Free Medicare & scam help in your state — real people, no sales pitch

Facts effective October 18, 2026 · re-checked every month

Every state — all fifty, plus Washington, District of Columbia — has a federally funded program whose whole job is answering Medicare questions and spotting Medicare scams, free. The national name is State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) — but nearly every state gave it a local name, which is why nobody's ever heard of it. Consider this page the decoder ring.

One more free helper hiding in plain sight: your public library’s reference desk. Most offer free technology help or can point you to local classes — walk in and ask. Program names and main phone numbers below were checked against the official State Health Insurance Assistance Program directory on October 19, 2026. Each state link opens its official directory listing. Contact details can change; check that listing if a number does not connect.