DESCRIPTION: The Senior LinkAge Line (SLL) is the State of Minnesota's source for free objective information and assistance for older Minnesotans and their families. The Senior LinkAge Line helps Minnesotans with many aging-related issues, including but not limited to: * Finding help and services in the community * Helping people return home from a nursing facility or hospital stay * Offering health insurance counseling - including Medicare, long-term care planning, and prescription drug costs * Providing forms assistance, including help applying for Medical Assistance and extra help with Medicare options * Helping people of all ages apply for prescription drug payment assistance * Processing pre-admission screenings for nursing facility admissions The Senior LinkAge Line is Minnesota's designated Long-Term Care Options Counseling service, State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP), and the aging side of the Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC). The Senior LinkAge Line is a service of the Minnesota Board on Aging in partnership with Minnesota and serves all 87 counties in Minnesota. The Senior LinkAge Line helps older Minnesotans and caregivers find answers and connect to the services and support they need. In addition, this service uses a language line service to help callers who speak languages other than English. The Senior LinkAge Line also has a variety of volunteer roles, ranging from providing health insurance counseling, to administrative office tasks, to presentations to the public.

DESCRIPTION: Learn more about a specific topic and how to connect to additional resources and services. MORE INFORMATION State-based program that offers local one-on-one counseling and assistance to people with Medicare and their families Through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) funded grants directed to states, State Health Insurance Assistance Programs provide free counseling and assistance via telephone and face-to-face interactive sessions, public education presentations and programs, and media activities.

DESCRIPTION: Program that works on behalf of individuals and/or groups to make sure that they receive the benefits and services for which they are eligible MORE INFORMATION Provides resources to help older people and people with disabilities obtain Medicare and necessary health care

DESCRIPTION: Learn more about a specific topic and how to connect to additional resources and services. MORE INFORMATION Benefits Finder Tool: * Older adults can use the online tool to find help with prescription drug costs, health care, utility bills, food and more * Tool is set up as a series of questions, and generates a report with available benefits and program contacts listed Medicare Information Tool: Use the Benefits Tool and select HealthCare: * Provides guidance to make it easier for people with Medicare (and those turning 65) to make choices about health coverage. * Information and decision-support tools provided by National Council on Aging (NCOA) that help people make good decisions and save money * For those who choose it, there is free one-on-one assistance in choosing and enrolling in healthcare coverage. A licensed Benefits Advisor at Aon Retiree Health Exchange will help you find the plan that fits you best.

DESCRIPTION: Learn more about a specific topic and how to connect to additional resources and services. MORE INFORMATION The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is a federal agency within the United States Department of Health and Human Services that administers and oversees Medicare. The Center operates a toll-free helpline and an official government website to help consumers understand and use Medicare. Telephone assistance is available with a toll-free, 24/7/365 phone number. Get help with: * Comparing health and/or Part D drug plans using the [Medicare Plan Finder Tool](https://www.medicare.gov/plan-compare) * Reviewing, enrolling or changing Medicare Advantage or Medicare Part D plans * Learning what Medicare does and does not cover * Learning about Medicare health insurance and Medicare drug coverage (Part D) * Claims and appeals * Forms, publications * Identity theft and how to report fraud and abuse [Check the status of your eligibility, enrollment, benefits, and claims](https://www.medicare.gov/my/home) Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) also works in partnership with state governments to administer Medical Assistance, the State Children's Health Insurance Program, and health insurance portability standards.

DESCRIPTION: Staff or volunteers answer questions or talk confidentially with callers. Program can provide information, a sympathetic listener, advice and/or referrals to other resources. MORE INFORMATION Offers phone support to consumers: * Help understanding Medicare benefits regarding planning future benefits and managing current benefits * How to report Medicare fraud

DESCRIPTION: Program that works on behalf of individuals and/or groups to make sure that they receive the benefits and services for which they are eligible MORE INFORMATION Provides resources to help older people and people with disabilities obtain Medicare and necessary health care

DESCRIPTION: Ensures Medicare pays only for services where it is the primary payer and that no other insurance or reimbursement payment options exist. Their work includes: * Ensuring that Medicare gets repaid by the beneficiary for any conditional payments it makes related to a liability, no-fault, or workers' compensation case for parts A and B claims * Identifying situations in which Medicare beneficiaries have other insurance that is primary to Medicare * Collecting, managing, and reporting of other insurance coverage for beneficiaries * Determining which insurance plan has the primary payment responsibility and the extent to which the other plans will contribute when an individual is covered by more than one plan * Researching if Medicare or another plan or policy should pay first * Recovering payments from beneficiaries made for them by mistake * Updating databases about employer, no-fault and workers' compensation plans * Creating Medicare Secondary Payer (MSP) records to keep Medicare from paying when it shouldn't * Sharing data to the Medicare Beneficiary Database (MBD) for prescription drug benefit coordination