Medicare has a helpline with staff available 24/7 to answer your questions. The State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) has a national helpline that can connect you with help in your state.

You can call Medicare at 1-800-633-4227 (TTY: 1-877-486-2048) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, excluding some federal holidays.

This phone number is meant to be a general resource for questions you have about your Medicare coverage. You can check the status of your claims, inquire about your premium and deductible costs, and more.

If you have a Medicare Advantage (Part C), prescription drug (Part D), or supplemental insurance (Medigap) plan, you may need to contact your provider directly for answers to your questions.

Look for a phone number on your plan’s card or a “Contact Us” page on your insurance provider’s website.

To change your name with Medicare, you can call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY: 1-800-325-0778). Help is available from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time on weekdays.

To request a replacement card for Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) benefits, you can call 1-877-772-5772 (TTY: 1-312-751-4701).

For information about how your military benefits work with Medicare, call the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health benefits hotline at 1-877-222-8387. Help is available from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET on weekdays.

To get personalized health insurance counseling, contact your local State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). To find a program near you, call the SHIP National Technical Assistance Center at 1-877-839-2675.

When you call the Medicare hotline, you will first be directed to an automated system. The automated system will give you options and collect information about your request.

Be prepared to provide or reference your:

  • Medicare membership number
  • claim paperwork
  • notes or list of prepared questions

Make sure to call when you’re in a comfortable position and at a time when you can wait on the phone for a while if necessary. You may have to wait on hold until a Medicare agent can take your call.

Once you’re connected, write down the name of the person you’re speaking with and the time of your call.

If you have someone available who can help you, it may be wise to listen to the call on speakerphone. The other person can take notes for you and prompt you with questions you want to ask.

Remember, you can always request that information be sent to you in writing at the end of your call.

Medicare has a hotline that you can call 24/7 for assistance with your health insurance questions.

Private insurance companies that offer Part C, Part D, or Medigap plans also provide telephone assistance.

Plan availability varies by state, and you may have to do some additional research to find information on your specific private health insurance provider.