California Health Advocates

10/09/2026

Today is . Did you know that Medicare covers one depression screening per year? The screening must be done in a primary care doctor’s office or primary care clinic that can provide follow-up treatment and referrals.

Learn more about Medicare's coverage of mental health services from your local Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP) - California's SHIP. Call HICAP at 1-800-434-0222.

10/08/2026

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month! Now more than ever it is important to be diligent in protecting your information when you are online. Here are a few tips on staying safe when being online.

10/06/2026

🏘️ What if your neighbor could save you from a Medicare scam?

That's exactly what California SMP's partnership with Village Movement California has proven — and the results from this past year are remarkable.

Together, three village communities across California reached an estimated 865,000+ people with Medicare fraud prevention education. Here are just a few of the stories that show why this partnership works:

👴 A 90-year-old woman almost lost $50,000 to a scammer — until a bank manager who had been receiving fraud prevention content through the local village's community newsletter recognized the warning signs and denied both transactions. The 90 year-old woman days later also read a scam awareness article in a local paper placed by the village, and went back to thank the bank manager. One newsletter. One article. One life savings protected. 💛

🌲 In rural Humboldt County, Redwood Coast Village celebrated its 10th anniversary by hosting a Senior Resource Fair that drew 125+ community members and six partner agencies — generating direct calls to SMP from seniors concerned about suspicious Medicare offers. Real trusted messengers. Real results.

🏮 In the San Gabriel Valley, 626 Village reached an estimated 609,000 Chinese-speaking older adults through Mandarin radio, Chinese-language newspapers, and in-person events with live interpretation — bringing SMP's Protect, Detect, and Report message to a population that is often missed entirely by traditional outreach.

And when ICE enforcement activity made in-person workshops difficult in one community, village volunteers didn't give up — they adapted, pivoting to direct materials distribution through trusted partners ,such as local banks and schools, to make sure Spanish-speaking seniors still got the information they needed.

This is what community-powered fraud prevention looks like. And we are so proud of every village, volunteer, and partner who made it happen. 💛

📄 Read the full story → https://cahealthadvocates.org/neighbors-helping-neighbors-how-village-movement-california-is-bringing-medicare-fraud-prevention-to-californias-underserved-communities/
📞 Report Medicare fraud: California SMP 1-855-613-7080

10/05/2026

⚠️ Working past 65? This could cost you thousands — and most people have never heard of it.

California Health Advocates has just published an important new policy brief on a little-known but serious problem affecting older workers across the country: the conflict between Medicare eligibility and COBRA continuation coverage.

Here's the problem in plain terms:

When workers over 65 leave employment and elect COBRA to maintain their familiar health coverage — something that seems perfectly reasonable — they may later discover they've been caught in a dangerous trap.

COBRA carriers can reclassify COBRA as secondary coverage based on the worker's mere eligibility for Medicare — even if that person never actually enrolled in Medicare. This means:

💸 COBRA pays as if Medicare is primary — even when there is no Medicare coverage at all
📋 Past payments made as primary benefits can be recouped, leaving individuals with large, unexpected medical debts
⏰ Workers may face Medicare late enrollment penalties — financial consequences that follow them for life
🕳️ The result is what the brief calls "ghost coverage" — insurance that appears to exist but doesn't actually pay

This problem affects roughly 11 million Americans 65 and older who are currently working — a number that's only going to grow as older workers make up an increasing share of the labor force.

The root cause: Inconsistent federal terminology — the difference between being Medicare-eligible, Medicare-enrolled, and Medicare-entitled — combined with outdated coordination-of-benefits rules that were never designed with today's older workforce in mind.

The fix: The brief outlines concrete steps for Congress and federal agencies to:
✅ Codify clear, consistent definitions across federal programs
✅ Clarify that COBRA must pay as primary unless someone is actually enrolled in Medicare Part B
✅ Align ERISA disclosure requirements so workers get the information they need before it's too late

📄 Read and share our new policy brief — and share it with anyone you know who is working past 65 or helping older workers navigate these decisions → https://cahealthadvocates.org/medicare-eligibility-cobra-ghost-coverage-resolving-a-conflict-between-federal-programs-to-protect-older-workers/

10/02/2026

Did you know? American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) people who are eligible for Medicare can use Medicare alongside the Indian Health Service (IHS). Because IHS is a health care provider, not health insurance, Medicare can help cover services both within and outside the Indian health care system.

