Make sense of Medicare. Find your next step.
The Medicare dates that matter most in Orange County, explained in the language you’re most comfortable in.
Orange County is home to people who speak Spanish, Vietnamese, Korean and Chinese at the kitchen table and English at the pharmacy counter. This guide draws your enrollment dates from a birth month, names the free public counselors who serve the county, and shows the federal rule behind every date. Nothing is sold here.
Open Enrollment is underway: October 15 to December 7. Changes take effect January 1.
Orange County · A useful next step
Understand it together. Take one clear step.
Bring a family member, request language assistance, and prepare the questions you want answered.
Help someone with their Medicare
An agreed question and a respectful way to join the call.
Prepare my next step 02Prepare for an appointment
A visit checklist and a question to ask before you go.
Prepare my next step 03Review before changing coverage
A clear list to verify before any switch.
Prepare my next stepNo account or personal details needed. Prefer to talk with someone?
Free help in Orange County
Public services. None of them sells plans.
Orange County HICAP — Council on Aging, Southern California
Free, confidential, one-on-one Medicare counseling for county residents, run by the Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program. Not affiliated with any plan or agent. The program reports counseling in several languages; confirm availability when you call.
English · Español · Tiếng Việt · 한국어 · 中文 · (reported by the program; verify)
Orange County Office on Aging
Information and referral for older adults and caregivers: in-home services, senior centers, and how to reach a local counselor.
English · Español · + interpreters
California HICAP statewide line
The state's Medicare counseling program. The statewide number routes you to the local office.
English · Español
In your language
This site is written in English, Spanish, Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese. Vietnamese and Korean are planned and will appear only as reviewed text. Here is where to get Medicare help in those languages today.
Your dates
Three answers. No name, no full birthday, nothing sent anywhere.