SHIBA
Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors
SHIBA program for help with Medicare
A public service offered by the Washington State Office of Insurance Commissioner, SHIBA (Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors) volunteers have been helping people on Medicare for more than 46 years. Over 230 trained volunteers statewide provide free, impartial, and confidential Medicare counseling and education to people in their communities about Medicare plans, prescription drug access, fraud and abuse, and more.
Contact your local Whatcom County SHIBA team of volunteers for help with all your Medicare questions at:
Phone: 360-788-2725
Email: WhatcomSHIBAoic@gmail.com
Note, Open Enrollment Period has started for 2027 plans. Our local team of volunteers in Whatcom County is working hard to meet the overwhelming amount of help requests.
Get Help with Medicare Open Enrollment Oct 15 - Dec 7, 2026!
Due to the unprecedented volume of calls, our hardworking local SHIBA volunteer team wants to share additional resources for assistance from Washington State’s Office of the Insurance Commisioner. On the OIC website, you can find a variety of Medicare Open Enrollment resources. This includes a calendar of upcoming events, presentations, and drop-in sessions, along with helpful tips, tools, and how-to videos to help you navigate your Medicare options.
- Find a local or online event at this website
- For one-on-one Medicare counseling, you can visit or live chat with Medicare.gov or call 24 hours a day
1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) - Review your plan and options using Medicare
Plan Finder. - If you have PEBB (public employee) coverage,
please contact the Washington State Health Care
Authority
A summary of options if you didn’t get a 1:1 appointment with a Whatcom SHIBA volunteer is in this document (link opens a PDF) – “What Do I Do?”
Additional help sessions are scheduled – see information below!
Professionals from the SHIBA
program will be available
to answer all your Medicare
questions. Everyone’s welcome
and no registration required.
* Starred sessions are supported
by Spanish speakers. Obtenga
asistencia con Medicare en español.
SHIBA is a free, unbiased & confidential
service of the Washington state Office of
the Insurance Commissioner. We do NOT
sell or promote any products or services.
Drop in on one of our online Medicare
Q&A sessions!
Wednesday evenings from 5:30 pm to 7 pm:
Oct. 7, 2026
Oct. 21, 2026*
Nov. 4, 2026
Nov. 18, 2026*
Dec. 2, 2026*
Join the Zoom meeting:
https://tinyurl.com/2s9a5947
Join by phone:
Phone: 253-205-0468
Code: 83657974296#
Monday mornings from 10 am to 11:30 am:
Oct. 12, 2026
Oct. 26, 2026*
Nov. 9, 2026
Nov. 23, 2026*
Join the Zoom meeting:
https://tinyurl.com/4f5nnp7x
Passcode: 156700
Join by phone:
Phone: 253-205-0468
Code: 82245064110#
* Starred sessions are supported
by Spanish speakers. Obtenga
asistencia con Medicare en español.
