State Health Insurance Assistance Program resource

Massachusetts SHIP Medicare Counseling — Massachusetts

About Massachusetts SHIP Medicare Counseling

Massachusetts SHIP Medicare Counseling is a State Health Insurance Assistance Program resource in Massachusetts. Counselors give free Medicare help; they neither sell plans nor prescribe.

State Health Insurance Assistance Program lists it; no source records whether GLP-1 medications are prescribed here.

GLP-1 coverage at Massachusetts SHIP Medicare Counseling

Massachusetts SHIP Medicare Counseling neither prescribes nor dispenses; counselors read your formulary and explain tiers and exception requests, free.

Medicare's general GLP-1 rules are set out.

  • Do you manage GLP-1 prescriptions for Medicare patients?
  • Which Medicare plans do you take?
  • What documents precede a prior authorization?

Insurance and Medicare at Massachusetts SHIP Medicare Counseling

Massachusetts SHIP Medicare Counseling is free to use and sells nothing. Counselors work from your own plan documents, so have them to hand.

Massachusetts expanded Medicaid and counted roughly 1,456,387 Medicare beneficiaries as of 2026-08. Dual eligibility usually brings Extra Help with Part D costs.

Serving Health Insurance Needs of Everyone (SHINE) answers formulary questions free at 1-800-243-4636; statewide rules sit.

Services and specialties

Serving Health Insurance Needs of Everyone (SHINE) counsels on plan comparison, formulary checks, prior authorization, appeals and Extra Help.

Getting help from this program

Serving Health Insurance Needs of Everyone (SHINE) works by phone and appointment rather than a walk-in address. Call 1-800-243-4636, or find local counselors through https://www.mass.gov/health-insurance-counseling.

  • Medicare card and any Part D card
  • Your plan's current formulary or member handbook
  • Current medications and doses
  • Any denial letter or Explanation of Benefits

Other options near Massachusetts SHIP Medicare Counseling

The closest unrelated listing is 10 Garofalo Street, listed under Community Care Access in Revere.

Massachusetts carries 358 listings across 13 counties, sampled below.

The full Massachusetts list is.

Other options near Massachusetts SHIP Medicare Counseling
ResourceTypeDistance
10 Garofalo StreetCommunity Care Access · Revere
10 Gove StreetCommunity Care Access · East Boston
102 Main StreetCommunity Care Access · Greenfield
1100 Washington StreetCommunity Care Access · Dorchester
1235 Boston Road FacilityCommunity Care Access · Springfield
143 Addison StreetCommunity Care Access · East Boston
151 Orleans StreetCommunity Care Access · Boston
155 Addison StreetCommunity Care Access · Boston
17 Main StreetCommunity Care Access · Winthrop
20 Maverick SquareCommunity Care Access · East Boston
225 Sumner StreetCommunity Care Access · Boston
250 Sumner StreetCommunity Care Access · East Boston
26 Sturgis StreetCommunity Care Access · Winthrop
277 MainCommunity Care Access

Common questions

Questions about Massachusetts SHIP Medicare Counseling

What does Massachusetts SHIP Medicare Counseling do?

Serving Health Insurance Needs of Everyone (SHINE) is Massachusetts's federally funded Medicare counseling program, free to every beneficiary in the state. Counselors compare plans, read formularies, and work through prior authorizations and appeals. They do not sell insurance, prescribe, or dispense.

How do I contact Massachusetts SHIP Medicare Counseling?

Call 1-800-243-4636, the statewide line for Serving Health Insurance Needs of Everyone (SHINE). The program also publishes local counselor locations at https://www.mass.gov/health-insurance-counseling.

Can Massachusetts SHIP Medicare Counseling help with a GLP-1 prior authorization?

Yes — that is squarely inside what Serving Health Insurance Needs of Everyone (SHINE) handles. A counselor can locate the drug on your plan's formulary, identify its tier, and explain the exception or appeal route if it is excluded. Reach them on 1-800-243-4636.

What else is listed in Massachusetts besides Massachusetts SHIP Medicare Counseling?

This directory carries 358 Massachusetts listings across 13 counties: 298 community care access, 26 provider, 15 telehealth, 9 nutritionist. The heaviest concentrations are Suffolk County (105), Essex County (75), Worcester County (40), Hampden County (32), Barnstable County (23).

How many people does Massachusetts SHIP Medicare Counseling serve?

Massachusetts counted roughly 1,456,387 Medicare beneficiaries as of 2026-08, and Serving Health Insurance Needs of Everyone (SHINE) is open to all of them at no charge. Because Massachusetts expanded Medicaid, counselors also field a steady volume of dual-eligibility questions.

What GLP-1 medications does Medicare cover in Massachusetts?

Part D can cover a GLP-1 prescribed for an approved indication such as type 2 diabetes; weight-management coverage varies by plan. Serving Health Insurance Needs of Everyone (SHINE) reads Massachusetts formularies free at 1-800-243-4636.