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    5 min read 5 stepsMay 9, 2026Verified May 2026

    Korean-Language Medicare and SHIP Help for Korean-American Seniors

    Free Korean-language Medicare counseling exists in most states. Here is how to find a Korean-speaking SHIP counselor and Medicare resources in Korean.

    At a Glance

    Category
    Tips & Tricks
    Difficulty
    Beginner
    Read Time
    5 min read
    Steps
    5
    Topics covered
    medicare
    korean
    ship
    korean-american
    senior-resources
    translation

    In this guide (5 steps):

    1. 1.Call 1-800-MEDICARE and request a Korean interpreter
    2. 2.Find your state SHIP office and ask for Korean counseling
    3. 3.Attend a Korean Medicare open enrollment event in October or November
    4. 4.Order Medicare and You handbook in Korean
    5. 5.Check if you qualify for Extra Help and Medicare Savings Programs
    1

    Call 1-800-MEDICARE and request a Korean interpreter

    ~36s
    Dial 1-800-633-4227 from any phone. The system will answer in English. But you can stay on the line and ask for a Korean interpreter when a representative picks up. Say the word Korean clearly, and within a few minutes a three-way call will start with a live Korean translator. This service is free, available 24 hours a day, and works for any Medicare question. Have your Medicare card and any plan letters in front of you when you call.

    Quick Tip

    Quick Tip: Write down the date and the name of the representative at the start of the call. If your question is not resolved, you can reference that call later.

    2

    Find your state SHIP office and ask for Korean counseling

    ~26s
    Go to shiphelp.org or call 1-877-839-2675 to find the SHIP office in your state. When you call your state office, ask directly: Do you have a Korean-speaking counselor, or can you connect me with one? In California, the HICAP program has Korean counselors in Los Angeles County. In New York, the HIICAP program partners with Korean Community Services. In Maryland and Virginia, SHIP works with KCCD. Counseling appointments are free and last about one hour.
    3

    Attend a Korean Medicare open enrollment event in October or November

    ~35s
    Every fall, Korean community organizations host group sessions where seniors can ask Medicare questions in Korean and compare plans side by side. Watch for flyers at H Mart, Korean churches, Korean newspapers like Korea Daily and Korea Times, and on KakaoTalk community channels. These events usually happen in October and November, ahead of the December 7 deadline. Bring your Medicare card, a list of your medications, and your preferred pharmacy.

    Warning

    Be careful at any open enrollment event where a single insurance company sponsors the session. Independent SHIP counselors do not work on commission. Sales agents do. Ask up front who is paying for the event.

    4

    Order Medicare and You handbook in Korean

    ~24s
    The Medicare and You handbook is the official government guide and is printed in Korean each year. Call 1-800-MEDICARE and ask for the Korean edition, or download it from Medicare.gov by searching for Medicare and You Korean. The Korean version covers the same content as the English version: enrollment, plan types, costs, and rights. Many Korean seniors keep this book on a shelf and refer to it before any Medicare decision.
    5

    Check if you qualify for Extra Help and Medicare Savings Programs

    ~24s
    About 40 percent of Korean-American Medicare beneficiaries qualify for income-based help but never apply. Extra Help lowers your prescription drug costs to a few dollars per drug. Medicare Savings Programs pay your Part B premium of about $185 per month. A Korean-speaking SHIP counselor can run the eligibility check with you in 20 minutes. Income limits change each year, so check even if you were denied before.

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    About one in three Korean-American seniors says English is a barrier when dealing with Medicare paperwork. The good news is that real help in Korean exists, and most of it is free. The federal government funds a program called SHIP, which stands for State Health Insurance Help Program. Every state has a SHIP office, and many of them have Korean-speaking counselors in areas with a Korean community, including California, New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Maryland, Washington, Texas, Georgia, and Illinois.

    A SHIP counselor will sit down with you (in person, by phone, or by video) and walk through your Medicare options in Korean. They do not sell anything. They are not allowed to take a commission. Their only job is to help you understand Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage plans, Part D drug plans, and Medigap supplements. Many SHIP offices also help with Medicaid applications, Extra Help for prescription drugs, and Medicare Savings Programs that lower your monthly premium.

    Medicare.gov also has Korean-language resources. You can call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) any hour of the day, press 1 for English or stay on the line, and request a Korean interpreter. The interpreter joins the call within a few minutes at no cost. You can also order Medicare booklets printed in Korean by calling that same number.

    Korean community organizations often have their own Medicare events. KCS (Korean Community Services) in New York, KAFSC (Korean American Family Service Center), KCCD in Maryland and Virginia, and the Korean American Senior Association in Los Angeles all run free Medicare information sessions in Korean during fall open enrollment, which runs October 15 through December 7 each year.

    If you are turning 65 soon, do not miss your Initial Enrollment Period — the seven-month window starting three months before your 65th birthday. A Korean-speaking SHIP counselor can walk you through this in your own language.

    (Sources: Medicare.gov; SHIP National Technical Help Center; KCS Annual Reports; AARP Korean Community Outreach)

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