Senior Advocacy Services

The Ombudsman program provided information and assistance to 8727 individuals; 3760 information and assistance to facility staff; supported 250 resident council and 23 family council meetings; 16 community education sessions; visited in person 19 skilled nursing facilities and 153 residential care facilities in Sonoma County a minimum of four times a year; and responded to 578 cases, many related to elder abuse. The Health Insurance Counseling advocacy program (HICAP) is a consumer-oriented program providing Medicare and related health insurance counseling and education. Senior Advocacy Services HICAP provides services to six counties, Sonoma, Lake, Napa, Mendocino, Solano and Marin. HICAP offers the following services: - Community education about Medicare, including Medicare related health insurance, long term care insurance, long term care planning. - Individual health insurance counseling about Medicare includes Parts A & B, Medicare supplemental insurance plans (Medigap) and Medicare Health Plan (Medicare Advantage and prescription drug plan) comparisons, Medicare savings programs, extra help with medication costs, Medicare and Medi-Cal benefits for dual-eligible beneficiaries, and comparisons of long-term care insurance policies. There were 168 public outreach session provided. - One on one individual counseling services to Medicare beneficiaries. There were 3163 counseling sessions provided. - Advocacy services for Medicare-related issues, including enrollment, disenrollment from Medicare advantage or Medicare prescription drug plans, claims, appeals, prescription drug exceptions, questions about hospital bills and other related insurance coverage issues.