Links and Helplines

This is a list of useful websites and phone numbers. Toll-free phone numbers begin with 1-800, 1-866, 1-877, and 1-888. If there is no TTY, call 7-1-1. If you have a speech disability, you can call the Speech-to-Speech Relay, 1-800-854-7784.

About Health Plans

California Department of Insurance
Insurance Information
1-800-927-4357 (many languages)
1-800-482-4833 (TTY)
www.insurance.ca.gov (Spanish)

HMO Help Center
Information and help for California HMO members
1-888-HMO-2219 (many languages)
1-877-688-9891 (TTY)
www.hmohelp.ca.gov (Spanish, Chinese)

Cal Medicare
Information for Medicare members
1-888-430-2423 (Spanish) (publications order line only)
1-800-434-2000 (connects to local Medicare assistance)
www.calmedicare.org (Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese)

MRMIP (California Major Risk Medical Insurance Program)
Information on California's insurance program for people with serious health problems who have difficulty buying individual health insurance because of their medical history
1-800-289-6574 (many languages)
1-800-735-2929 (TTY)
www.mrmib.ca.gov

OPA Report Card
Report cards with information on California HMOs
1-866-466-8900 (Spanish)
1-866-499-0858 (TTY)
www.opa.ca.gov

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Advance Health Care Directives

Information on Advance Health Care Directives
http://caag.state.ca.us/consumers/general/adv_hc_dir.htm

California Hospital Association
Print an Advance Health Care Directive Form
1-800-494-2001
www.calhospital.org/public/pubs/frmspstrs.aspx (Spanish)

Family Caregiver Alliance
Information and help for family caregivers
1-800-445-8106 (Spanish)
www.caregiver.org (Spanish, Chinese)

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Advocacy Organizations

Look for Assistance in Your Area

Find Local Help

Families USA
National advocacy for health care consumers
www.familiesusa.org

Latino Coalition for a Healthy California
Advocacy for better health care for Latinos in California
www.lchc.org

Protection & Advocacy
Legal advocacy for people with disabilities
1-800-776-5746 (many languages)
1-800-649-0154 (TTY)
www.pai-ca.org

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Child and Teen Health

American Academy of Pediatrics
Information on children's health: Immunizations
Information about childhood obesity: Obesity
www.aap.org

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
Guide to routine care for children
1-800-358-9295 (Spanish)
1-888-586-6340 (TTY)
www.ahrq.gov

Go Ask Alice! – Columbia University
Teens and adults ask questions about health and are answered by a team of Columbia University experts.
www.goaskalice.columbia.edu

Body and Mind – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
For kids ages 9–13, the site has kid-friendly language and images, games, cartoons, activity calendars, and quizzes.
www.bam.gov

KidsHealth
Information on children's health, including information aimed at kids and teens
www.kidshealth.org (Spanish)

Talking with Kids
Tips for talking to kids about drugs, alcohol, sex, HIV and AIDS, violence, and other difficult topics
www.talkingwithkids.org (Spanish)

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COBRA/Cal-COBRA/HIPAA

HIPAA - Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
Information on HIPAA
1-877-267-2323
1-866-266-1819 (TTY)
www.cms.hhs.gov/HIPAAGenInfo/

Department of Insurance
Information and help for consumers
1-800-927-4357 (many languages)
1-800-482-4833 (TTY)
www.insurance.ca.gov

HMO Help Center
Information and help for California HMO members
1-888-HMO-2219 (many languages)
1-877-688-9891 (TTY)
www.hmohelp.ca.gov (Spanish, Chinese)

U.S. Department of Labor
The Pension and Welfare Benefits division has information about COBRA
1-866-444-3272 (Spanish, Chinese)
1-877-889-5627 (TTY)
www.dol.gov/ebsa

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Complaints & Problems

California Department of Insurance
Information on many kinds of insurance
1-800-927-4357 (many languages)
1-800-482-4833 (TTY)
www.insurance.ca.gov (Spanish)

