Legal Help with Public Benefits
Are you having problems getting or keeping your cash, food, medical, and/or child care benefits? Have you been told you were overpaid benefits and have to pay them back? Our attorneys provide legal help and information to single adults and families whose Washington state benefits have been reduced, terminated, or denied – and those given benefits overpayment notices.
INTAKE LINE: Contact us at 206.694.6742 or benefitslegalhelp@solid-ground.org to learn more.
DSHS Benefits: ‘See If I Qualify’
See if your family qualifies for food, cash assistance, child care, medical benefits or long-term care through the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS).
Legal Resources for Other State Benefits
- Benefits Law Center: Provides legal help and information for people in Washington state whose Social Security Benefits (SSI/SSDI) have been reduced, denied or terminated.
- Northwest Justice Project: Provides legal help and information for people in Washington state who have civil legal needs in many different areas of the law.
- Tenant Law Center: Provides help with Section 8 and other housing benefits terminations.
- Unemployment Law Project: Provides legal help and information for people in Washington state whose unemployment benefits have been denied.
More Legal Resources
- Alliance for Equal Justice: A network of Washington state organizations that collaborate to coordinate strategy and delivery of civil legal aid to people and communities experiencing poverty and injustice – with a commitment to identify and dismantle all barriers to justice that perpetuate poverty and racial inequities.
- King County 2-1-1 (also 206.461.3200, 1.800.621.4636 or 206.461.3610 for TTY/hearing impaired calls): Identifies and makes referrals to appropriate legal aid providers. (Hours: Monday – Friday, 8am – 6pm)
- Washington LawHelp: A self-help online resource for finding civil legal solutions, including public benefits, consumer law, elder law, housing rights, health care and more.
Medicare, Medigap, & Medicare Advantage Help
Solid Ground’s Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (SHIBA) can help you understand your Medicare rights and options. Our well-trained volunteers counsel people of all ages – including people under age 65 living with disabilities, people getting ready to turn 65, and those already enrolled – about their Medicare choices and options.
SHIBA volunteers assist people through one-on-one consultations by phone or in-person appointments (in-person appointments are limited, see below for locations). We answer your Medicare questions, make referrals, and help evaluate and compare health insurance policies so you can make an informed decision to find the best possible coverage that fits within your budget and meets your needs. We can also help screen to see if you qualify for low-income programs that can save you money on Medicare coverage. (In partnership with the Washington state Office of the Insurance Commissioner, Solid Ground is your local SHIBA office in King County.)
GET HELP/MORE INFO: Contact Solid Ground’s SHIBA intake line: 206.753.4806 or shiba@solid-ground.org to get connected with a SHIBA volunteer!
SHIBA is…
- Completely FREE and confidential: We keep your personal information safe.
- Accessible: Some of our volunteers and hotline operators speak languages other than English.
- Objective and unbiased: We don’t sell or endorse anything.
Our advisors can help with…
- Original Medicare
- Prescription drugs
- Low-income programs to help pay for Medicare
- Medigap (Medicare Supplement) plans
- Medicare Advantage plans
- Medicare fraud and abuse
- Issues with Medicare fraud
Learn about all of the parts of Medicare so you can make... Read More »Medicare Workshops & Webinars
Welcome to Medicare Workshop
In-Person SHIBA Counseling by Appointment Only
EAST
Mini City Hall
Crossroads Shopping Center, #H9
15600 NE 8th St, Bellevue, WA 98008
1st and 2nd Thursdays, 1-3pm
3rd Tuesdays, 12-4pm
4th Mondays, 12-4pm
Call 425.452.2800
NORTH/NORTHEAST
Evergreen Hospital
12040 NE 128th St, Kirkland, WA 98034
4th Fridays, 9am-12pm
Call 425.899.3200 (then press 2, then 1)
Kenmore Senior Center
6910 NE 170th St, Kenmore, WA 98028
3rd Tuesdays, 9am-12pm
Call 425.489.0707
Northshore Senior Center
10201 E Riverside Dr, Bothell, WA 98011
2nd Fridays, 9am-1pm
Call 425.286.1043
Peter Kirk Community Center
352 Kirkland Ave, Kirkland WA 98033
4th Fridays, 9am-12pm
Call 425.587.3360
SEATTLE
Greenwood Senior Center
525 N 85th St, Seattle, WA 98103
3rd Tuesdays, 10am-3pm
4th Thursdays, 12:30-3:45pm
Call 206.297.0875
Wallingford Senior Center
4649 Sunnyside Ave N Ste 140, Seattle, WA 98103
1st & 3rd Thursdays, 9:30am-1pm
Call 206.461.7825
SOUTH
Auburn Senior Activity Center
808 9th St SE, Auburn, WA 98002
3rd Wednesdays, 9am-3pm
Call 253.931.3016
Burien Community Center
14700 6th Ave SW, Burien, WA 98166
4th Wednesdays, 12-4pm
Call 206.988.3700
Des Moines Activity Center
2045 S 216th St, Des Moines, WA 98198
3rd Mondays, 10am-12pm
Call 206.878.1642
Federal Way Community Center
876 S 333rd St, Federal Way, WA 98003
2nd Thursdays, 9am-3pm
Call 253.835.6925
Kent Senior Activity Center
600 E Smith St, Kent, WA 98030
2nd Mondays, 12pm-4pm
Call 253.856.5150
SeaTac Community Center
13735 24th Ave S, SeaTac, WA 98168
3rd Thursdays, 11:30am-3:30pm
Call 206.973.4690
Medicare Plan Information, Comparison Charts, and Resources
Booklets, Brochures, and Flyers:
- BROCHURE: Get help paying for Medicare – See if you qualify for a Medicare savings program and/or extra help
- BOOKLET: Paying for prescription drugs
- BOOKLET: What you need to know about Medigap (Medicare Supplement) plans
- BROCHURE: About Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (SHIBA)
- CHECKLIST: Your SHIBA Medicare action plan
- FLYER: Get help paying for Medicare – Information for American Indians and Alaskan Natives
- FLYER: Medicare and COVID-19 vaccine scams
- FLYER: Stop Medicare Fraud
- FLYER: Watch out for scam calls
Comparison Charts:
- Your Medicare coverage choices
- 2024 Medicare Advantage Plans (King County)
- 2024 Medicare hospital insurance covered services (Parts A & B)
- 2024 Medicare Part D stand-alone prescription drug plans
- Approved Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plans (updates quarterly)
- Comparing Medicare supplement (Medigap) and Medicare Advantage plans
- 10 Standardized Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plans
Affordable Health Insurance
The Washington Healthplanfinder website can help you find the right health plan for you and your family.
- Free or low-cost Washington Apple Health is available year-round.
- You may qualify for a special enrollment if you are uninsured or have certain life changes.
- Browse current health plans, including Cascade Care plans.
- Navigators are located across Washington state and are available at no cost to help customers sign up for coverage through Washington Healthplanfinder. Navigators can help customers through the application and enrollment process from start to finish.