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.
Join representatives from AARP & Arlington County VICAP for an in-person class on Medicare 101.
Date: Saturday, April 26th
Time: 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Location: Shirlington Library
4200 Campbell Avenue
Arlington, 22206
Agenda:
- Medicare Overview
- Medicare Choices
- Medicare Premiums & Costs
- Assistance Paying for Medicare
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April is National Minority Health Month
National Minority Health Month raises awareness about disparities in health and encourages health equity for racial and ethnic minorities. Arlington County and the VICAP team remain committed to educating and empowering the community about the social determinants of health that impact minorities and older adults in underserved communities.
Social determinants of health can be grouped into five categories:
1. Economic Stability
2. Education Access & Quality
3. Health Care Access and Quality
4. Neighborhood and Built Environment
5. Social and Community Context
One of the largest barriers to good health is lack of health insurance. uninsured people often avoid seeking medical attention until their condition becomes critical. This issue is prevalent among undocumented Latinx individuals and families as they are less likely to apply for health insurance coverage out of fear of being deported.
As we continue working towards addressing disparities and inequities in health, we encourage you to utilize many of the free and supportive services offered to residents here at Arlington to help combat social determinants of health. Contact your local Area Agency on Aging to learn what resources are available for you or your loved ones.
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Slam The Scam!
Arlington County VICAP in collaboration with Arlington’s Commission on Aging, Arlington’s Parks and Recreation, Virginia’s Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP), and The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) held a hybrid presentation with representatives from the SMP and FBI discussing ways beneficiaries can protect themselves against Artificial Intelligence (AI), Imposter Scams and Romance Scams.
Learn more about the work the FBI, VICAP, and the SMP Programs are doing to inform, educate and empower older adults and persons with disabilities about fraud, waste, and abuse.
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Credit Card Fraud and ID Theft
Facts & Statistics [2024 Data Study]
Virginiasmp | February 26, 2025
If you have shifted to be more of an online shopper and banker like many Americans did during the COVID-19 pandemic, you might have thought about how safe your information is on the websites you enter it onto. Credit card fraud and identity theft are on the rise, and according to the Federal Trade Commission, in 2023, credit card fraud was the most reported identity theft type. (Read More)
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Dear VICAP Team,
How do I appeal if my hospital stay is ending too soon?
Dear Medicare Beneficiary,
If you believe you are being discharged too soon, you have the right to file an appeal. As a hospitalized Medicare beneficiary, you should receive an "Important Message from Medicare" that provides instructions for filing an expedited appeal. The appeal will be sent to the Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) to evaluate your discharge appeal. For an expedited appeal, you must appeal by no later than midnight on the day of your scheduled discharge. Once you file the appeal, you should receive a Detailed Notice of Discharge from the hospital explaining why the discharge is appropriate and why the hospital believes Medicare coverage for your stay is ending.
If the QIO agrees with the hospital's decision that your Medicare coverage of your hospital stay should end, you have the right to continue your appeal to higher levels of review. However, if you stay in the hospital after the QIO agrees with the hospital to end your Medicare for your hospital stay, you may be responsible for the full cost of your care from the date of that decision forward if you do not win a higher level of appeal. There are five levels of appeal, and each level has a separate time limit for when you must file the appeal and when you will receive a decision.
Here are some tips to help you succeed:
- Follow the appeal timelines for each level.
- Take good notes throughout the process & keep original copies of all documents.
- Include a letter from your doctor or other care-team member explaining why your specific circumstances require additional hospital care to support your appeal.
- Contact your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) for more guidance on your appeal.
 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
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