Which agency administers the Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP) in California, which provides free Medicare counseling?
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Answer & full 3-part explanation (select an option above, or peek)
Why B is correct
HICAP is a federally authorized program that provides free, unbiased counseling to Medicare beneficiaries and their families on Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Medigap, Part D, Medi-Cal, and long-term care issues. In California, HICAP is administered by the California Department of Aging, which oversees the network of local HICAP counselors. HICAP counselors do not sell policies; they provide objective guidance, which distinguishes the program from insurance sales. HICAP is funded through the federal State Health Insurance Assistance Program and administered in California by the Department of Aging. Its counselors are trained and certified to provide free, objective guidance on Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Medigap, Part D, and related programs, with no affiliation to any insurance product.
Why the other options are wrong
- C) Covered California administers the state exchange for QHPs, not the Medicare counseling program. Covered California administers the state exchange for individual and small-group plans, not the HICAP counseling program.
- D) The DMHC regulates health care service plans such as HMOs; it does not administer HICAP. The Department of Managed Health Care regulates HMOs and managed care plans but does not administer HICAP.
- A) SSA administers Social Security and Medicare enrollment, not HICAP counseling. Social Security handles Medicare enrollment and premium administration federally, while HICAP is a California counseling program run by the Department of Aging.
Memory hook
HICAP = free Medicare advice run by the Department of Aging, not a sales desk.