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58 West Loop Drive    Camarillo, CA 93010   Tel. 805-484-0055

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Self-help Resources -- Free Healthcare Insurance Information, Health Insurance Consumer Rights  & Uninsured Patient Advice

Notice:  You are on the Alamar Healthcare, Inc. Self-Help Resources page.   This page contains an interactive list of local, state and federal resources.  Once you click on any of these listings you will be leaving the Alamar Healthcare, Inc. website in order to visit a collection of third-party websites. We have provided a list of these resources and links for your convenience, but please note that Alamar Healthcare, Inc. does not monitor content on other websites and does not endorse and is not responsible for the content, guarantees, privacy policy, security, and products and services that are offered or expressed by third parties and their websites.

Free Healthcare Insurance Information, Health Insurance Consumer Rights  & Uninsured Patient Advice
Emphasis on California as well as U.S. Agencies

No Endorsement Is Intended for Any Website or Organization Appearing on This List

Reprinted here by permission.  Copyright 2009 Marlene Allan. All Rights Reserved Worldwide

This website is intended for educational use. and may be printed and used solely for that purpose.
You may not distribute, modify, transmit, reuse, download, repost, copy, or use

the contents of the Site for public or commercial purposes, for personal gain,

without the express prior written permission of Marlene Allan at mma93010(at)Yahoo.com.

Legend:  > information of interest    >> significant resource    >>>  high level of information resource


Choosing and Comparing 
Health Insurance

 

>>
California Department of Managed

Health Care (DMHC)

The Most Informative website for Californians

on Health Care Coverage--great tools and

resources and Consumer Complaints Hotline

Mailing Address:

Department of Managed Health Care

California Help Center

980 9th Street, Suite 500

Sacramento, CA 95814-2725

Telephone 1-888-466-2219 (multi-language)

FAX: 916-255-5241

TDD: 1-877-688-9891

http://www.dmhc.ca.gov/

 

>>
Foundation For Health Coverage Information

Simple public and private health insurance

eligibility information in order to help more

people access coverage, including the uninsured

and the under-insured from this non-profit public

advocacy and education site.

http:/ / www.coverageforall.org

 
>
 
California Department of Insurance (CDI)

Information on health insurance plans in

California (CDI licenses and regulates some non-HMO

health and disability insurance and most Medigap plans.)

1-800-927-4357 (many languages)

1-800-482-4833 (TTY)

www.insurance.ca.gov (Spanish)

 

>>>
HICAP (California Health Insurance

Counseling and Advocacy Program)

Free information, counseling, and advocacy

for people who have or will soon have

Medicare 1-800-434-0222 (many languages)

http://www.cahealthadvocates.org/about/HICAP.html

 

>
Consumer's Guide to Getting and Keeping

Health Insurance in California

Information on insurance, including low-cost

health care

www.healthinsuranceinfo.net

 

eHealth Insurance     Note:  a private for-profit company!

Private company has tools and advertisers to

compare health insurance plans and costs

1-800-977-8860 (Spanish)

www.ehealthinsurance.com

 

>
Health Coverage Guide

Information on health insurance for small

businesses, including cost estimates, tax

savings and legal rights

www.healthcoverageguide.org

 

Internal Revenue Service

Form 969, for information on Health Savings

Accounts and Flexible Spending Accounts

1-888-829-1040 (many languages)

1-829-4059 (TTY)

www.irs.gov (Spanish)

 

>
MRMIP (California Major Risk Medical

Insurance Program)

California's insurance program for people

with serious health problems who have

difficulty buying individual health insurance

because of their medical history

1-800-289-6574 (many languages)

1-800-735-2929 (TTY)

www.mrmib.ca.gov

 

>
National Association of Health Underwriters

Links toThe "Men In Black" MIB Healthcare Records Database
that includes your personal health claim history
available to health, auto, life, etc. insurers.
Can be reviewed and corrected for $8.00 per year.
Information on Health Savings Accounts.

