Primaris - CLAIM Program

CLAIM Program

Since 1993, Primaris has run the CLAIM program through a contract with the Missouri Department of Insurance, Financial Institutions and Professional Registration. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services provide funding for the program.

CLAIM is Missouri's State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). Every U.S. state or territory has a SHIP program, though most are run directly by state agencies. Primaris acquired the CLAIM program due to a hiring freeze affecting Missouri state agencies when the program was created. The freeze prevented state agencies from hiring staff to run the program, and so Primaris was contracted for the work.

CLAIM provides assistance navigating the Medicare system to Missourians. CLAIM was originally an acronym for "Community Leaders Assisting the Insured of Missouri," however, this has largely been dropped in favor of the shorter, easier-to-remember, name CLAIM.

Primaris provides this service through a network of over 100 partner organizations and more than 200 volunteers trained by the company. Missourians with Medicare questions can call the CLAIM helpline or send an electronic request on the CLAIM website. This gets referred to a local volunteer, if available, or a staff member, who answers questions or provides in-depth assistance.