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SHIP Counselor Job Description

The SHIP Counselor is a person who objectively counsels Medicare beneficiaries, their caregivers or representatives who have issues and/or questions regarding Medicare, Medicare Supplement, Medicare managed care or other insurance related questions.

Specifically, responsibilities of a SHIP counselor include:

  • Must have and maintain an email address
  • Must satisfactorily complete the initial SHIP training and pass the certification exam
  • Must counsel clients through a SHIP sponsoring agency
  • Conduct individual health insurance counseling sessions affording complete confidentiality to the client
  • Must be able to navigate the Internet
  • Assist with Medicare and Medicare appeals claim filing
  • Serve as an advocate for SHIP clients
  • Must complete a client contact report for each counseling session and regularly report SHIP activities on SHIP Tracking and Reporting System (STARS) https://stars.acl.gov by the end of each month
  • Must provide health insurance counseling without conflict of interest.
    • Cannot be affiliated with the insurance industry or insurance claims filing business to the extent that serving as a SHIP volunteer could be used for personal and financial gain
  • Cannot recommend a specific insurance company, agency, or policy
  • Must attend ongoing education programs and/or meetings
  • Talk to community groups about SHIP or information pertinent to senior health insurance issues, at own discretion
  • Must agree to a background check

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