 

www.nahu.org/consumer/HSAGuide.cfm

 



AIM Program (Access for Infants and

Mothers)

Low-cost health insurance for low-income and

middle-income pregnant women and their

newborns  1-800-433-2611 (many languages)

www.aim.ca.gov (Spanish)

 

>
California Children's Services (CCS)

A statewide program that treats children with

Certain disabilities and health problems

www.dhs.ca.gov/pcfh/cms/ccs/

 

>
County
Medical
Services Program (CMSP)

Health care for low-income adults in 34

California counties

www.cmspcounties.org

 

>
Health Consumer

Fact sheets on low-cost health care, in many

languages

www.healthconsumer.org (many languages)

 

>
Healthy Families

State program with low-cost health and

dental insurance for children in low-income families

1-800-880-5305 (many languages)

www.healthyfamilies.ca.gov (Spanish)

 

>
Medi-Cal

State and federal program with health care for

people who qualify because of low or no

incomes and/or costly disabilities

1-800-541-5555 (Spanish)

1-916-636-1980 (many languages)

1-866-784-2595 (TTY)

www.medi-cal.ca.gov

 


Medi-Cal Fair Hearing

File an appeal if your health plan denies you

the services you need  1-800-952-5253 (Spanish)

 

>
Medi-Cal Managed Care Ombudsman

Help if you have a problem you cannot solve

with your health plan

1-888-452-8609 (many languages)

 

>
Medi-Cal Mental Health Care

Ombudsman

Help with Medi-Cal mental health care

services 1-800-896-4042 (many languages)

 

Medications At Low-Cost or No Cost

>
Partnership for Prescription Assistance

Help for patients who do not have

prescription drug coverage 1-888-477-2669

https://www.pparx.org/about.php (Spanish)

 

>
Co-Pay Relief
TM  Prescription Drug Payment Assistance

Financial assistance with prescription drug

co-payments for patients with certain

diseases and illnesses.

1-800-532-5274 (Spanish)

www.copays.org

 
>> 

 RX Help for CA prescription Drug Payment Assistance

Help for patients who do not have

prescription drug coverage 1-877-777-7815

 

Destination Rx Private website with

advertisers to help you to compare drug

costs in your zip code by entering monthly

dosage to get a fare comparison of your local

retail pharmacies. Prices can differ by 300%!

http://http://www.drx.com/www.rxhelpforca.org

 

Keeping Your Health Insurance

(Federal COBRA, Cal-COBRA, HIPAA)

These are laws that allow you to keep your

health insurance if you lose your job or your

hours are reduced.

>
 
U.S. Department of Labor COBRA

Information on the Federal COBRA program

to help you keep group health insurance if

you lose your job or your hours are cut

1-866-444-3272 (Spanish, Chinese) 1-877-889-5627

www.dol.gov/dol/topic/healthplans/cobra.htm (Spanish)

 

>California Office of the Patient Advocate

Information for Cal-COBRA free advocacy, including

employees of small businesses. an agency of last resort

http://www.opa.ca.gov/english/about/consumer_information/

COBRA_financial_assistance.aspx
1-866-466-8900
TTY 1-866-499-0858

980 9th Street, Suite 500
Sacramento , CA 95814
(916) 324-6407
 
 

 

 
U.S.
Department of Labor HIPAA

Information on your Federal HIPAA rights to

buy or keep

health insurance

1-866-444-3272 (Spanish, Chinese)

1-877-889-5627 (TTY)

www.dol.gov/dol/topic/healthplans/

portability.htm (Spanish)

 

Disabilities

>
Californians for Disability Rights

Member organization representing people

with disabilities  (Click on "Chapters" to see

resources in your area.)

www.disabilityrights-cdr.org

 

 

 

>
Disability
Rights Legal Center

Legal aid and referrals for people with

disabilities, including a Cancer Legal

Resource Center, a Learning

Rights Project, and other resources

www.disabilityrightslegalcenter.org

 

Family Voices

Health care advocacy for children with

disabilities 1-888-835-5669

www.familyvoices.org (Spanish)

1-866-226-1819 (TTY)

 

Aging/Medicare

>>
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid

Services,

7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore MD

21244 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227)

(many languages)

http://www.medicare.gov/default.asp

 

>>>
HICAP (California Health Insurance

Counseling and Advocacy Program)

Free information, counseling, and advocacy

for people who have or will soon have

Medicare

1-800-434-0222 (many languages)

www.cahealthadvocates.org

 

>
California
's HMO Guide for Seniors

Information on HMOs for Medicare

members1-800-466-8900 (Spanish, Chinese)

1-866-499-0858 (TDD) www.opa.ca.gov

 

California Registry

Information on hospice and long-term care

1-800-777-7575

www.calregistry.com

 

>>>
Alamar Healthcare, Inc. 

Private Internal Medicine/Geriatrics Practice

in Camarillo, California maintains self-help

links including most articles and forms

provided in this guide.  Also includes articles

on specific diseases and treatments from

government and university websites.

 

If you are not currently on the Alamar Healthcare
website, go to http://www.alamarhealth.com Self-help page
 

 

Mental Health

>>
California Department of

Developmental Services

California agency that provides services and

support to people.

http://www.dds.cahwnet.gov/

 

>
California Department of Mental Health

California's public mental health system with

services and information available to adults

and children.

