Someone to help you understand Disability, Healthcare and Assistance Program and how they work together.
A Benefits Advocate has the skills and knowledge to help you make good decisions about your medical and financial welfare. Disability and healthcare assistance programs are difficult toaccess and manage. Your Benefits Advocate will help ensure an uninterrupted stream of income and access to health care coverage. Following is a list of programs your Benefits Advocate knows about:
California State Programs · Unemployment Insurance (UIB) · State Disability Program (SDI)
Social Security Programs · Supplemental Security Income (SSI) · Presumptive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) · Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) · Request for Reconsideration · Representation Before Administrative Law Judges
Return to Work Incentives · Medi-Cal 250% Working Disabled Program · SSDI Trial Return to Work Period · Extended Period of Eligibility · Medi-Care Continuation · Ticket to Work · How to Avoid a Social Security Overpayment When You Return to Work · Negotiate Settlement of Overpayments with Social Security
The Benefits Advocacy program is designed to provide the fastest possible access to medical care and medications. Your Benefits Advocate can coordinate between the various private and public programs to ensure that you have consistent access to care and medications.
Health Care Coverage · County Medical Services Program · Medi-CAL · AIDS Drug Assistance Program · Medi-Care · Medi-Care Part D · Medi-Gap Policies · Private Health Insurance · Medi-CAL/HIPP · CARE-HIPP · COBRA · In-Home Supportive Services · Appeals for MediCare and CMSP Denials
Other Services · Pre-Disability Counseling · Credit /Collections · Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare · Durable Power of Attorney for Finances · Long/Short Term Disability · Retirement/Pension
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: Q. I am currently working but don’t feel like I can continue to work full-time, what do I do? A. Working with a Benefits Advocate can expedite your applications for public and private disability payments.
Q. I have huge co-pay on my prescriptions, how do I manage this? A. If your income is under $3610 a month you should qualify to have ADAP cover your copayments for all HIV meds and many others.
Q. I just got a letter from Social Security saying I owe them money. Why? A. Talking to your Benefits Advocate can help you avoid overpayments when you return to work or begin to receive income from another source.
Q. What will happen if I go back to work after being on SSDI/SSI?. A. Social Security encourages to people to return to work and have many generous provisions. A Benefits Advocate help you determine the pros and cons of returning to work for any job you are considering.
ELIGIBILITY: You can be referred by a Case Manager or call the Benefits Advocate directly at Marin AIDS Project at 415/457-2487.
To be eligible for services you must meet the following criteria:
HIV/AIDS diagnosis Marin County residency Monthly income is less than $3,610
