Tennessee SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Program) is a program funded by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and is administered by the Tennessee Commission on Aging and Disability. SHIP was created in the early ’90s to provide local assistance for beneficiaries with Medicare. Since the launce of Medicare Part D in 2006, the program has blossomed into a well-organized service that is free, confidential and non-biased. SHIP does not see insurance or endorse any company that sells Medicare products.