The Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP) –
an organization in your state that provides free Medicare help and information.
The Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP) is a state organization
paid by the federal government to give free health insurance information and help
to people with Medicare. HICAP can explain your Medicare rights and protections,
help you make complaints about care or treatment, and help straighten out problems
with Medicare bills.
You can contact the Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP) at
1-800-434-0222. You can also find the website for HICAP at
www.medicare.gov on the web.
Health Services Advisory Group, Inc. (HSAG)
Health Services Advisory Group, Inc. (HSAG) – a group of doctors and health
professionals who review medical care and handle certain types of complaints from patients
with Medicare in California.
“QIO” stands for Quality
Improvement
Organization. The QIO is
a group of doctors and other health care experts paid by the federal government
to check on and help improve the care given to Medicare patients. There is a QIO
in each state. QIOs have different names, depending on which state they are in.
In California, the QIO is called Health Services Advisory Group, Inc. (HSAG).
The doctors and other health experts in HSAG review certain types of complaints
made by Medicare patients. These include complaints about quality of care and
complaints from Medicare patients who think the coverage for their hospital,
skilled nursing facility, home health agency, or comprehensive outpatient
rehabilitation stay is ending too soon.
You can contact HSAG at:
Health Services Advisory Group, Inc.
Attention: Beneficiary Protection
5201 W Kennedy Blvd, Ste 900
Tampa, FL 33609-1822
or call them at 1-800-841-1602. TDD-hearing impaired users should call 1-800-881-5980.
Medicaid agency
Medicaid agency – a state government agency that handles health
care programs for people with low incomes
Medicaid is a joint federal and state program that helps with medical costs for
some people with low incomes and limited resources. Medi-Cal is the name for Medicaid
in California. Some people with Medicare are also eligible for Medicaid. Most
health care costs are covered if you qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid. Medicaid
also has programs that can help pay for your Medicare premiums and other costs,
if you qualify. To find out more about Medicaid and its programs, contact Medi-Cal
at 1-800-541-5555.
Social Security Administration
The Social Security Administration provides economic protection for Americans of
all ages. Social Security programs include retirement benefits, disability, family
benefits, survivors’ benefits, and benefits for the aged, blind, and disabled. You
can call the Social Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213. TTY users should
call 1-800-325-0778. Calls to these numbers are free. You can also visit
www.ssa.gov on the web.
Railroad Retirement Board
If you get benefits from the Railroad Retirement Board, you can call your
local Railroad Retirement Board office or 1-800-808-0772 (calls to this number are
free). TTY users should call 312-751-4701. You can also visit
www.rrb.gov on the web.
Developed and maintained by The National Council on Aging (NCOA), BenefitsCheckUp is the nation's
most comprehensive Web-based service to screen for benefits programs for seniors with limited income
and resources.
The National Council on Aging (NCOA) is a nonprofit service and advocacy organization
headquartered in Washington, DC. Their mission is to improve the lives of older Americans.
MAPRx is a coalition of patient, family caregiver and health professional organizations
committed to safeguarding the well-being of patients with chronic diseases and disabilities
under Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage.
The Center for Medicare Advocacy, Inc. is a national non profit, non-partisan organization that
provides education, advocacy, and legal assistance to help elders and people with disabilities obtain
Medicare and necessary health care.
The Medicare Rights Center (MRC) is a national not-for-profit consumer service organization
that works to ensure access to affordable health care for older Americans and Americans with
disabilities through counseling, educational programs and public policy initiatives.