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Make a Real Impact—Become a SHIP Volunteer!
At SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Program), we’re looking for compassionate individuals who want to help others navigate Medicare and make informed health coverage decisions. As a SHIP volunteer, you’ll provide free, confidential, one-on-one counseling that truly makes a difference.
To get started, SHIP offers a free 5-week volunteer training, held every Wednesday in March and one Wednesday in April. The training runs from March 4, 2026 through April 1, 2026, and prepares you to confidently support individuals with important Medicare-related decisions. No prior Medicare or insurance experience is required—just a passion for helping others.
After completing the training, you’ll join a supportive team with access to experienced mentors and SHIP staff. By volunteering with SHIP, you become a trusted community resource while making a meaningful impact.
👉 Ready to get started? Click the I Want To Volunteer! button on the right!
We’d love to have you on the team! 💙
What do SHIP volunteers do?
When you are a SHIP counselor, you help in different ways. Some counselors prefer to help over the phone or using teleconferencing apps like Zoom. Others prefer to help by meeting in person, such as at a public library. Here are some examples of situations we help with and how you might help as a counselor:
A client called because they cannot afford their prescription medications...
You can screen them for available benefit programs by reviewing their income information and assets, then help them fill out an application for financial help that could save them hundreds or thousands of dollars.
A Medicare beneficiary is starting Medicare soon and needs more information about their options...
You might sit down at your local library and talk about their needs, tell them about the difference between Medicare Advantage and traditional Medicare with a Medigap, and help them compare Medicare Advantage plans with their employer’s retirement plan using the tools on Medicare.gov.
Then, you can help them enroll in the plan they choose.
A Medicare beneficiary received a letter they did not understand...
The letter is asking them for documents they did not know how to provide. You can help them decide which documents to send and the correct submission method, so the client does not lose benefits or coverage.
During the Medicare Open Enrollment, many clients need help comparing their options...
You can volunteer at one of our annual Medicare Open Enrollment events, where you will help them compare their drug plans on Medicare.gov and make sure their prescriptions and pharmacies are covered or adjust their Medicare Advantage choices.
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Ready to get started?
Click the button or call Maryna Sachs at the number below and we’ll contact you with more information about our volunteer team. We can also answer any questions you may have!
Maryna Sachs
602-241-6118
Maryna.Sachs@aaaphx.org
Give Back | Stay Connected | Build Skills
Gary Schwartz
SHIP Volunteer
Gary Schwartz discovered a highly engaging volunteer opportunity as a SHIP Medicare counselor, where he found great satisfaction in helping individuals navigate their healthcare options.
Video courtesy of the SHIP Technical Assistance Center with funding from the U.S. Administration for Community Living.
Yolanda Mugica
SHIP Volunteer
Yolanda Mugica values attending the monthly Medicare training sessions and appreciates the chance to offer personalized Medicare guidance in a friendly environment.
Video courtesy of the SHIP Technical Assistance Center with funding from the U.S. Administration for Community Living.
Jennie Anderson
SHIP Volunteer
In retirement, Jennie Anderson discovered a sense of purpose by offering Medicare advice through volunteering with SHIP. She deeply values the appreciation she receives from those she assists.
Video courtesy of the SHIP Technical Assistance Center with funding from the U.S. Administration for Community Living.
Contact Us
Area Agency on Aging (AAA) is a private non-profit agency, designated by the state to address the needs and concerns of all older persons at the regional and local levels.
The Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) program is dedicated to safeguarding Medicare beneficiaries, their families, and caregivers from healthcare fraud, errors, and abuse. SMP does this through outreach, education, and counseling.
FUNDING STATEMENT: This project is supported by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $844,187 with 100 percent funding by ACL/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by ACL/HHS or the U.S. Government.
PHONE: 800-432-4040
