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Financial Resources for Caregivers

Date: 02/25/2009

These websites can help you navigate the financial challenges of caregiving...

Financial Resources for Caregivers

These websites can help you navigate the financial challenges of caregiving.

In today’s economic climate, caregivers face more challenges than ever when it comes to coping with the costs of caring for a loved one. The following agencies offer services to help ease the financial burden of caregiving by making sure your loved one is receiving the maximum benefits to which they are entitled from Medicare and other assistance programs.

APPRISE

http://www.vacnepa.org/apprise.html

570-347-5616

Created by the Pennsylvania Department of Aging, APPRISE is a state health insurance assistance program for residents age 60 and over. Specially trained APPRISE volunteers provide counseling to help these individuals and their caregivers understand their health insurance options under Medicare and make sound decisions about what is best for them.

These volunteers have direct access to state and federal Medicare information and resources and can also answer your questions about Medicaid, Medigap, long-term care insurance and preventive care. Assistance is available free of charge either via phone or in personal one-on-one sessions.

BenefitsCheckUp

http://www.benefitscheckup.org

A free and completely confidential service of the National Council on Aging, BenefitsCheckUp is designed to help the millions of older Americans who are eligible for but are not receiving full benefits from federal, state and local programs. Through the website, you can search more than 1,650 public and private benefits programs, from heating and energy assistance to prescriptions savings and income supplements, to identify additional benefits for which your loved one may qualify.

Ask Medicare

http://www.medicare.gov/caregivers

1-800-633-4227

Part of the official U.S. Government Medicare website, Ask Medicare offers a wealth of information for caregivers. The site covers a variety of topics, including help with billing questions, navigating Medicare, care options and local support, that are arranged under easily identified subject headings. You can even sign up for a Medicare e-newsletter to receive the latest updates.

Medicare Rights Center

http://www.medicarerights.org

1-800-333-4114

A national, nonprofit consumer service organization, the Medicare Rights Center is a reliable independent source of Medicare information and assistance. The center offers counseling to people across the country through their website, phone hotlines and a large volunteer network. Their online Medicare Interactive Counselor is a free, comprehensive source of information about health care rights and benefits, including an explanation of Medicare choices, how best to obtain coverage and get help with costs and how to handle appeals when care has been denied.