A Pro Bono Opportunity in Every State You Probably Haven’t Heard About

Retired or semi-retired attorneys commonly ponder how to continue using their legal skills without necessarily engaging in full-fledged legal work. An option not often heard about but which exists nationwide is the State Health Insurance Counseling Program, referred to as the SHIP program. States often give it a state brand name, such as California Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP), Minnesota Senior LinkAge Line, Florida Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders (SHINE), Connecticut CHOICES, Virginia Insurance Counseling & Assistance Program (VICAP), and so on.

SHIP provides free, confidential counseling and assistance to help Medicare beneficiaries and potential beneficiaries better understand their Medicare benefits, supplemental programs associated with Medicare, programs that help beneficiaries pay for the costs associated with Medicare, fraud, abuse, and more. Its mission is to empower, educate, and assist Medicare-eligible individuals through objective outreach, counseling, and training.

The U.S. Administration for Community Living (ACL) in HHS oversees SHIP, managing 54 SHIP grantees (one in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, Guam, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands). Nationally, the program consists of a network of more than 2,200 local sites and over 12,500 team members, including staff, in-kind professionals, and volunteers. In addition to SHIP services, many grantees also provide Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) program services, which help Medicare beneficiaries prevent, detect, and report healthcare fraud, errors, and abuse. 

Becoming a volunteer counselor does not require a health law background, nor any legal background at all, but a lawyer’s skill at deciphering and navigating myriad rules, forms, and bureaucratic procedures that confuse most of the general public. This makes lawyers especially suited to serve in this role. Plus, virtually allof the work can be conducted by phone or video unless you choose to participate in the face-to-face outreach and community education that most programs prioritize.

Volunteers benefit from substantial initial and continuing education and support from several sources, including their home programs, the SHIP Technical Assistance Center, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the Medicare Rights Center, and the Center for Medicare Advocacy. The initial required training leads to a SHIP multiple choice certification exam that is then taken yearly for recertification.

Since most retirees also happen to be Medicare beneficiaries, the knowledge learned as a volunteer also benefits oneself and possibly other family members directly, so the commitment offers advantages on many levels. You can give back to the community, stay engaged and connected, and sharpen and build your skills.

I can share that in my own experience, even though I taught Medicare as part of a law school course for years, becoming a SHIP volunteer opened my eyes to a vast universe of challenges that beneficiaries face resulting from the pressing demands of individual’s medical needs, human and nonhuman error, commercial insurance interests, complex rules, and cumbersome bureaucracy. Collaborating to problem-solve with a team of other volunteers, some of whom are also retired attorneys, has forged new, rewarding relationships. The work has enlightened me, dramatically increased my appreciation for the medical challenges so many face, and given me great satisfaction in helping people access the benefits they deserve.