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The Community Medicare/Medicaid Assistance Project: Helping Low-income Seniors Maximize Their Insurance Benefits

Summary

Many seniors living in the South Bronx who have incomes below the poverty level are eligible for low-income benefit programs, such as the Medicare Savings Program; however, less than one-third of these eligible individuals were actually enrolled in low-income programs. The disproportionate share of poor senior residents and those affected by diabetes in this community resulted in an urgent need for direct assistance in accessing benefits programs and teaching senior residents to effectively use these benefits.

Grant Goals:

The Medicare Rights Center hoped to:

  1. Equip SEBCO staff members with comprehensive Medicare knowledge so that all counseling and enrollment responsibilities could be transferred to, and sustained by, SEBCO staff after the grant period.
  2. Reach 800 Southeast Bronx Community Organization (SEBCO) residents through bilingual group presentations and one-on-one counseling on Medicare low-income programs.
  3. Enroll 250 people in Medicare low-income programs, thus saving SEBCO residents $400,000 during the course of the grant.
  4. Train seven SEBCO residence coordinators and staff members on Medicare issues via meetings, monthly follow-up trainings, and updates via a “train-the-trainer” model
  5. Increase senior residents’ awareness of preventive care.

Grant Outcomes:

  • Medicare Rights conducted more than 100 site visits and counseled approximately 400 Bronx seniors on Medicare issues.
  • Although Medicare Rights did not meet its outreach goal of 800 residents, it exceeded its target with respect to the number of residents enrolled in low-income programs and receiving assistance with Medicare Part D.
  • Medicare Rights also exceeded its goal in terms of the amount of savings secured for SEBCO residents, earning a 6:1 return on NYSHealth’s initial investment.
  • Medicare Rights’ caseworkers transitioned from being direct service providers to being technical assistance providers, as SEBCO residence coordinators began providing Medicare presentations and assisting residents.

Grantee Information:

Grantee

Medicare Rights Center

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