Community
Polish-speaking Medicare help in Chicago, where to look
We've been in Chicago for generations. We have our own stores, restaurants, churches, newspapers. But when Medicare comes around, a lot of us don't know where to go for help in Polish, and we end up enrolled in a plan by someone who didn't really understand us. Here's a short map of places worth knowing.
Polish-speaking doctors and clinics
Around Jefferson Park, Niles, Park Ridge, Norridge, Mount Prospect, and Schaumburg, there are over a dozen clinics where the doctors, nurses, or front-desk staff speak Polish. A few addresses Polish-American families know well:
- clinics along Milwaukee Avenue, Higgins Avenue, and Belmont Avenue,
- Polish-speaking family-medicine offices in Niles and Park Ridge,
- Polish specialists, cardiologists, orthopedists, internists, most often at PolMed, Resurrection Medical Center, and affiliated networks.
One important note: not every Polish-speaking doctor accepts every Medicare plan. Before your parent enrolls in a plan, it's worth checking the insurance company's portal to see whether their doctor is in network. If the search tool is difficult to navigate, we've written it up step by step in the client zone.
Polish pharmacies
A few pharmacies in the Chicago area have Polish-speaking pharmacists who know the medications people often bring from Poland. Most work with Medicare Part D and the major Advantage plans. When picking up a prescription, it's worth checking whether the plan covers that specific drug at that specific pharmacy, because sometimes the same drug at another pharmacy (Walmart, Costco, Mariano's) is much cheaper.
Churches, parishes, and Polish-American organizations
Polish parishes like St. Constance, Holy Trinity, St. John Cantius, and Our Lady of Czestochowa in Lemont, often have bulletins and announcements about information sessions on Medicare and insurance. Polish senior clubs and organizations like PRCUA, the Polish National Alliance (PNA), and the Alliance of Polish Clubs occasionally host talks on health and benefits.
Polish-language media
Polish Radio Chicago, Dziennik Związkowy, Polish Daily News, and local Polish TV channels regularly cover Medicare topics, especially during AEP (October 15 to December 7). It's worth listening, but also worth being careful. Some ads in Polish media come from agencies outside the community that don't always understand the specifics.
Our office
Medicare po Polsku has an office in Chicago, on Higgins Avenue. You can schedule a meeting, come in person, or talk over the phone. The consultation is free and usually takes 30 to 45 minutes. We don't enroll anyone on the spot. We listen first, what doctors your parent uses, what medications they take, whether they spend winter in Florida. Only then do we look at plans.
- Address
- 6020 W Higgins Ave, entrance H, Chicago, IL 60630
- Phone
- 844-654-5185
- States we serve
- Illinois, Florida, Colorado, Arizona, full list on our coverage page.
What to avoid
- Phone enrollments from strangers
- Even if they speak Polish, ask what agency they work for, what state they're licensed in, and request a name.
- Ads promising "free money" or "a new benefits card"
- That's marketing language. Specific benefits vary plan to plan and not every plan offers them.
- Being rushed
- A good agent gives your parent time to think. If someone pressures them to sign "today or it'll be too late," that's a red flag.
Stop by the office or call
Chicago, Higgins Avenue. Free, in Polish for your parent and English for you, no pressure. We always listen first.
Schedule Appointment