FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 11, 2024
For more information, contact: Catherina Isidro, SMP Project Director, cisidro@cahealthadvocates.org
CHA Hosts SMP Volunteer Open House, 1/31
Join Our Team & Empower Beneficiaries in Medicare Fraud Prevention
Sacramento, CA — California Health Advocates (CHA) is hosting its first Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) Volunteer Open House in Sacramento on Wednesday, January 31st as part of its statewide recruitment of new volunteers for its California SMP program.
“If you’re looking for a purposeful and passionate way to make a difference, consider volunteering with our California SMP,” said Catherina Isidro, SMP Project Director and Executive Director at CHA. “We’re a dynamic team of dedicated volunteers and staff across the state and are excited to grow.”
The SMP Volunteer Open House includes lunch, an overview of the SMP program, Q&A and time to meet with some of CHA’s California SMP staff. The event is from 12-2pm and will be hosted at 5380 Elvas Avenue, Suite 221, Sacramento, CA 95819.
“Medicare fraud costs the government over $60 billion a year, yet it also harms beneficiaries and their families and can prevent people from getting care and services when they really need them,” said Tatiana Fassieux, Education and Training Specialist for CHA and California SMP. “But we can and do make a difference. We invite you to become an SMP volunteer and help empower your family, friends and greater community to prevent, detect and report Medicare fraud!”
In addressing the White House Executive Order on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce, CHA is especially interested in recruiting multi-lingual volunteers reflecting California’s ethnic diversity and linguistic richness.
SMP volunteers work in their community, at senior centers, health fairs and elsewhere educating their peers about health care fraud, fraud prevention, how to protect their identity and how to review their Medicare Summary Notices. They work one-on-one with beneficiaries, give presentations to groups and represent SMP at events through the Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP). HICAP is California’s State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP).
SMP volunteers receive extensive initial and ongoing training, and are a part of a state and nationwide team of volunteers and staff committed to making a difference.
Come join our team! RSVP for the upcoming 1/31 SMP Volunteer Open House. You can also contact California Senior Medicare Patrol at 1-855-613-7080 for more information and to apply to be an SMP Volunteer. Also, read our blog on the event.
To help spread the word on this event, share our SMP Volunteer Open House flyer.
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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 is the grantee of the California Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) project, funded by the Administration for Community Living (ACL). California SMP, and all SMPs around the country, empower and assist people with Medicare and Medicaid to avoid, detect, and report healthcare fraud. CHA also provides community organizations and government agencies with up-to-date information, and in particular to the 24 local 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.
