Arlington County’s Virginia Insurance Counseling and Assistance Program
(VICAP) provides free, in-depth, one-on-one insurance counseling to Arlington
County Medicare Beneficiaries, their families, friends and caregivers.
If you are caring for an elderly, ill, or disabled family member, you are one of about 44 million Americans who care for loved ones with a chronic illness or disability. Family caregivers provide an average of 24 hours of care per week. Join Arlington County's Virginia Insurance Counseling and Assistance Program (VICAP) to learn about the following presentation topics:
- What Caregivers Should Know About Medicare
- Home Health Services Covered by Medicare
- Resources for Caregivers
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July is Disability Pride Month!
This month celebrates the Americans with Disabilities Act, signed into law on July 26th, 1990. Disability Pride Month honors, accepts, and recognizes the individuality and uniqueness of person's with disabilities as a part of human diversity.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 61 million adults in the U.S. live with a disability. 2020 statistics show that in the state of VA, 37.7% of residents age 65 and older have a disability, with American Indian/Alaskan Natives and Blacks having the highest rates of individuals living with a disability. People living with disability face greater challenges accessing health care, higher risks of depression and anxiety, and higher risk of participating in risky health behaviors such as smoking.
Did you know that people under age 65 are also eligible for Medicare if they have received Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) for at least 24 months? Certain Medicare eligible beneficiaries are able to join a type of Medicare Advantage Plan, called a “Special Needs Plan.”, designed to meet specific care needs. There are three types of SNP's:
- Chronic Condition SNPs (C-SNPs): For individuals with specific chronic conditions, such as cancer, dementia, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, stroke, End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), and certain neurologic disorders
- Institutional SNPs (I-SNPs): For individuals who live in an institution, such as a nursing home, long-term care skilled nursing facility (LTC SNF), intermediate care facility, or assisted living facility
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Dual Eligible SNPs (D-SNPs): For individuals enrolled in Medicare and Medicaid (dually eligible individuals)
To learn more about Special Needs Plans, Click here.
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Criminals Target Medicare Benefits to Reap Millions| June 27, 2022
When criminals steal from you, the pain is raw, immediate and personal. But in arguably the costliest fraud in America, crooks use you merely as a tool for getting to a bigger target — your tax dollars that fund the federal government’s health care programs.
In any given year, an estimated 5 to 10 percent of the entire budget for Medicare is lost to fraudulent billing — often seeking reimbursement for services never provided. These schemes succeed by manipulating Medicare members or stealing and misusing their private information. (Read More)
Click Here to learn more about dollars lost to Fraud
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Dear VICAP Team,
My dad was misdiagnosed and received unnecessary and painful treatment. We are very upset about his situation but are not sure what we can do about it. What can Medicare beneficiaries do when they receive poor quality of care?
Dear Medicare Beneficiary,
I am so sorry to hear about your fathers situation. Concerns regarding the quality of care that a beneficiary receives from their provider can be directed to the Beneficiary and Family Centered Care-Quality Improvement Organization (BFFCC-QIO) for your area. The BFFCC-QIOs are made up of practicing doctors, health experts, and consumers meant to improve the quality of care for Medicare beneficiaries. They review complaints about the quality of care received by physicians, hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, home health agencies, and ambulatory surgery centers.
You may wish to file a quality-of-care complaint when:
- You experience a Medicare mistake
- Develop an infection during a stay in a facility
- Receive the wrong treatment or care
- Run into barriers to receive the care you need
To file a quality-of-care complaint, you can call your QIO or submit a written complaint. Once the BFFCC-QIO receives your complaint:
- You should receive a call from them asking clarifying questions regarding your complaint and the contact information for you provider
- A physician matching the same specialty will review your medical record and assess if the care provided did or did not meet the medical standard of care
Please note that the review process may take up to a few months. Once complete, you and your doctor will receive a written notice and a notice by phone.
Click here to find the BFCC-QIO in your state or territory, or call 1-800-MEDICARE.
If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, you can make complaints regarding your quality of care to the BFCC-QIO, file a grievance, or do both.
 Contact the Arlington County VICAP team by phone or email:
703-228-1725
MedicareHelp@arlingtonva.us
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