Arlington County’s Virginia Insurance Counseling and Assistance Program
(VICAP) provides free, unbiased, one-on-one insurance counseling to Arlington County Medicare Beneficiaries, their families, friends and caregivers.
Arlington's Aging and Disability Services Division is proud to partner with Volunteer Arlington, a program of the Leadership Center for Excellence for the 2023 MLK Day of Service on Monday, January 16th from 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM. This day of service will help to strengthen and empower our community through volunteer opportunities.
We will offer the chance to participate in a listen and learn session that will provide insight into volunteer opportunities with Arlington's older adults, specifically Arlington's Commission on Aging and Arlington's VICAP and Volunteer Guardianship programs.
Register here to join us for Volunteer Arlington's MLK Day of Service. With your help, we can make this holiday a "day on," not a day off!
|
Cervical Cancer Awareness Month
January is cervical cancer awareness month. Cervical cancer is a type of cancer than only women can get, and it is caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). Women are screened for cervical cancer during a Pap test. The CDC found that as women get older, they no longer get screened. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that the only way to know if it is safe to stop getting annual screenings, is if you have had several tests in the past 10 years with no findings of cancer.
Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) covers Pap tests and pelvic exams to check for cervical and vaginal cancers. Medicare also covers a clinical breast exam to check for breast cancer. Click here to learn more.
|
Don't Click on that Text! 5 Ways to Avoid Delivery Scams
Virginiasmp | December 12, 2022
Some consumers have recently been getting text messages stating a major delivery carrier needs them to “update delivery preferences” on a package by clicking on a link. The problem? The text is a scam, and the link results in the theft of personal information.
Most consumers love the convenience of making purchases online and having them shipped straight to their doorstep. But with millions of packages delivered each year, con artists and thieves have developed many ways to steal from shoppers. Fortunately, there are also many ways to protect yourself from their shady tactics. (Read More)
Click Here for Important EBT / P-EBT Card Scam Notice
|
Dear VICAP Team,
I'm turning 65 soon, but I already have a health insurance marketplace plan. Should I still enroll in Medicare if I have marketplace coverage?
Dear Medicare Beneficiary,
In most cased, you should enroll in Medicare and disenroll from a Qualified Health Plan (QHP) from your state's health insurance marketplace. There are two exceptions:
You have End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD)
- Medicare eligible recipients who have kidney disease and require dialysis or transplant have the option to enroll, or stay enrolled in a QHP with tax credit assistance
- Before making a decision to delay enrollment, be sure to consider the QHP's coverage in comparison to Medicare coverage
You do not qualify for premium-free Part A
- If you are a Medicare eligible recipient required to pay a Part A premium, you can elect to keep your QHP as long as you do not enroll in Medicare.
- Be sure to consider the consequences of delaying Medicare enrollment before deciding to keep a QHP. These consequences may include having to wait for the General Enrollment Period (GEP) to sign up for Medicare. Using the GEP means you may incur a late enrollment penalty (LEP) and experience gaps in your medical coverage.
Below is some additional information to keep in mind if you are deciding whether to enroll in Medicare or maintain a QHP from the marketplace:
- Once you are eligible for premium-free Part A, you are no longer eligible for tax credits to help pay your QHP marketplace premium.
- In many cases, it is not cost effective to have both Medicare and a QHP.
- When enrolling in Medicare late, you may face late enrollment penalties (LEP) or gaps in your medical coverage.
- If you have or are eligible for Medicare Part B, there is no guarantee that your QHP will continue to cover your medical care. This means you may be left with little or no coverage by your QHP.
If you, a loved one, or caregiver are having trouble deciding between marketplace coverage and Medicare, we welcome you to contact our VICAP team with any questions about your specific circumstance.
 Contact the Arlington County VICAP team by phone or email:
703-228-1725
MedicareHelp@arlingtonva.us
This project was supported, in part by grant number 90SAPG0064, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living (ACL), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy
|
