If you need Medicare counseling, the Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP) in Fresno provides free advice on Medicare options.
Medicare Counseling
HICAP is a program specifically for Medicare beneficiaries. Older adults on Medicare, or adults who are in the process of retiring and enrolling in Medicare can use this service. HICAP counselors are certified and undergo training to provide assistance with understanding Medicare plans. HICAP counselors are not affiliated with any plan, and thus provide unbiased information.
Medicare benefits can be very confusing. A HICAP counselor can answer questions about Medicare benefits, prescription drug coverage, and Medicare supplemental benefits. They can explain options during Medicare Open Enrollment. HICAP counselors can also look at the prescriptions an older adult is taking to determine which Medicare Part D plan is best.
Medicare Billing and Appeals
HICAP counselors can also answer questions regarding Medicare billing and appeals. Many Medicare beneficiaries do not know they have the right to appeal hospital discharge. HICAP counselors can help with a request for reassessment or a more extensive evaluation to determine if the beneficiary is ready for discharge. When a Medicare beneficiary is discharged from the hospital to their home or to a long-term care facility, HICAP counselors can assist with understanding home health benefits and payment for durable medical equipment.
Questions about Long-term Care Policies
HICAP counselors can also assist with long-term care insurance policy reviews. If there are questions regarding fraudulent billing they can assist with the proper steps to address resolving the fraud.
Talk to a HICAP Counselor
Most of the HICAP consultations are held in the main office of the Valley Caregiver Resource Center. However, they do have some satellite offices. It is best to call the main office to determine the location and hours of these satellite consultations. The Valley Caregiver Resource Center also has Spanish bilingual speaking HICAP counselors.