State Health Insurance Assistance Programs, known as SHIP, provide free, unbiased Medicare counseling, and you can find local programs at shiphelp.org. Independent agents serve many of the same people. The two do not have to be at odds. In fact, beneficiaries are best served when agents know when and how to refer.
I'm Justin Brock. Brock has helped agents serve 250,000+ Medicare beneficiaries. For Andrew Saul's argument that SHIP and agents should formally partner, read SHIP and the Medicare Agents America Cannot Afford to Lose on justinbrock.com. MedPAC's June 2026 report discusses SHIP capacity. This piece covers how your upline can help you work alongside public resources.
Why this matters for agents
Agents handle a lot of work that is not compensated, such as reviewing drug plans for clients. Knowing what SHIP offers, and when a referral helps the client, makes you a better resource and protects your time.
What a good upline provides
- Clear guidance on referrals, including when SHIP or Medicare's own help line is the right next step.
- Tools that make service efficient, so routine reviews take less time.
- A broader product mix, so your business does not depend on any single line of work.
- Advocacy and updates on policy discussions that affect agents.
Questions to ask an upline
- How do you help agents handle low or no compensation enrollments efficiently?
- Do you provide referral guidance for clients who need public resources?
- How do you keep agents informed on policy changes?
How Brock helps
Brock helps agents run efficient practices with tools, training and a broad product shelf, and we keep agents current on policy in weekly webinars. See Agent Resources.
Want a partner who values the work you do? Book a call with the Brock team.
Frequently asked questions
What is SHIP?
SHIP stands for State Health Insurance Assistance Program. These publicly funded programs offer free, unbiased Medicare counseling in every state. Some states use different program names. Beneficiaries can find local help at shiphelp.org.
Should Medicare agents refer clients to SHIP?
Sometimes. If a client needs help you cannot provide, such as certain assistance programs, or prefers unbiased counseling, a SHIP referral can serve them well. Agents and SHIP counselors can complement each other.
Why do agents talk about uncompensated enrollments?
Some enrollments, such as certain standalone drug plan enrollments, may pay little or nothing to the agent but still take time to review properly. That affects how agents plan their time and business.
How can an upline help with low-compensation work?
A good upline provides efficient tools, clear referral guidance, a broader product mix and policy updates, so you can keep serving clients well without letting uncompensated work overwhelm your business.