Navigating the Medicare maze

www.cahealthadvocates.org

If you’re among the 4 million Californians on Medicare, understanding your coverage can benefit your body and your wallet.

Medicare, the federal health insurance program for those over age 64 and the disabled, can help pay many doctor and hospital bills, but it also comes with significant limitations.

The website of California Health Advocates, a Sacramento-based nonprofit group, aims to guide Californians through the Medicare maze.

A good starting point is the “Medicare basics” page, which defines who’s eligible for the program and outlines the benefits and costs.

The site also addresses prescription drug coverage, billing and claims, low-income help, long-term care and the coordination of benefits with other health insurance. Some information is available in podcasts, both in English and Spanish.

For those needing personal assistance, the site includes contact information for offices of the Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program in each California county.