CLAIM, the acronym for Community Leaders Assisting the Insured of Missouri has been the official State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) for Missouri since 1993. Wilma Schmitz, the Regional Liaison for CLAIM, discusses how they help people on Medicare understand their benefits.  Schmitz says that CLAIM helps people understand their benefits and make informed decisions. In some cases, they save people money. In other cases, they help people find the medical and prescription-drug plans that best fit their health needs. CLAIM has 250-300 volunteers statewide and along with its more than 100 community partners and 80 plus satellite locations to provide local counseling. All volunteers must keep themselves independent of the private insurance industry so no particular plans or products can be pushed.