If you have questions about Medicare, call the Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP) at 1-800-434-0222. HICAP has highly trained staff and volunteers that provide free, unbiased assistance with all types of issues affecting people with disabilities. They have offices in every California county.

California Health Advocates has an excellent website on all aspects of Medicare, including a specific section on Medicare for people with disabilities. The site has a wealth of accurate, timely, and easy-to-understand information.

The Health Consumer Alliance’s mission is to help low-income people obtain essential health care. Their excellent website has brochures in 14 languages on Medicare, Medi-Cal, and other health care topics.

California Health Advocates (CHA) is a nonprofit association promoting the work of the Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP) projects serving 3.9 million Medicare beneficiaries of all ages throughout California. CHA provides statewide technical training and support to local HICAP professional staff and volunteer counselors.

HICAP is a volunteer-supported program that provides free one on one personal assistance and information about Medicare, related health care coverage, and long-term care insurance. This program is designed to help Medicare beneficiaries make the best choices for their individual health care needs. To find your local Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP) office check CalMedicare's Medicare Counseling page or call (800) 434-0222.

NeedyMeds, Inc. provides information about Patient Assistance Programs (PAPs) to individuals, healthcare professionals, patient advocates, social service workers and others. NeedyMeds, Inc. also assists with completing applications for PAPs.

PhRMA and its member companies launched the Partnership for Prescription Assistance - a directory of all Patient Assistance Programs (PAPs) and the prescriptions that are covered. Partnership for Prescription Assistance directs individuals to appropriate PAPs.

RxAssist has a database of Patient Assistance Programs, with up-to-date information on how to access assistance from nearly 100 companies and more than 700 medications.

Medicine for People in Need (Medpin) works with providers to improve access to prescription drugs for people in need. Medpin provides links to no-cost Patient Assistance Program information.

The Access to Benefits Coalition provides information on prescription drug savings programs for low-income Medicare beneficiaries.

The AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) provides prescription coverage for HIV related medication. ADAP can cover some or all of the cost of prescription drugs. Use the ADAP site locator to find your local enrollment office.

The federal government pays benefits planners in communities around the country to help people think ahead about benefits issues. The Social Security Administration (SSA) replaced the Benefits Planning Assistance and Outreach Project (BPAO) with the Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) Program in October of 2006.

The new program emphasizes work incentives over work supports for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) beneficiaries. Benefits planners who are funded by SSA and trained under this new program are called Community Work Incentives Coordinators (CWIC's).

To find a benefits planner near you, use DB101's Benefits Planners Directory.

Various community-based organizations provide staff to work with people concerning a range of options on state, federal, public, and private health and income programs. Counseling about benefits, as a community service, is an emerging field of expertise with different levels of services available. Some organizations may work with specific populations while others work with individuals with any type of disability.

Goodwill Industries services range from personal evaluation and office skills training to career counseling, childcare, and transportation. Some of these centers conduct Benefits Planning Assistance and Outreach for Social Security and Medicare beneficiaries related to work activity.

Find locations at http://www.goodwill.org, or by calling (voice) 800-664-6577.

The California Foundation for Independent Living Centers lists 29 centers serving individuals with all disabilities. Many of these centers conduct Benefits Planning Assistance and Outreach for Social Security and Medicare beneficiaries related to work activity. Most independent living centers can refer callers to local benefit program information if they do not have these services.

Find the list of independent living centers at http://www.cfilc.org, or by calling (voice) 916-325-1690 or (TTY) 916-325-1695.

The AIDS Hotline database contains 1,300 organizations providing HIV/AIDS services throughout California. Some of these organizations offer case management, benefits planning, and benefits counseling services that can include assistance with public and private benefits programs.

Find the list of AIDS organizations at http://www.aidshotline.org, or by calling (voice) 800-367-AIDS (2437) or (TTY) 888-225-AIDS (2437).

Protection and Advocacy, Inc. (PAI), a federally funded program in all states, provides representation for consumers of public programs who are disabled. Website publications include topics on health care, benefit programs, and In Home Supportive Services.