Cancer Legal Resource Center
Provides free and confidential information and resources on cancer-related legal issues to people with cancer, their families, friends, employers, health care professionals, and others coping with cancer
1-866-843-2572
http://www.lls.edu/academics/candp/clrc.html

HMO Help Center
Information and help for California HMO members
1-888-HMO-2219 (many languages)
1-877-688-9891 (TTY)
www.hmohelp.ca.gov (Spanish, Chinese)

HICAP (Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy)
Information, counseling and advocacy for Medicare members
1-800-434-0222 (many languages)
www.calmedicare.org

Lumetra
Helps Medicare members file appeals and resolve disputes about care received in doctors offices, hospitals, nursing homes, and from home health care providers
1-800-841-1602 (many languages)
1-800-881-5980 (TTY)
www.lumetra.com

Medi-Cal Fair Hearing (Department of Health Care Services)
File an appeal if your Medi-Cal HMO denies you the services you need
1-800-952-5253 (Spanish)
1-800-952-8349 TDD
www.dhcs.ca.gov/services/medi-cal/Pages/Medi-CalFairHearing.aspx

Medi-Cal Managed Care Ombudsman
Help with a problem you can't solve with your Medi-Cal HMO
1-888-452-8609 (many languages)

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Costs

Revolution Health Insurance
Health insurance premium comparison information
www.revolutionhealth.com/insurance

eHealth Insurance
Health insurance premium comparison
www.ehealthinsurance.com

Medical Plan Quotes
Health insurance premium comparison
www.medicalplanquotes.com

California Office of Statewide Health Planning & Development (OSHPD)
Information about hospital procedures and costs
www.oshpd.ca.gov

Pharmacy Checker
Check and compare prices of drugs online
www.pharmacychecker.com (Spanish)

California Healthcare Foundation
Information about national health care costs
www.chcf.org/topics/healthinsurance/index.cfm?itemID=119856

The Kaiser Family Foundation
Reports on U.S. and world health insurance costs and trends
www.kff.org/insurance/index.cfm

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Disability Issues

AT Network
Information on equipment and assistive technology
1-800-390-2699 (Spanish)
1-800-900-0706 (TTY)
www.atnet.org (Spanish)

California Foundation for Independent Living Centers
Resources for people with disabilities
1-916-325-1690 (many languages)
1-916-325-1695 (TTY)
www.cfilc.org

California Department of Developmental Services
Go to “What Is Early Start?” to find out about services for children who have disabilities or are at risk of developing slowly.
1-800-515-2229 (Spanish)
www.dds.ca.gov/earlystart

Deaf Counseling, Advocacy and Referral Agency
Resources for people who are deaf or hard of hearing
1-877-322-7299
1-877-322-7288 (TTY)
www.dcara.org

Disability Rights Advocates
A guide to the health care rights of people with disabilities
www.dralegal.org

Family Village
Information for parents of children with disabilities
www.familyvillage.wisc.edu

Family Voices
Health care advocacy for children with disabilities
1-888-835-5669
www.familyvoices.org (Spanish)

Protection & Advocacy
Legal advocacy for people with disabilities
1-800-776-5746 (many languages)
1-800-719-5798 (TTY)
www.pai-ca.org

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Diseases, Conditions, and Treatments (general)

Center Watch
Website for finding clinical trials
www.centerwatch.com

Go Ask Alice! – Columbia University
Teens and adults ask questions about health and are answered by Columbia University experts.
www.goaskalice.columbia.edu

Healthfinder
An introduction to health information on the Web
www.healthfinder.gov (Spanish)

National Guideline Clearinghouse
Care guidelines for many health conditions
www.guideline.gov

National Institutes of Health
Information on many health issues
www.health.nih.gov (Spanish)

National Institute on Aging
Information for seniors
1-800-222-2225 (Spanish)
1-800-222-4225 (TTY)
www.nia.nih.gov

