The State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) provides free help to New Jersey Medicare beneficiaries who have problems with, or questions about their health insurance. SHIP is a statewide program sponsored by the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services with major funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Medicare beneficiaries frequently have questions about benefits and claims, supplement policies, and long-term care insurance. Volunteer counselors, trained in areas of health insurance coverage and benefits that affect Medicare beneficiaries, provide information and assistance for dealing with claims and in evaluating health insurance needs.

Volunteer counselors do not provide legal advice, sell, recommend, endorse any specific insurance product, agent, insurance company, Health Maintenance Organization (HMO), Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) or Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plan. They provide information and assistance so that you can make your own decisions. Counseling is free of charge.

Click here to find a counseling site in your area, or call your County Office on Aging.

Volunteers Needed

If you would like to become a SHIP volunteer and help people in your community better understand their Medicare-related insurance options, please call 609-943-3378.

SHIP produces and regularly updates charts detailing the various Medigap and Medicare HMO, PPO and PFFS plans offered in New Jersey. These charts have been posted here to help you compare plans and make an informed decision about which plan best fits your needs and budget.

If you are receiving your Medicare coverage through the original Medicare program, here are the Medigap policies currently available in New Jersey.

Shopping Aids

• Comparison Chart

• AARP
• American Progressive Life & Health Insurance Company of New York
• Bankers Life & Casualty
• Genworth Life and Annuity Insurance Company
• Horizon Blue Cross/Blue Shield of New Jersey
• Humana Insurance Company
• Lincoln Heritage Life Insurance Company
• Mutual of Omaha
• Pennsylvania Life Insurance Company
• Sterling Life Insurance Company
• United World Life Insurance Company

For Medicare beneficiaries age 50 to 64:

• AARP
• American Progressive Life & Health Insurance Company of New York
• Bankers Life & Casualty
• Genworth Life and Annuity Insurance Company
• Horizon Blue Cross/Blue Shield of New Jersey
• Humana Insurance Company
• Lincoln Heritage Life Insurance Company
• Mutual of Omaha
• Pennsylvania Life Insurance Company
• Sterling Life
• United World Life

For Under 50:

• Horizon Blue Cross/Blue Shield of New Jersey

Medicare Prescription Drug Programs

For people in Original Medicare, you may wish to join a Medicare Prescription Drug Program. Use the link below to view stand-alone plans currently available in New Jersey.

• Stand-Alone Prescription Drug Plans

Medicare Advantage Plans

If you are interested in receiving your Medicare coverage through a Medicare Advantage Health Maintenance Organization (HMO), or a Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) or a Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plan, use the link below to view plans currently available in New Jersey*. Please note that many Medicare Advantage plans include prescription drug coverage. Ask the company you are interested in selecting how this benefit works.

• Medicare Advantage Cost Plans and Demonstrations

*Please note that Medicare beneficiaries who have been diagnosed with end-stage renal disease cannot enroll in a Medicare HMO, PPO or PFFS plan.

Remember: SHIP provides free help to New Jersey Medicare beneficiaries who have problems with, or questions about their health insurance. Counseling sites have been established in all 21 counties to serve you. You can also contact a SHIP counselor through your County Office on Aging.

Click here for the SMP of New Jersey if you know or suspect someone is committing Medicare or Medicaid waste, fraud or abuse.

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