Where can I get free Medicare counseling in Myrtle Beach?

South Carolina's SHIP, called ICARE, is run for Horry, Georgetown and Williamsburg counties by the Waccamaw Area Agency on Aging in Georgetown. Call (843) 546-8502 for a phone or in-person appointment.

What is the SHIIP phone number in North Carolina?

North Carolina's Seniors' Health Insurance Information Program answers at 1-855-408-1212, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, according to the NC Department of Insurance.

When is Medicare Open Enrollment for 2027 coverage?

Open Enrollment runs from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7, 2026, and changes take effect Jan. 1, 2027, according to Medicare.gov.

Can I keep my Medicare Advantage plan if I move from South Carolina to North Carolina?

Not always. Medicare Advantage and Part D plans are sold by service area, and you generally must live in the plan's service area, per Medicare.gov. Moving to another county or state can mean choosing a new plan.

Medicare help on the Grand Strand: free SHIP counseling in Horry, Georgetown and Brunswick

Grand Strand retirees can get free Medicare counseling from their state’s State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), but the program has a different name and phone number on each side of the state line. As of Oct. 30, 2026, Horry and Georgetown county residents book ICARE (Insurance Counseling Assistance and Referral for Elders) through the Waccamaw Area Agency on Aging in Georgetown, S.C., at (843) 546-8502. Brunswick County residents call North Carolina’s SHIIP (Seniors’ Health Insurance Information Program) at 1-855-408-1212. Medicare’s Open Enrollment runs through Dec. 7, 2026, for coverage that starts Jan. 1, 2027.

Where do I get free Medicare help in Horry and Georgetown counties?

The Waccamaw Regional Council of Governments runs ICARE, South Carolina’s SHIP, for Horry, Georgetown and Williamsburg counties. Its insurance counseling page says the federally funded service offers free help with Medicare Parts A, B, C and D, by phone or in person by appointment. During Open Enrollment, individual Part D plan reviews are by appointment.

What	Detail
Program	ICARE, South Carolina’s SHIP
Run by	Waccamaw Area Agency on Aging (Waccamaw Regional Council of Governments)
Address	1230 Highmarket St., Georgetown, S.C.
Phone	(843) 546-8502
Hours	9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday
Counties	Horry, Georgetown, Williamsburg

The hours and counties come from the South Carolina Department on Aging’s GetCareSC listing. The same counselors screen for the Low-Income Subsidy (Extra Help) and Medicare Savings Programs, which help pay drug costs and premiums.

The state’s SHIP line, run through the South Carolina Department on Aging, is 1-800-868-9095 toll-free.

Where do I get free Medicare help in Brunswick County, N.C.?

North Carolina’s SHIIP is part of the North Carolina Department of Insurance. Its Medicare page says the toll-free line, 1-855-408-1212, gives free and unbiased information from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and that SHIIP has counselors in every county, with local counseling by appointment. Call the toll-free line to be matched with a Brunswick County counselor.

Brunswick Senior Resources Inc., the senior services agency for Brunswick County listed by the Cape Fear Council of Governments, runs centers in Shallotte, Supply, Southport, Leland and Calabash; its main number is (910) 754-2300.

Why do Medicare plans change between Horry and Brunswick counties?

Medicare Advantage and Part D plans are sold by service area, usually a county, and state rules also differ. Medicare.gov’s guide to joining a plan says you generally must live in the service area of the plan you want. A retiree who moves from Little River, S.C., to Sunset Beach, N.C., crosses both a county line and a state line, and the plans on offer can change.

That is also why a counselor in South Carolina may not be the right one for a North Carolina address. Call the program for the state where you live.

What are the Medicare dates and costs for 2026 and 2027?

Medicare.gov lists these periods and 2026 amounts as of Oct. 30, 2026:

Item	Date or amount
Open Enrollment	Oct. 15 to Dec. 7, 2026; coverage starts Jan. 1, 2027
Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment	Jan. 1 to March 31, 2027, for people already in a Medicare Advantage plan
Part B standard premium	$202.90 a month (2026)
Part B deductible	$283 a year (2026)
Part A hospital deductible	$1,736 per benefit period (2026)
Part D out-of-pocket limit	$2,100 (2026)

Source: Medicare.gov costs. The 2027 Part B premium had not been posted on Medicare.gov as of Oct. 30, 2026.

Can I get help paying for Medicare on the Grand Strand?

Yes, if your income and savings are under federal limits. Medicare.gov’s Extra Help page sets the 2026 limits for drug cost help at $23,940 in income and $18,090 in resources for an individual, and $32,460 and $36,100 for a married couple. ICARE in South Carolina and SHIIP in North Carolina can help you apply, along with a Medicare Savings Program, at no cost.

Who else can answer Medicare questions?

Medicare: 1-800-633-4227 (1-800-MEDICARE), TTY 1-877-486-2048
ICARE, Horry and Georgetown: (843) 546-8502
South Carolina SHIP line: 1-800-868-9095
North Carolina SHIIP: 1-855-408-1212

Beware of calls that ask for your Medicare number. The Waccamaw Regional Council of Governments also runs a Senior Medicare Patrol program that teaches how to spot Medicare fraud.

This story is information, not tax, legal or medical advice. A SHIP counselor or Medicare can review your own coverage.

Retired here already? Tell us what you wish you had known: email the Grand Strand Dispatch at the contact address at the bottom of this page.

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