Benefits and Healthcare Navigation Center: Tools for Navigating the Healthcare and Benefits Systems

Medicare

Medicare Overview
This document entitled -"The Road to Medicare: Planning Your Drive Toward 65" (PDF) provides an overview of Medicare and enrollment information.

Official Medicare Web Site
Medicare’s main site where you can learn more about Medicare and enroll in benefits.

Compare Medication Plans
The Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Finder  is a tool where you can enter your medications and get cost comparison of plans based on that information.

Compare Medicare Health Plans and Medigap Policies
Medicare Options Compare is a tool you can use to find and compare Medicare Advantage/Health Plans and find and compare Medigap policies.

Manage Your Medicare Benefits
Mymedicare.gov is a website for managing your Medicare benefits and check the status of claims.

Medicare Guidance
Medicare Interactive is a free resource of the Medicare Rights Center and provides Medicare-related guidance on topics such as eligibility and enrollment, coverage, rights and protections, health plan options, prescription drugs, and programs for people with lower income.

Medicare Caregiver Information
Caregiver Support Resources is part of the Medicare website that provides resources and information for caregivers.

Extra Benefits Or Programs

Income Eligibility
The document entitled, "Eligibility Information for Medicaid - Medicare Savings Programs" (PDF) provides income eligibility information for the Medicaid - Medicare Savings Programs.

Social Security Benefits
On the Social Security Administration's website you can learn about your social security benefits and apply for benefits including the extra help benefit for Medicare Part D.

Payment Assistance
Georgia COMPASS is the Common Point of Access To Social Services in Georgia.  This website is a quick and easy way for people who live in Georgia to find out if they might be able to get: assistance with paying Medicare Part B premium and co-insurance, Medicaid benefits, help with buying food, low or no-cost health care, home energy assistance, cash assistance, and more.

Older Americans with Limited Income
The Benefits CheckUp Web site was developed and is maintained by The National Council on Aging (NCOA), Benefits CheckUp is a Web-based service to screen for benefits programs for seniors with limited income and resources.  Benefits CheckUp includes information on benefits programs such as: Prescription drugs, Nutrition (including Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP)/Food Stamps), Energy assistance, and much more.  The links below are videos about Benefits CheckUp.

Prescription Assistance

Don't have Prescription Drug Coverage?
The Partnership for Prescription Assistance helps qualifying patients without prescription drug coverage get the medicines they need by connecting them to different medication aid programs.

Can't Afford Healthcare Costs?
Needy Meds is a 501(3)(c) non-profit with the mission of helping people who cannot afford medicine or healthcare costs.

Patient Assistance Programs
Rx Assist offers a comprehensive database of patient assistance programs, as well as practical tools, news, and articles so that health care professionals and patients can find the information they need.

Long Term Care Planning

Long Term Care Overview
Long Term Care  provides an overview of long term care

Planning for Long Term Care
Medicare’s Long Term Care Planning Tool helps you understand: What long-term care services are available, how much you can expect to pay for long-term care, and what financing options are available to support your long-term care costs.

Planning for Retirement
Mapping Your Future provides information on planning for retirement on 5 main topic areas:  Health, Housing, Work and Leisure, Finances, and Relationships

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - Planning for Long Term Care
The National Clearinghouse for Long-Term Care Information Web site was developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to provide information and resources to help you and your family plan for future long-term care (LTC) needs.

Health Information

U.S. Health and Human Services
Health Finder is the U.S. Health and Human Services web site with general health information, information on health conditions and the site includes health calculators such as body mass index, target heart rate and more.

Research Health Topics and Symptoms
WebMD is A health information Web site where you can find out about various health topics as well as search by symptoms to learn what health conditions you should be checked for.  WebMD also includes a community blog session.

Senior Health
The National Institute on Health Senior Health Web site containing information for older adults was developed by the National Institute on Aging and the National Library of Medicine, both part of the National Institutes of Health. This website contains a wide range of information on many health topics including: Alzheimer's Disease, Arthritis, Balance Problems, Breast Cancer, Colorectal Cancer, Diabetes, Exercise for Older Adults, Hearing Loss, Lung Cancer, Prostate Cancer, Taking Medicines, and many more.

Healthy Aging
The Healthy Aging Program (HAP) serves as the focal point for older adult health at CDC, and establishes programs, develops innovative tools, and provides a comprehensive approach to helping older adults live longer, high-quality, productive, and independent lives.

Tools to Help You Move through the Healthcare System

Prepare for Your Hospital Stay
The document entitled, "When I Go the Hospital, and See My Doctor: An Simple Guide for Older Adults and Caregivers" (PDF) answers questions and better prepares someone for a hospital stay.

Prepare for Your Next Doctor's Appointment
The Ask Me 3 (PDF) document provides information on the 3 things you should ask your doctor during a appointment.

Hospital Visits for Loved Ones with Memory Issues – Tips for Friends and Family Members
The document entitled, "Hospital Visits for Loved Ones with Memory Issues – Tips for Friends and Family Members" (PDF) provides information on preparing for a hospital visit for someone who has memory issues or dementia.

Personal Health Record
"My Personal Health Record" (PDF) is a document to help capture all of your important health information in one place including doctors' contact information, health conditions, medications, vaccine history, and more.

Georgia Advance Directive for Health Care
The Georgia Advance Directive for Health Care (PDF) is a document that allows you to choose someone to make health care decisions for you when you cannot (or do not want to) make health care decisions for yourself, allows you to state your treatment preferences if you have a terminal condition or if you are in a state of permanent unconsciousness, and allows you to nominate a person to be your guardian should one ever be needed.

This project was supported, in part, by funding from the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a) in partnership with the Administration on Aging (AoA) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  Subcontractors undertaking projects are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions.  Therefore, points of view or opinions do not necessarily represent official n4a, AoA, or CMS endorsement.