Mayo Clinic
Easy-to-understand information on health topics
www.mayoclinic.com

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Diseases, Conditions, and Treatments (specific)

American Chronic Pain Association
Support and information for people with chronic pain
1-800-533-3231
www.theacpa.org (Spanish)

American Diabetes Association
Information, programs, and services for people with diabetes
1-800-DIABETES (Spanish)
www.diabetes.org (Spanish)

Arthritis
Information about arthritis
1-877-226-4267 (Spanish)
www.niams.nih.gov (Spanish)

California AIDS Hotline
Information on HIV/AIDS services
1-800-367-2437 (Spanish)
1-888-225-2437 (TTY)
www.aidshotline.org (Spanish)

California Dental Association
Information on dental health and help finding a dentist or clinic that provides free or low-cost dental services
1-800-CDA-SMILE
www.cda.org

Cancer Information
Information and research on cancer treatments
1-800-422-6237 (Spanish)
1-800-332-8615 (TTY)
www.cancer.gov (Spanish)

Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Disorders
Health information, research, clinical trials, and personal stories
www.niddk.nih.gov (Spanish)

Heart Diseases
Information, research, and clinical trials
www.nhlbi.nih.gov (Spanish)

Osteoporosis
Information and research on osteoporosis
1-800-624-2663 (Spanish, Chinese)
www.osteo.org

Stroke
Information and research related to stroke
1-800-352-9424
www.ninds.nih.gov

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Emergency Care

9-1-1 (many languages)
Call 9-1-1 in an emergency. Say your name and where you are. Don't hang up until the operator tells you to.

Poison Action Line
Emergency help for victims of poisoning
1-800-222-1222 (many languages)
1-800-972-3323 (TTY)
www.calpoison.org (many languages)

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Home Health, Nursing Home, and Hospice Care

California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform
Information and help for people living in a nursing home
1-800-474-1116 (Spanish)
www.canhr.org (Spanish)

CA Department of Social Services
In Home Support Services and Home Care Information
www.dss.cahwnet.gov/cdssweb/PG139.htm

California Registry
Information on hospice and long-term care
1-800-777-7575
www.calregistry.com

Family Caregiver Alliance
Information and help for family caregivers
1-800-445-8106 (Spanish)
www.caregiver.org (Spanish, Chinese)

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Hospital Care & Surgery

American College of Surgeons
Information on common operations and choosing a surgeon
1-800-621-4111 (Spanish)
www.facs.org

CalHospital Compare
Resources to help find the best local hospital
www.calhospitalcompare.org

Joint Commission
Information on how well a hospital meets health care standards and on filing a complaint about an organization accredited by the Joint Commission
1-800-994-6610
www.jcaho.org

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Interactive Websites

Body and Mind – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
For kids ages 9–13, the site has kid-friendly language and images, games, cartoons, activity calendars, and quizzes.
www.bam.gov/

Go Ask Alice! – Columbia University
Teens and adults ask questions about health and are answered by a team of Columbia University experts.
www.goaskalice.columbia.edu

Mayo Clinic
Ask a Specialist: Users can submit questions about health and search previous Q&As (Ask a Specialist).
Health Tools has interactive tools such as a Body Mass Index calculator, a calorie calculator, and health self-assessment quizzes.
www.mayoclinic.com

National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Click on “Questions about Cancer” in left-hand column to get confidential help from a real person.
1-800-422-6237 (Spanish)
www.cancer.gov (Spanish)

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Language Assistance

California Immigrant Welfare Collaborative
Health, benefits, and rights information for immigrants
1-916-448-6762 (Spanish)
www.caimmigrant.org

California Pan-Ethnic Health Network
Advocacy for health care for people from all cultural and linguistic groups
www.cpehn.org

Deaf Counseling, Advocacy and Referral Agency
Resources for people who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
1-877-322-7299
1-877-322-7288 (TTY)
www.dcara.org

Health Consumer Alliance
Fact sheets on low-cost health care, in many languages
www.healthconsumer.org (many languages)

