Become a Registered HICAP Medicare Counselor

Volunteering Benefits You AND Your Community

HICAP Services of Northern California always needs volunteers dedicated to making a difference in their community! HICAP Medicare counselors are registered with the California Department of Aging.

How Registered HICAP Counselors Make a Difference in their Communities

HICAP counselors advise Medicare beneficiaries and their families on Medicare issues and questions during one-hour, in-person appointments. Counseling sessions are held during business hours at local counseling sites. HICAP counselors assist with a variety of topics including helping individuals who are new to Medicare with their coverage options and choices, comparing Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plans and policies, comparing local Medicare health and drug plan choices, and explaining their Medicare rights. Counselors are also trained to identify issues that may be appropriate for appeal and legal representation.

Skilled HICAP staff provide assistance and support to volunteer counselors who encounter unique situations during a counseling session.

How to Become a Registered Counselor

Volunteers complete 24 hours of initial Basic Training to learn about HICAP, Medicare benefits and coverage options, government programs that assist with Medicare costs, Medicare appeals and grievances, and other common Medicare issues. To prepare volunteers for one-on-one counseling sessions in the community, volunteers are paired with HICAP staff and registered counselors for 20 hours of mentoring. Following completion of Basic Training and mentoring, volunteers are registered and authorized by the California Department of Aging to serve as HICAP Medicare counselors. Once registered, volunteers are assigned to counseling sites in their community.

Maintaining Registration

We ask counselors to commit 10 volunteer hours monthly to the HICAP program, which includes time spent counseling and on continuing education. HICAP requires 12 hours of continuing education annually to maintain registration. "Technical Trainings" are held at convenient locations throughout our nine-county service area every other month to this fulfill this requirement. Volunteers may also participate in approved webinars to satisfy up to 3 hours of the annual continuing education requirement.

Are you interested in volunteering with HICAP?

If you are interested in volunteering, please fill out the form below to request more information and a volunteer application.

We always need volunteers throughout our nine-county service area. At this time, our greatest needs are in Yolo, San Joaquin, Sutter and Yuba counties. If you are available to travel to any of these counties as a volunteer, please indicate this when you contact us. We are also in need of bilingual volunteers to assist Medicare beneficiaries with Limited English Proficiency. If you speak another language, please indicate this when you contact us.

We look forward to meeting you!

Restriction: Individuals who have an active license to sell insurance, or who receive gifts, compensation, or other financial gain from insurers, are not eligible to volunteer with HICAP.