1-800-896-4042

1-800-896-2512 (TTY)

www.dmh.ca.gov

 

>
California
Office of Patients' Rights

Advocacy for patients hospitalized with

mental illness  1-916-575-1610

 

>
California Office of Privacy Protection

A Consumer Guide to Health Information

Privacy in California.

1-866-785-9663  916-323-7299 (Fax)

www.privacy.ca.gov

 

Center for Mental Health Services

Provides information about mental health.

1-800-789-2647

 

Early Start

A state program for infants and toddlers

who have or are at risk for developmental

delay or disability. 1-800-515-BABY

www.dds.ca.gov/earlystart

 

>>
Medi-Cal Mental Heath Care Ombudsman

Information and help with Medi-Cal mental

health care services, advocacy agency of last resort

1-800-896-4042 (Spanish)

1-800-896-2512 (TTY)

www.dmh.cahwnet.gov/Ombudsman

Services/default.asp

(Spanish)

 

Diseases and Treatments—

General Information

Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention

Information on immunizations, preventing

diseases, health disasters, and other issues

1-800-232-4636 (Spanish)

1-888-232-6548 (TTY)

www.cdc.gov (Spanish)

 

Clinical Trials

Information on experimental clinical trials of

medical treatments, procedures, and medication trials

www.clinicaltrials.gov

 


Joint Commission on Accreditation of

Healthcare Organizations

Information on health care standards;

accepts reports of hospital abuse or substandard

hospital conditions

www.jcaho.org

 


Mayo Clinic Health Oasis

Easy-to-understand information on health

topics

www.mayoclinic.org

 

>>
Medline Plus

Information on many health , top librarian choice for disease
and treatment research and searches

www.medlineplus.org (Spanish)

 

>>
National Hispanic Prenatal Helpline

Información sobre el embarazo, parto, y el

cuidado de los infants.

Information about pregnancy, birth, and child

care

1-800-504-7081 (Spanish)

www.hispanichealth.org (Spanish)

 

>
National Immunization Hotline

A guide to vaccines for children and adults

1-800-232-2522 (Spanish)

1-888-232-6348 (TTY)

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines (Spanish)

 

National Institute of Health

Government agency with information on

Many health issues, including new treatments

for diseases.  www.nih.gov

 

>>National Library of Medicine

Prescription drug information; directories of

physicians, hospitals, and other medical providers

www.medlineplus.gov (Spanish)

 

Patient Advocate Foundation

Patient assistance programs which ensure

access to health care services, maintenance

of employment and preservation of financial

stability

www.patientadvocate.org

1-800-532-5274 (Spanish)

 

General References

Medical Board of California

Licenses and takes complaints on medical

doctors and certain other providers; online

check of licenses and citations

1-800-633-2322

1-916-263-0935 (TTY)

www.medbd.ca.gov

 

California Immigrant Welfare Collaborative

Health, benefits and rights information for

Immigrants 1-916-448-6762 (Spanish)

www.caimmigrant.org

 

California Pan-Ethnic Health Network

Advocacy for health care for people from all

cultural and linguistic groups.  www.cpehn.org

 

Su Familia

Information and referrals in Spanish to local

health clinics  1-866-783-2645 (Spanish)

www.hispanichealth.org (Spanish)

 

TAA and ATAA

If NAFTA caused your job loss or if you were

laid off because your job was shifted outside

the USA, find two other people affected in your

company and file for this fabulous benefit IF .

FUNDING IS STILL AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME.

Covers job retraining (may be required), un-employment

insurance extentions, and up to to 65% of your healthcare

insurance premium [the federal Dept. of Labor says,

“Helps self-formed volunteer groups of 3 or

more International trade agreement -affected

workers who have lost their jobs as a result of

increased imports or shifts in production out

of the United States to find health insurance.”]

 

The complex work of establishing benefits for

you and fellow workers is handled for FREE at

West Oxnard Job and Career Center

635 S. Ventura Road

Oxnard, CA 93030

phn: 805-382-8610

Insurance premium help for TAA and ATAA

qualified workers, call Health Care Tax Credit

Customer Contact Center at toll-free

1-866-628-4282 (TTD/TTY callers may call tollfree

at 1-866-626-4282). (English and Spanish)

Note: Apply, Appeal, Submit Grievance if denied.

http://www.dpa.ca.gov/benefits/health/premiums

.shtm

 

A. M. Best Company

How Financially Healthy Is Your

Health Insurance Carrier? Know before you

enroll in their insurance plans.

http://www3.ambest.com/lh/morepr.asp