Medicaid. For information on Medicaid services, to file a Medicaid complaint, to report possible Medicaid fraud, or for referral to your local Medicaid office, call the toll-free number (888) 419-3456. To apply for Medicaid refer to the Department of Children and Families section.

Health Care Facilities. For referral to health facility regulation or to file a complaint against a facility, call the toll-free number (888) 419-3456.

Managed Health Care (health maintenance organizations/HMOs). For referral to managed health care regulation, call the toll-free number (888) 419-3456. If you have a complaint, first contact your HMO for their grievance process. Once you have completed that, if you are still not satisfied call (888) 419-3456 for information on further action that may be available to you.

Consumer Health Websites:

o www.FloridaHealthFinder.gov provides tools to compare short-term acute care hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, health plans, and nursing homes. The site includes the A.D.A.M. Health Encyclopedia with thousands of articles and illustrations. The site also provides a list of health care facilities; information on insurance, medications, seniors, medical conditions, and resources for medical care; consumer publications; information for health care professionals; and much more.

o www.MyFloridaRx.com was established by AHCA and the Office of the Attorney General. For price information on the top most commonly used prescription drugs in Florida.

Florida Organ and Tissue Donor Education Program. For information about organ and tissue donation, a registration form, and an organ donor card, call (850) 414-0359 or view the website http://ahca.MyFlorida.com.

Health Care Advance Directives. This pamphlet includes information on living wills, health care surrogate, Do Not Resuscitate Orders (DNRO), and Durable Power of Attorney. Order it by calling the toll-free number (888) 419-3456 or view it at www.FloridaHealthFinder.gov (click "Brochures and Guides").

Services. This Agency assists people with developmental disabilities and their families by identifying needed support and services. A wide range of services include support coordination, transportation, various therapies, home based services, supported employment services, medical services, and many others.

An Application for Services is available on the APD website as well as a list of area offices.

Medicaid Fraud. The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigates Medicaid fraud committed by health care providers and also investigates the abuse, neglect and exploitation of the elderly, ill and disabled residents of long term care facilities like nursing homes, facilities for the mentally and physically disabled, and assisted living facilities. To report fraud or abuse, call the toll-free number (866) 966-7226.

Victim Services. The Division of Victim Services advocates for crime victims and offers some financial help for innocent victims of crime, to help with medical costs, lost income, mental health services, and funeral expenses related to the crime. Call the Division of Victim Services’ toll-free number (800) 226-6667 (or 414-3300 for Tallahassee-area residents).

ACCESS Florida. To apply for Medicaid, temporary cash assistance or food stamps, or to check on the status of your claim, go to the DCF website and click the links under ACCESS Florida or call the toll-free number (866) 76-ACCES (762-2237).

Abuse Hot Line. To report suspected abuse, neglect or exploitation of children and elderly or disabled adults, call the toll-free number (800) 96-ABUSE (962-2873).

Domestic Violence Hotline. To report domestic violence or to seek help, call the toll-free number (800) 500-1119.

Adoption. To inquire about adopting a child in Florida, call the toll-free number (800) 96-ADOPT (962-3678) or from out-of-state call (904) 353-0679. For additional information go to the DCF website.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health includes information and referral to outpatient and residential care for drug and alcohol abuse and for mental health. View the DCF website or contact your local DCF office.

Refugee Services provides resettlement assistance for refugees who have Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) documentation. View the DCF website or contact your local DCF office.

Special Needs Registry. For patients whose medical needs are not acute, but who need assistance in evacuation during natural or human-made disasters. Check the phone book for your local Division of Emergency Management office or view the DCA website for referral to your local office.

Elder Care Services Helpline. For referral to local services for seniors, call the toll-free number (800) 963-5337. Some of the programs and services include:

o SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders) provides counseling to seniors regarding health insurance. Call the above number or view www.FloridaShine.org.

o CARES (Comprehensive Assessment Review and Evaluation Services) provides assistance obtaining home and community-based services to avoid nursing home care as well as Medicaid waiver assessments for home and community-based services. Call the above number or view http://ElderAffairs.state.fl.us/english/cares.html.

o Other programs include the Older Americans Act (OAA), Community Care for the Elderly, Home Care for the Elderly, Emergency Home Energy Assistance for the Elderly, and the Alzheimer’s Disease Initiative.

Assisted Living Facilities and Adult Family Care Homes Website: www.FloridaAffordableAssistedLiving.org. The site has a variety of information, including a search tool to find facilities based on location, cost, services provided, and accommodation preferences.

Long-Term Care Ombudsman Council investigates complaints and assists in resolving grievances of residents in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and adult family care homes. Call the toll-free number (888) 831-0404 to file a complaint or to report operation of an unlicensed long-term care facility. View the website http://ombudsman.MyFlorida.com.

Insurance Information. For general insurance information or for a problem with an insurance claim, call the toll-free number (800) 342-2762 or view the DFS website.

Hurricane Helpline toll-free number (800) 227-8676. For questions related to insurance and hurricane damage.

The Workers’ Compensation Employee Assistance Office assists workers who need benefit payments and services due to injury on the job. For information call the toll-free number (800) 342-1741.

Funeral and Cemetery Hotline. For questions and complaints about funeral providers, cemeteries, and pre-need contracts call the toll-free number (800) 323-2627.

County Health Departments (CHD) provide primary care and personal health services, plus immunizations and disease control. Check the phone book for your local CHD or view the DOH website.

Health Care Professionals. DOH licenses and regulates health care professionals and provides licensure information on the DOH website. To report someone working as a health care professional without a state license, call the DOH toll-free number (877) 425-8852.

Complaints. To request a form to file a written complaint against a health care professional call the toll-free number (888) 419-3456. The complaint is required to be in writing.

Office of Vital Statistics. For information on official records of birth, death, marriage, and divorce in Florida, view the DOH website or call (904) 359-6900.

Children’s Medical Services (CMS) provides comprehensive care to eligible children with special health care needs. Services include prevention and early intervention programs, as well as primary, specialty and long-term care. The Newborn Screening Program (which tests all children born in Florida for genetic, metabolic and hemoglobinopathic disorders) and the Early Steps Program (which serves Florida's infants and toddlers with developmental delays) are also housed in Children’s Medical Services. To learn more and to find contact information, view their website at www.cms-kids.com.

Division of State Group Insurance. Administers the employee benefits program for active and retired State of Florida employees and surviving spouses. For more information view the DMS website or call the toll-free number (800) 226-3734.

Clearinghouse on Disabilities provides information and referral services to state and community programs for people with disabilities. For more information call the toll-free number (877) 232-4968 (Voice and TTY).

Benefits. Provides information and services related to veterans’ benefits, including compensation, education, health, pension, and other benefits.

Nursing Homes and Assisted Living Facilities. Provides the addresses and contact information for Florida veterans’ nursing homes and assisted living facilities.

Newsletter. Provides navigation links to veterans’ information and subscription access for the eFloridaVetsNews electronic newsletter.

• A Patient’s Guide to a Hospital Stay
• Assisted Living in Florida
• Emergency Medical Care
• End-of-Life Issues – A Practical Planning Guide
• Florida Medicaid – A Reference Guide
• Health Care Advance Directives
• Home Health Care in Florida
• Long-Term Care
• Patient Safety
• Understanding Prescription Drug Costs

For additional copies of this brochure, or others in the series, contact our Agency’s toll-free number (888) 419-3456. To view or print any brochure in the Consumer Awareness Series, visit www.FloridaHealthFinder.gov.