Su Familia
Information and referrals in Spanish to local health clinics
National Hispanic Family Health Helpline 1-866-783-2645 (Spanish)
Cuidando con cari�o / Compassionate Care Helpline 1-877-658-8896 (Spanish)
National Hispanic Prenatal Helpline 1-800-504-7081 (Spanish)
www.hispanichealth.org (Spanish)

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Low-Cost/No-Cost Health Care

AIDS Drug Assistance Program
Help paying for drugs to treat HIV/AIDS
1-888-311-7632 (Spanish)
www.phsb.com/patient/ca_eligible.aspx (Spanish, Tagalog, Chinese)

AIM Program
Low-cost health insurance for pregnant women with low and middle incomes
1-800-433-2611 (Many languages)
1-800-735-2929 (TDD)
www.aim.ca.gov (Spanish)

California Uninsured Help Line
Help finding no-cost and low-cost health care for individuals, families, and small businesses
1-800-234-1317

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
Information on Medicare, Medicaid, and HIPAA
1-877-267-2323
1-866-266-1819 (TTY)
www.cms.hhs.gov

County Medical Services Program (CMSP)
Health care for low-income adults in 34 California counties
www.cmspcounties.org

Health Consumer Alliance
Fact sheets on low-cost health care, in many languages
www.healthconsumer.org (many languages)

Healthy Families
Health insurance for low/middle-income families
1-800-880-5305 (many languages)
1-800-735-2929 (TTY)
www.healthyfamilies.ca.gov (Spanish)

Medi-Cal
A list of county health departments to contact about Medi-Cal and other no-cost and low-cost health care services
www.dhcs.ca.gov/services/medi-cal/Pages/CountyOffices.aspx

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Medi-Cal

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
Information on Medicare, Medicaid, and HIPAA
1-877-267-2323
1-866-266-1819 (TTY)
www.cms.hhs.gov

Health Care Options
Information on joining or leaving a Medi-Cal HMO
1-800-430-4263 (many languages)
1-800-430-7077 (TTY)

Medi-Cal
A list of county health departments to contact about Medi-Cal and other no-cost and low-cost health care services
www.dhcs.ca.gov/services/medi-cal/Pages/CountyOffices.aspx

Medi-Cal Fair Hearing (Department of Social Services)
File an appeal if your Medi-Cal HMO denies you the services you need.
1-800-952-5253 (Spanish)

Medi-Cal Managed Care Ombudsman
Help with a problem you can't solve with your Medi-Cal HMO
1-888-452-8609 (many languages)

Medi-Cal Mental Health Care Ombudsman
Information and help with Medi-Cal mental health care services
1-800-896-4042 (many languages)
1-800-896-2512 (TTY)
www.dmh.cahwnet.gov/specialprograms/ombud.asp

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Medicare

1-800-MEDICARE
Information and help with Medicare
1-800-633-4227 (Spanish)
1-877-486-2048 (TTY)
www.medicare.gov (Spanish)

Cal Medicare
Information for Medicare members
1-800-434-0222 (many languages)
www.calmedicare.org

HICAP (Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy)
Information, counseling, and advocacy for Medicare members
1-800-434-0222 (many languages)
www.calmedicare.org

Lumetra
Helps Medicare members file appeals and resolve disputes about care received in doctors offices, hospitals, nursing homes, and from home health care providers
1-800-841-1602 (Spanish)
1-800-881-5980 (TTY)
www.lumetra.com

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Mental Health Care

California Network of Mental Health Clients
Peer support for mental health clients
1-800-626-7447
www.californiaclients.org

Mental Health Association in California
Information and advocacy for people with mental health problems
1-916-557-1167
www.mhac.org

National Association of the Mentally Ill
Information and advocacy for people with mental illness and their families
1-800-950-NAMI (Spanish)
www.nami.org (Spanish)

