Confused About What Health Insurance is Right for You? This Free Service Can Help.

Finding the right health insurance plan for you or your family can be a complicated matter. That’s why Washington Hospital offers Health Insurance Information Services (HIIS), a free, confidential program available to all members of the community.

“We help residents get the information they need to navigate the complex world of health insurance,” explained Kristi Caracappa, coordinator of the HIIS program. “Our goal is to enable people to make informed decisions about what is best for themselves and their families.”

If you and/or your spouse have insurance through your employer, HIIS can help you explore the options so you can find the best plan to fit your needs. That includes:

• Determining what to look for in a plan
• Understanding the difference in choices for open enrollment
• Maximizing benefits when spouses are enrolled in separate plans

In September, Health & Wellness seminars to help residents with health insurance options will be hosted in the community. The seminar, titled “Learn About Your Health Insurance Options During Open Enrollment” will take place on Tuesday, September 15 from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Washington Township Medical Foundation Newark Clinic located at 6236 Thornton Avenue in Newark and Thursday, September 17 from 1 to 3 p.m. in the Washington Township Medical Foundation Nakamura Clinic located at 33077 Alvarado-Niles Road in Union City. At the seminars, Caracappa will provide information on health insurance options for Medicare, Covered California and employer based insurance. Options for children, adults and seniors will be discussed. Information on free and low-cost services will also be provided. To register for either seminar, visit www.whhs.com/events or call 800.963.7070.

If you are turning 65 or you have become eligible for Medicare due to a disability, the service will provide Medicare enrollment counseling. This includes helping you to investigate the different options available, such as managed care, Medicare Supplement plans, and Medicare Part D Prescription Drug plans.

In October, Washington Hospital will also sponsor a free Health & Wellness seminar about Medicare enrollment. During the program, Caracappa will explain what people need to know as they become eligible for Medicare. For more information about the seminar, select Community Connection on the Hospital’s website at www.whhs.com or call 800.963.7070.

If you are interested in Medi-Cal enrollment, HIIS has information on which providers accept Medi-Cal. Financed by the State of California and the Federal government, Medi-Cal is a medical assistance program for individuals in the state who are medically indigent and meet certain criteria.

“We can help connect people with local doctors and community clinics that take Medi-Cal patients, said Caracappa.

“Another service we provide is to help people learn about and complete their advance health care directive,” added Caracappa. “We have access to a variety of tools to assist you in understanding what this important document means and how it enables you to plan and prepare for the future.”

Often called advance directive, the form enables you to express your wishes about medical treatment in the event that you become unable to communicate for yourself. At Washington Hospital, all patients over age 18 who are admitted to the Hospital are offered information about advance directive and asked if they have filled one out.

“If you put your preferences in writing ahead of time, before there is a problem or crisis, it is less scary,” commented Caracappa. “And, you can take comfort in knowing your caregivers will follow your wishes about medical treatment.”

The service can also advise you about where the completed advance directive should be stored so it is readily available when needed. For those who have completed an advance directive, Washington Hospital will keep the document in their medical record when the patient submits it to Medical Records.

You can reach the Health Insurance Information Service by calling (800) 770-9447 anytime from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Answers to your questions are available over the phone, or you can set up an appointment for a personal consultation.

Learn more

To find out more about Washington Hospital Health Insurance Information Service, go to www.whhs.com and click on Community Connection. For more information about advance health care directive, click here.