.

If you would like help with Medicare information and Part D enrollment, contact the SHIP counselor for your area.

SENIOR MEDICARE PATROL (SMP) PROGRAM

Protects seniors from consequences of fraud, error, and abuse of Medicare and Medicaid. SMP programs increase awareness and understanding of healthcare programs and work to resolve beneficiary complaints of potential fraud in partnership with state and national fraud control/consumer protection entities. The SMP message is Protect, Detect, and Report.