Welcome to
California Health Advocates

We are a non-profit organization dedicated to Medicare advocacy and education for Californians. Our website provides accurate and unbiased information about Medicare benefits and long-term care for people who live in California.

Learn about:

• Your prescription drug coverage;
• Low-income programs and the basics of your Medicare benefits;
• How Medigap (a private insurance policy) can supplement your coverage;
• Preventing Medicare fraud and our Senior Medicare Patrol project;
• Long-term care options.

Join Our SMP Director at National Summit on Elder Financial Abuse

May 11, 2012 Blog Julie Schoen, our California Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) Director will be speaking on "Advances in Stopping Fraud and Scams" at the 9th Annual National Summit on the Financial Exploitation of the Elderly on May 24th. If you are in the San Francisco area, come join in on this educational event organized by the Elder Financial Protection Network (EFPN).

CMS Announces New Administration on Community Living

April 23, 2012 Blog Last week the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the formation of a new Administration on Community Living (ACL) housed within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

CMS Provides Medication Management & Caregiver Resources on Youtube

April 16, 2012 BlogMedication management and good communication between caregivers and providers are two crucial factors to promoting successful patient recoveries, especially during transitions to and from hospital, long-term care, and home care settings.

Two Elder Women Go on Youtube Demanding Congress Cap LTC Insurance Fees

Mar 29, 2012 Long-Term Care Two elder women share their stories via Youtube about a 90% rate increase for their long-term care (LTC) insurance policy premiums with John Hancock Financial. They demand Congress put a cap on the amount premiums can be raised for policyholders over a certain age.

Celebrating 2 Years of Health Care Reform: Successes, Challenges & More Good to Come

Mar 21, 2012 Blog Two years ago in March, President Barack Obama signed into law a historic piece of health care reform, the Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA). Since then, despite the heated political debates, much action and transformation in the health care arena has taken place, especially in California.

SMP Liaison Emphasizes Fraud Prevention on Local TV

Mar 14, 2012 Fraud One of our Senior Medicare Patrol Liaisons, David Juberg was featured in KCET TV's SoCal Connected program Ghost Clinics, a local news segment on the national epidemic of Medicare fraud. He reminds beneficiaries about the key role they play in collapsing the fraud cycle.

Documentary Film Shows How Good Health Care Can Be Available to All at a Fraction of the Cost

Feb 24, 2012 Blog “The Good News in American Medicine,” a PBS documentary, exposes the strategies, generosity, leadership and out-of-the box thinking used by communities across the nation.

CHA Advocates for Important Information Included on All Consumer Notices of Long-Term Care Premium Increases

Feb 28, 2012 Advocacy Letter submitted by CHA and other advocates to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Senior Issues Task Force.

Website Highlight: SafeMedService.org & Other Tools for Ensuring Safe Medication Use

Feb 27, 2012 Prescription Drugs Medications help millions of Americans manage chronic diseases, but they also present significant risks, injuring or killing over 1.5 million Americans each year. Learn about two tools that educate beneficiaries on drug interactions and their side effects, help prevent harm and ensure safe prescription drug use.

President’s 2013 Budget Proposes Shifting More Medicare Costs to Beneficiaries

Feb 17, 2012 Press President Obama’s 2013 budget proposal includes a recommendation projected to save $2.5 billion over 10 years by imposing a surcharge on Medicare beneficiaries who buy “near first-dollar” Medicare supplement insurance often called Medigap.

California SMP Celebrates Record Recovery in Fraudulent Medicare Claims

Feb 17, 2012 Press California's Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) program is celebrating a major victory in the federal government recovering nearly $4.1 billion dollars in fraudulent Medicare claims for fiscal year 2011.

Office of Inspector General Report Highlights California’s SMP Program’s Success in 2011

Feb 28, 2012 Fraud California’s Senior Medicare Patrol project doubled or tripled nearly all of its outcomes in 2011 as compared to 2010.

Phone Scammers Continue to Target Seniors

Feb 23, 2012 Fraud With phone scams on the rise, California’s SMP alerts beneficiaries to be wary of scam artists trying to get their personal information such as their Medicare, Social Security or bank account numbers.

“Skinning” Medicare Beneficiaries

Feb 17, 2012 Health Care Reform The proposals for Medicare changes in Washington DC aim to have beneficiaries put more "skin in the game," basically pay more for their care as a means of cutting Medicare's costs. Yet, none of them address the issue of skyrocketing health care costs. All of them save Medicare dollars by imposing higher costs on Medicare beneficiaries, or by limiting benefits.

President's Budget Proposal Holds Several Medicare Cost Changes for New Beneficiaries

Feb 13, 2012 Blog We recently got word on the President's budget proposal which contains some significant Medicare changes.

Pharmacies Must Notify Beneficiaries of Their Part D Appeal Rights ~ New Rule in Effect

Feb 6, 2012 Blog As of January 1st of this year, all beneficiaries who are denied coverage for a drug are entitled to receive a standardized written notice from the pharmacy explaining their Part D appeal rights. This change is due to the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

Qualified Low-Income Beneficiaries Can Apply for Premium-Free Medicare Between Jan 1 – Mar 31

Jan 31, 2012 Low-Income Help Many people over 65 who have limited incomes may qualify for free Medicare Part A and B without knowing it. Through the Qualified Medicare Beneficiariy (QMB) program, Medi-Cal will pay Medicare Part A and B premiums as well as Part A and B deductibles and copayments.

California's Anti-Psychotic Drug Collaboration Uncovers Disturbing Truth of Illegal Drugging in Nursing Homes

Jan 30, 2012 Blog The California Antipsychotic Drug Collaborative recently investigated 24 nursing homes and found 147 violations of state rules regarding the use of antipsychotics on residents. Their investigations confirm the disturbing and rampant misuse of antipsychotics in California nursing homes and call attention to a situation that deserves immediate remedial action.

Beneficiaries Gain a New Right to Switch to a 5-Star Health Plan Starting 12/8/11

Nov 7, 2011 Blog As a way to reward Medicare Advantage (MA) and Part D plans that receive high performance ratings by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and to guide beneficiaries toward such plans, there will be a new Special Election Period (SEP) allowing Medicare beneficiaries to enroll in MA and Part D plans that receive an overall 5-star rating by CMS’s Plan Performance Rating system. 

Understanding Medicare’s Annual Wellness Visit: Frequently Asked Questions

Nov 3, 2011 Basics As of January of this year, Medicare began offering an Annual Wellness Visit (AWV), a benefit covered once every 12 months after the first year of Medicare coverage that has no deductibles, coinsurance or copayments. Under this benefit, beneficiaries to develop a plan with their doctors to keep them healthy, vital and independent.

AB 151 Increases California Beneficiaries' Rights to Purchase Medigap Policies

Nov 3, 2011 Other Health Insurance California Medicare beneficiaries will have an expanded right to buy a guaranteed issue Medicare supplement insurance policy (Medigap) without health screening after January 1, 2012, thanks to California Assembly Bill 151 by Assemblyman Monning.