California Consumer Assistance
California’s participation in the federal Consumer Assistance Program grant has completed, however, the California Department of Insurance continues to provide assistance to consumers with health insurance questions or problems. You can contact them at 1-800-927-4357.
The agencies listed below can help you take advantage of some of these protections and benefits. They can answer your questions about different types of coverage.
If you need health insurance, be sure to check out Covered California. It will help you find and compare health care coverage options in your area.
If you have questions about insurance you bought for yourself and/or your family or you have insurance provided by an employer who does business only in California, contact:
California Department of Insurance
Address: Office of the Ombudsman
300 Capitol Mall, Suite 1600,
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: 800-927-4357
916-492-3545
Online inquiry Form: cdiapps.insurance.ca.gov/contactus/default.aspx
Email: ombudsman@insurance.ca.gov
Website: Insurance.ca.gov/
If you have a hard time affording health coverage and you have questions about eligibility or current Medicaid benefits, go to:
Medi-Cal (California Medicaid Program)
Medi-Cal Managed Care and Mental Health Office of the Ombudsman
Phone: 888-452-8609
Email: MMCDOmbudsmanOffice@dhcs.ca.gov
Website: dhcs.ca.gov/Medi-Cal/Pages/home.aspx
Local consumer assistance: Dhcs.ca.gov/Medi-Cal/Pages/county-office.aspx
If you are not eligible for Medicaid, your child may still be eligible for the Children’s Health Insurance Program. For questions about eligibility or benefits, go to:
Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
(800) 300-1506
https://www.coveredca.com/support/getting-started/medi-cal-and-chip/
If you have a question, complaint, or dispute regarding insurance you get through a “self-insured” employer (typically a large company or one with locations in multiple states or countries), go to:
U.S. Department of Labor
Employee Benefits Security Administration
200 Constitution Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20210
(866) 444-3272
http://www.askebsa.dol.gov
If you are on Medicare and have a question, or if you have a disability or end stage renal disease and want to enroll or find out if you are eligible for Medicare, contact:
Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP)
California’s State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP)
Mailing Address: California Department of Aging
2880 Gateway Oaks Drive, Suite 200
Sacramento, CA 95833
Phone: 800-434-0222
Website: Aging.ca.gov/Programs_and_Services/Medicare_Counseling/
Local consumer assistance: www.aging.ca.gov/Find_Services_in_My_County/
If you are a veteran and have a question or concern about veterans’ health care benefits, go to:
US Department of Veterans Affairs
(877) 222-VETS (8387)
http://www.va.gov/health-care/
If you have questions about your health insurance that are not covered by the above resources, call the Health Insurance Assistance Team of the U.S. Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight at (888) 393-2789.