Serving the Health Insurance Needs of Everyone (SHINE)
Free, unbiased Medicare counseling in Massachusetts. Trained counselors go through your costs and choices with you, and they don't sell plans.
Free Medicare counseling
Serving the Health Insurance Needs of Everyone (SHINE): free Medicare counseling in Massachusetts
Massachusetts calls its Medicare counseling program SHINE, short for Serving the Health Insurance Needs of Everyone. It gives free, one-on-one help with Medicare and other health insurance.
Call the toll-free number to find a counselor near you.
How to apply in Massachusetts
- By phone
- 1-800-243-4636
- In person
- Call the toll-free number to find a SHINE counselor near you.
Who may qualify in Massachusetts
| Who may get help | Anyone with Medicare, and their family and caregivers |
|---|
Good to know
- There is no cost to use SHIP services.
- The CMS directory lists a TDD line for SHINE: 1-877-610-0241.
- The SHIP National Technical Assistance Center lists this program as the state's SHIP.
Sources: SHIP National Technical Assistance Center (source 3), Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (source 1)
Free help
Free help with this in Massachusetts
Executive Office of Elder Affairs
Your local Area Agency on Aging can help with meals, rides, help at home, caregiver support and applying for benefits.
More help in Massachusetts
Free Medicare counseling in another state
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Sources
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Serving the Health Insurance Needs of Everyone (SHINE) (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- Administration for Community Living, State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- SHIP National Technical Assistance Center, About SHIPs. Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- SHIP National Technical Assistance Center, Massachusetts SHIP. Checked Oct 28, 2026.
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