FY 2026 Budget Proposes Defunding Critical Medicare Assistance Program SHIP

The Fiscal Year 2026 draft budget proposes eliminating funding for the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), which serves nearly 2 million Medicare beneficiaries annually. SHIP provides impartial, personalized assistance with Medicare enrollment, fraud prevention, billing issues, and appeals, operating independently from insurance sales. Federal agencies like CMS and SSA rely on SHIP for beneficiary support, highlighting its role in facilitating informed healthcare decisions and optimizing Medicare access.