HIICAP
HIICAP which stands for Health Insurance Information Counseling and Assistance Program is a federally-funded program from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). HIICAP is adminstered by the New York State Office for the Aging.

To access HIICAP, call our counselor at 518.935.2307 or Albany County's New York Connects at 518.447.7177.

HIICAP can help you:

• understand the Medicare prescription drug benefit (Medicare Part D) and how to select the best plan
  
  
• understand "Extra Help", a low income subsidy offered by the Social Security Administration
  
  
• find ways to pay for your prescription drugs or medical equipment
  
  
• understand and apply for EPIC (Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage)
  
  
• choose between original Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans, including Medicare HMOs, Medicare PPOs, Medicare Special Needs Plans and Medicare Private Fee-for-Service Plans
  
  
• understand Medicare rules and your medical bills
  
  
• report possible Medicare fraud or abuse
  
  
• appeal a decision by Medicare, your managed care provider or other health insurance company
  
  
• discover ways to fill Medicare's gaps
  
  
• file an insurance claim and deal with paperwork
  
  
• learn about prevention and screening coverage that keeps you healthy or helps detect issues early