Benefits Counseling

AAACAP Benefits Counseling Program provides HICAP/SHIP-certified Medicare Benefit Counselors to answer questions about Medicare health care coverage, issues and public benefits. A benefit counselor provides information and counseling free of charge to seniors 60 years of age or older and to Medicare beneficiaries of any age.

CAPCOG and AAACAP is always seeking volunteers for the benefits counseling program.

Medicare

Benefit counselors assist Medicare beneficiaries in the following areas:

• Medicare Parts A & B
• Medicare Prescription Drug Plans (Part D)
• Medicare Advantage Plans (Part C)
• Extra Help with Part D Prescription Drug Costs (a program thru Social Security Administration)
• Medicare Savings Programs to help pay for Medicare Part B premium (thru Texas HHSC)
• Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) Policies
• Medicare Appeals Rights and Representation
• Medicare and Employer/Secondary Health Insurance interaction
• Public Benefits Programs
• Medicare Fraud Prevention
• Medicare Preventive Health
• Understanding Medicare when you first become eligible
• Open Enrollment Period plan selection for Part D Drug Plans and Advantage Plans

For free one-on-one confidential counseling, call a Medicare benefit counselor today at 512-916-6062 or toll free 888-622-9111, ext. 6062.

Medicare & other Fraud Webinars

The benefits counselor program works to raise awareness about fraud and scams that affect older adults. It does so in an effort to reduce the criminal active and to help prevent older adults from becoming victims of these predatory crimes. While not limited to older adults, they are often targets of these crimes, which also can seek to obtain Medicare monies.

Top 10 Scams of 2021

The Area Agency on Aging of the Capital Area’s (AAACAP) Benefits Counselors Program hosted Texas Senior Medicare Patrol for a webinar about the top 10 scams targeting older adults and Medicare recipients. The webinar covered common versions of the scams, how they may rely on empathy and sympathy to target older adults, how older adults can identify such scams, how to help prevent from being a victim, and more.

Watch the video on YouTube.

For more information about Medicare and other scams targeting older adults, contact the benefits counselors.

If you are calling about Medicare Open Enrollment, please contact 1-800 Medicare(633-4227) or go to Medicare.gov.

Medicare Open Enrollment runs from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7.

Find helpful hints about Medicare Enrollment options.

Affordable Care Act Information

Medicare is separate from the new Health Insurance Marketplace established by the federal Affordable Care Act, but Area Agency on Aging benefits counselors can explain the differences between both programs and answer questions. Call 512-916-6062 or toll free 888-622-9111, ext. 6062 for help.

Long-term Care Services

Long-term care assistance is provided through Texas Health and Human Services Commission and the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services. See the eligibility table for information on allowable financial resource amounts and office contact phone numbers.

BenefitsCheckUp®

BenefitsCheckUp is a web-based screening tool which helps to find local, state and federal programs. It can help many people with expenses such as prescription drugs, rent, heating bills, meals and more. The service is a National Council on Aging, a national non-profit organization based in Washington, DC, program. It’s simple. It’s fast. It’s free. It’s private.

Hint: “Find More Benefits Programs” will give a user the widest variety of programs for which they may be eligible. If someone needs assistance, please call AAACAP and ask for a benefit counselor. AAACAP’s benefit counselors can help complete the CheckUp.

Fill out the confidential questionnaire of your choice Benefits Checkup.