FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 4, 2023
For more information, contact: Christina Dimas-Kahn, Deputy Executive Director and SMP Program Manager, 408-766-0260, cdimaskahn@cahealthadvocates.org
California Beneficiaries Gain New Tool to Report Medicare Coverage Issues
Sacramento, CA — California Health Advocates (CHA) recently launched a new Medicare Complaints button for California beneficiaries to report issues with their Medicare coverage. This new tool is a quick and easy way for beneficiaries to report any problems they’re experiencing, and receive a referral for help.
“Medicare is essential, and Medicare is complex,” said Catherina Isidro, Executive Director of California Health Advocates. “And, with the complexity comes issues – such as understanding one’s coverage and options, accessing benefits, enrollment problems, appeals and more.” As one of the premiere Medicare advocacy organizations in California, CHA continually advocates for beneficiary rights, Medicare improvements and new benefits to expand the coverage of this essential program.
“This new Medicare complaint button,” says Isidro, “will allow us to have yet another way to monitor issues beneficiaries are facing throughout the state and help advocate for solutions to improve Medicare coverage and quality care.”
California Health Advocates works closely with their partners at the Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP). HICAP is California’s SHIP – State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) that provides invaluable one-on-one assistance to beneficiaries on Medicare and other health insurance related questions and issues. They are the primary go-to for addressing and solving one’s Medicare coverage questions, including plan enrollment/disenrollment, options for supplementing Medicare, issues with coverage/benefit access and more.
This new Medicare Issues/Complaint button is a quick and easy way for beneficiaries already working with HICAP to share their issues/complaints with us for our advocacy efforts. It’s also an easy way CHA can continue to refer beneficiaries to their local HICAP and/or other federal, state, or county agencies that can help resolve a particular issue or complaint. In addition, this tool will assist CHA in identifying potential contacts for media reporters looking to cover stories on key Medicare issues.
You can find the Medicare Complaints tab on CHA’s horizontal navigation bar or scroll down their homepage to find the “Medicare Coverage issues” button. Click on either place and you’ll find a simple online form to fill out. A CHA staff member will get back in touch within 48 business hours.
To contact your local Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP), call 1-800-434-0222.
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California Health Advocates is an independent non-profit organization that provides accurate and timely Medicare and related health care coverage information, education, and policy advocacy. CHA provides community organizations and government agencies with up-to-date information, and in particular to the 24 local Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Programs (HICAPs) that provide individual benefits counseling and community education directly to Medicare beneficiaries and their families. For more information, visit its website at cahealthadvocates.org.
