Medigap Helpline

​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​MEDI​​GAP HELPLINE​

1-800-242-1060​
BOALTCM​edigap@wisconsin.gov

MEDIGAP PART D & PRESC​RIPTION DRUG HELPLINE

1-855-677-2783

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​A woman hugging her mom

​Medicare.Gov Plan​​ Finder Resources & Assistance​

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Click the 'Request Assistance' button above and complete the form to request the Medigap Helpline's help reviewing your Medicare Advantage or Par​t D plan options. Additional resources are also available below.


Using the Plan Finder to Compare Medicare Part D Plans (External Link)
A Youtube video explaining how to use the Medicare.Gov plan finder tool to compare Medicare Drug Plans. 

Using the Plan Finder to Compare Me​​dicare Advantage Plans (External Link)
A Youtube video explaining how to use the Medicare.Gov plan finder tool to compare Medicare Advantage Plans.

Using the Medicare.Gov Plan Finder T​ool (Creating Account) CMS (External PDF)
A PDF document outlining how to create a Medicare.Gov account and how to use the Medicare.Gov plan finder to view your projected costs and select a Medicare Advantage or Part D Plan.​



What​ are the M​​edigap Helpline Services?​​​​

The State of Wisconsin Medigap Helpline and Medigap Part D & Prescription Drug Helpline are a part of the Wisconsin State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). The Medigap Helpline Programs are statutorily authorized and provide free telephone counseling services, public education, and training for professionals regarding Medicare-related insurance and Long Term Care insurance for individuals in Wisconsin. The toll-free telephone number for the Medigap Helpline, 1-800-242-1060, can be found on the back of the Wisconsin Medicare & You book.

The insurance counselors at the Medigap Helpline are certified SHIP counselors and can assist individuals in navigating Medicare-related insurance coverage options. Counselors are required to obtain and maintain State of Wisconsin Insurance Licenses for Life and Health Insurance. The counselors are a part of the SHIP program and are not connected to any insurance company, meaning they cannot endorse one insurance company over another.

The Medigap Part D and Prescription Drug Helpline is a toll-free helpline that assists individuals in understanding and selecting suitable Medicare-related prescription drug coverage.​​

Medigap Helpline Press Releases: Medigap Helpline Program Press Releases

Medigap Helpline Publications: Medigap Helpline Program Resources

Click here to watch an informational video:

Preview of Medigap Helpline video


 

​​​​​Medicare Enrollment & Assistance


​How can I enroll in a Medicare​ Part D or Advantage plan? 

To enroll or change Medicare Advantage or Prescription Drug Plans, you can contact the preferred plan’s insurance company directly, call 1-800-Medicare (1-800-633-4227) (available 24/7), or visit www.Medicare.Gov and click enroll. Additional resources to help you with Medicare.Gov can be found above under 'Medicare.Gov Plan Finder Tool Resources.'

Where can I get help selecting my coverage? 

Medicare beneficiaries, relatives, and caregivers can get free and unbiased help with their Medicare related insurance coverage questions and options through the Wisconsin State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). 

More information about Wisconsin SHIP: Wisconsin Department of Health Services SHIP

Where can I get help from SHIP ​in Wisconsin? 

​In Person​

  • Disability and Elder Benefit Specialists
    • Benefit specialists provide individual counseling and advocate on your behalf. They also help with Medicare related insurance questions. Many benefit specialists are located at your local Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC).
    • You can locate your local Benefit Specialist on the Wisconsin Department of Health Services webpage: Find a Benefit Specialist.

  • Judicare Legal Aid Benefit Specialists
    • Benefit specialists for members of Tribal Nations can be contacted at 1-800-472-1638.

Over the Phone

  • The Medigap Helpline ​at 1-800-242-1060

  • Medigap Part D Helpline at 1-855-677-2783

  • The Office for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing at 262-347-3045
    • ​Benefit specialists who can help people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or deaf-blind understand and apply for benefits.


 ​Volunteer at the Medig​​ap Helpline

​The Medigap Helpline is currently recruiting for volunteers to fill the roles below, assisting our program in serving Medicare Beneficiaries across Wisconsin. As a volunteer, you will have the opportunity to receive State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) training and to provide meaningful information and support to Medicare Beneficiaries.


Medigap Helpline Volunteer Role Description - Medigap Helpline Outreach Volunteer (PDF)

Medigap Helpline Volunteer Role Description - Part D Volunteer (PDF)


Contact BOALTCMedigap@Wisconsin.Gov for more information or to apply. 


Medigap Helpline staff provide a Medicare Overview presentation at a senior living community
Medigap Helpline Lead Insurance Specialist, Alyssa Kulpa, and Medigap Insurance Specialist, Sarah Schellinger, provide a Medicare Overview presentation, including information about the services by the Board on Aging and Long Term Care and Medigap Helpline at a senior livi​ng community in Madison.

BOALTC staff at an outreach booth at the Baraboo Senior Fair
Medigap Helpline Lead Insurance Specialist, Alyssa Kulpa (right), and Ombudsman Volunteer Program Volunteer Coordinator, Amy Zabransky (left), share information about the services offered by the Board on Aging and Long Term Care and Medigap Helpline at the Baraboo Senior Fair.

Medigap Helpline and Ombudsman Volunteer Program staff at an outreach booth in Stevens PointMedigap Helpline Insurance Specialist, Steve Shapiro (Right), provides information about the Medigap Helpline program services to professionals at the Wisconsin Institute for Healthy Aging's Healthy Aging Summit in Stevens Point.

Supervisor Nick Lutes attends Gov Evers' bill signing related to Wisconsin's SeniorCare members
Medigap Helpline Services Supervisor (​Nick Lutes) attends Governor Evers' bill signing related to providing 100-day prescription drug supplies for Wisconsin SeniorCare Members.

Medigap Helpline Services staff meet with former Commissioner of Insurance Mark Afable
​Former Commissioner of Insurance Mark Afable meets with the Medigap Helpline Services staff at the Board on Aging and Long Term​ Care. Medigap Helpline staff share information about the counseling available​ to Medicare beneficiaries in Wisconsin.  


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Medigap Helpline Services are provided by the State of Wisconsin Board on Aging and Long Term Care at no cost. There is no connection with any insurance company. The program is funded by the Wisconsin State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) under grants from the federal Administration for Community Living and the Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance.

The Medigap Helpline is a telephone-based counseling service. It is part of the Wisconsin State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP).

This website 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 $1,061,673 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.


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