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Patients' Rights

California Patient's Guide
A guide to health care rights
www.calpatientguide.org

Consumer's Guide to Getting and Keeping Health Insurance in California
Information on the rights of people in California
www.healthinsuranceinfo.net

HMO Help Center
Information and help for California HMO members
1-888-HMO-2219 (Spanish and most other languages)
1-877-688-9891 (TTY)
www.hmohelp.ca.gov (Spanish, Chinese)

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Prenatal Care

AIM Program
Low-cost health insurance for pregnant women with low and middle incomes
1-800-433-2611 (Many languages)
1-800-735-2929 (TDD)
www.aim.ca.gov (Spanish)

American Pregnancy
Information on many aspects of pregnancy
1-800-672-2296
www.americanpregnancy.org

KidsHealth
Information on children's health
www.kidshealth.org (Spanish)

March of Dimes
Information on birth defects, premature birth, and newborn screenings
www.marchofdimes.com

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Prescription Drugs

DrugDigest.org
Check your medicines for interactions with the Drug Interaction Checker.
www.drugdigest.org/DD/Interaction/ChooseDrugs

Drugs.com
Information on drugs and drug interactions
www.drugs.com

Food and Drug Administration
Information on drugs and supplements
1-888-463-6332
www.fda.gov/cder/drug (Spanish)

Healthfinder
Information on drug safety
www.healthfinder.gov (Spanish)

Pharmacy Checker
Check and compare prices of drugs online.
www.pharmacychecker.com

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Preventive/Routine Care

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
Information on choosing quality health care
Pocket Guide to Good Health for Adults
1-800-358-9295 (Spanish)
1-888-586-6340 (TTY)
www.ahrq.gov (Spanish)

California Smoker's Helpline
Telephone and online help to stop smoking
1-800-662-8887 (many languages)
1-800-933-4833 (TTY)
www.californiasmokershelpline.org

Drug Abuse
Information for health professionals, parents, teachers, students, and young adults
www.nida.nih.gov (Spanish)

Healthfinder
An introduction to health information on the internet
www.healthfinder.gov (Spanish)

Lab Tests Online
Information about lab tests
www.labtestsonline.org

National Immunization Hotline
Immunization guidelines
1-800-232-4636 (Spanish)
1-888-232-6348 (TTY)
www.cdc.gov/nip (Spanish)

Obesity and Overweight
Information on obesity and a chart to check Body Mass Index (BMI)
www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/bmi/calc-bmi.htm

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Quality of Care

Agency for Healthcare Research (AHRQ)
Information on choosing quality health care
1-800-358-9295 (Spanish)
www.ahrq.gov (Spanish)

CalHospital Compare
Resources to help find the best local hospital
www.calhospitalcompare.org

National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA)
Information on quality health care and HMO standards
1-888-275-7585
www.ncqa.org

Office of the Patient Advocate (OPA)—Report Cards
Office of the Patient Advocate
Report cards with information on California HMOs
1-866-466-8900 (Spanish, Chinese)
1-866-499-0858 (TTY)
www.opa.ca.gov

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Senior Health

1-800-MEDICARE
Information and help with Medicare and nursing home care
1-800-633-4227 (Spanish)
1-877-486-2048 (TTY)
www.medicare.gov (Spanish)

Agency for Healthcare Research (AHRQ)
Information on choosing quality health care and Pocket Guide to Staying Healthy at 50+
1-800-358-9295 (Spanish) (publications only)
www.ahrq.gov (Spanish)

CalMedicare
Information, counseling, and advocacy for Medicare members
1-800-434-0222 (many languages)
www.calmedicare.org

NIH Senior Health
Click on “Click to Begin,” then choose a topic.
www.nihseniorhealth.gov

National Institute on Aging
Information for seniors
1-800-222-2225 (Spanish)
1-800-222-4225 (TTY)
www.nia.nih.gov

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Specialist Care

American Board of Medical Specialties
Information about specialists' training
1-866-275-2267
www.abms.org

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