For many people who qualify for both Medicare and IHS services, Medicare is available at low or no cost. Those who qualify for Medicaid may also receive help with costs that Medicare does not cover, and additional assistance programs may be available through state, local, or tribal resources.

SHIP counselors in each state provide unbiased Medicare counseling at no cost to you, and can help beneficiaries understand how Medicare works with IHS and other coverage options. California's SHIP is called HICAP - Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program.

Learn more and find local help in California at https://cahealthadvocates. org/hicap/

10/01/2026

📅 Just two weeks until Medicare Open Enrollment begins!

From October 15 through December 7, you can review your coverage and make changes for 2027. Even if you're happy with your current plan, it's a good idea to compare your options each year. Costs, provider networks, covered drugs, and benefits can change.

Use Medicare's Plan Finder to compare plans, costs, provider networks, and prescription drug coverage.

Need help understanding your choices? SHIP offers free, unbiased Medicare counseling to help you compare plans and make informed decisions about your coverage in every state. California's SHIP is the Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP).

Because counseling is personalized and demand increases during Open Enrollment, appointments fill quickly. Contact SHIP/HICAP early to get the help you need. Find your local HICAP to make an appointment: https://cahealthadvocates.org/hicap/

09/30/2026

Protect your Medicare by:

✔️Never accepting any offer of "free" services in exchange for your Medicare or health care identification number.

✔️Relying only on your doctors for medical advice and prescriptions and not from unknown persons who call, visit, or approach you in public.

✔️Never signing a blank medical or insurance form. Always read and make sure you understand the content before you sign. Request a copy of a form or document you sign for your own records.

If you have given out your Medicare number over the phone to someone who said they were from Medicare, contact the California at 855-613-7080 to report it.

09/29/2026

🎉 Sacramento, here we come — and we invite YOU to join us!

We are excited for our 3rd Annual CHA & SMP Conference Week — and this year is going to be our best one yet! 🌟 Registration is open!

📅 January 11–15, 2027
📍 Kimpton Sawyer Hotel | Downtown Sacramento, CA

Five great days. Several powerful events. One amazing community. 💛

🏥 California Health Advocates Annual Conference (Jan 11–13)
Connect with health care professionals, policymakers, HICAP staff, advocates, and community partners as we explore the latest in Medicare, Medi-Cal, aging, and health care policy — and strategize together for a stronger, more secure future for older adults and people with disabilities.

🏛️ Day at the Capitol (Jan 13)
Walk the halls of the California State Capitol and meet directly with legislators and their staff! This is your chance to turn education into action and champion Medicare beneficiaries and older Californians where it counts most.

🎱Networking Event (Jan 13)
Join our fun evening networking event in a beautiful setting with delicious food. Rumor has it we will be investigating a "murder mystery", have fun costumes and the story has something to do with Medicare fraud!! 🤓🔍

🛡️ California SMP Annual Conference (Jan 14–15)
Gain expert insights and best practices in Medicare fraud prevention — and connect with the passionate, dedicated SMP community from across California that makes this work so meaningful.

And the venue? The beautiful Kimpton Sawyer Hotel in Sacramento's vibrant Downtown Commons (DOCO) district — steps from the Capitol, Old Sacramento Waterfront, restaurants, shopping, and entertainment. 😁

Come for a day. Stay for the week. Leave inspired, informed, and energized. 😍

🔗 Register now: cahealthadvocates.org/conference/

We can't wait to see you in Sacramento! 😄💫

09/28/2026

09/25/2026

Did you know that the 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown resulted in charges against 455 defendants, including 90 doctors and other licensed medical professionals, for their alleged participation in health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes involving over $6.5 billion in false claims and significant patient harm, including death?

Learn more:

The 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown resulted in charges against 455 defendants for their alleged participation in health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes involving over $6.5 billion in false claims and significant patient harm, including death.