AUBURN, CA (MPG) – Deborah Tyler, a volunteer with the local Medicare counseling service HICAP, remembers the day she helped a client whose health insurance premiums were about to overwhelm his income.

“He had multiple health issues,” she recalled.

“When he came to me, his income was only about $1,400 a month. He was considering purchasing a Medicare Advantage plan, but he was looking for something less costly. I told him about a special Medi-Cal plan for the disabled. He qualified and it saved him $750 a month in premiums. It cost him less and it was better health insurance than he had before. I was pretty excited about that one.”

Tyler, 71, became a volunteer with HICAP (the Health Insurance Counseling & Advocacy Program) seven years ago after a career in social work. “My last job was as a social worker and an appeals officer in San Bernardino. I did that for 17 years before I retired in 2008.”

She said working with HICAP has been a perfect fit for her.

“I come from a family that did volunteer work. It’s ingrained in me that you’re supposed to give back to your community. Everything that I did professionally lends itself to this. I did post-graduate work in mediation and arbitration, so this is perfect. This is what HICAP does. We try to resolve issues for people.”

Tyler counsels for HICAP clients from both Placer and Nevada counties. HICAP, which is administered by the California Department of Aging, offers free counseling and legal assistance to seniors and the disabled who are trying to navigate the complicated Medicare system.

HICAP volunteers help their clients with concerns such as choosing the best Medicare supplemental insurance, the pros and cons of Medicare Advantage plans, employee and retiree coverage and long-term-care insurance. They also can provide low-income clients with information about programs that assist with medication costs.

“A lot of what we do is explain Medicare to people and tell them about their options,” Tyler explained.

“There is so much to know. I have counseled pharmacists, doctors, veterinarians, nurses – all very bright people. They all say they can’t do this on their own. In reality, it’s not that hard; it’s just a lot of information. So, our job is to make the information easier for them.”

Tyler recalls a client who was a retired federal employee, but was experiencing a rapid increase in the cost of his health insurance.

“At age 64, he was paying $660 a month for his benefits,” she said. “When we finished working with him, we had him down to paying $132 a month for his Part B and $29 for his drug plan, so we saved him $500 a month. He said with that money he could buy a car and pay the insurance.”

She may have saved even more for a recent 90-year-old client.

“She has an income of about $1,000 a month and is paying $289 a month for her supplemental plan and $350 a month for long-term care insurance. So, I explained that, with her income level, she is probably eligible for full-scale Medi-Cal. Under that program, she will be fully covered for everything and will be saving $700 a month!”

Tyler said HICAP clients are sometimes confused by the current flood of advertising by agents selling Medicare Advantage insurance plans.

“The ads always say you ‘may’ qualify for free coverage or other free items. But some people don’t hear the ‘may.’ I had a sweet little lady who had a wound healing problem. She saw one of those ads on TV and changed her plan. Then she discovered that she had lost her wound care doctor and her primary doctor. She came to me and wanted to know what to do. It took us 60 days to get her previous plan reinstated. I made her promise to never, never do anything she sees on TV again unless she calls us first.”

Tyler encourages others to volunteer for HICAP.

“This is the most rewarding work I have ever done in my life,” she said.

“Healthcare is important to all of us. When you first start in HICAP training, it’s a little scary, but we are all there to help you because we want you to be successful.”

CONTACT INFORMATION

To schedule a free, one-hour phone or videoconference appointment with a state-registered HICAP Medicare counselor in Placer County call:

·      (530) 889-9500 for Auburn/Rocklin and surrounding areas

·      (916) 376-8915 for Roseville/Lincoln

Once your appointment is scheduled, you will receive an appointment reminder by phone, email or text prior to your appointment. If you need to cancel an appointment for any reason, you are asked to call (916) 375-3763.

In Nevada County:

·      Call – (530) 258-6827

·      Email – [email protected]

Once your appointment is scheduled, you will receive an appointment reminder by phone, email or text prior to your appointment. If you need to cancel an appointment for any reason, you are asked to call (530) 258-6827.

For more information, go to www.HICAPservices.net.

For information about becoming a HICAP volunteer, go to https://sites.google.com/lsnc.net/hicap/volunteer.

(HICAP is a program of Legal Services of Northern California funded by grants through Area 4 Agency on Aging, the California Department of Aging and the Administration on Community Living.)