NEW JERSEY SHIP Awarded 2008 Grant Funding for Medicare & Medicaid Services
By Mel Fabrikant Monday, April 07, 2008, 03:00 PM EDT
The New Jersey SHIP will receive $933,000 as part of the nearly $36 million being distributed to SHIPs today as part of the more than $50 million that will be provided to SHIPs across the U.S. in 2008. This $20 million increase in funding over fiscal year 2007 reflects more than $39 million in regular SHIP grants, performance-based grants to be awarded in September, and SHIP support, as well as an additional $15 million in supplemental funding that will be distributed on June 1.
“State Health Insurance Assistance Programs fill an important role in providing information and support to people with Medicare in their communities across the nation,” said CMS Acting Administrator Kerry Weems. “In addition to helping answer beneficiaries’ questions about Medicare, this year’s funding should further the SHIPs’ efforts to help us reach those people who are most likely eligible for Medicare’s low-income-subsidy and then help them apply for the extra help.”
SHIPs are state-based programs that use community-based networks to provide Medicare beneficiaries with local, personalized assistance on a wide variety of Medicare and health insurance topics. A significant accomplishment of the SHIPs has been their success in helping to educate many of the 39 million Medicare beneficiaries with prescription drug coverage about their prescription drug coverage options so that they can make a choice about their health care that best meets their needs.
CMS expects the SHIPs to use the increased 2008 funding to conduct targeted community-based outreach to an increasing number of beneficiaries who may be unable to access other sources of information.
SHIPs will continue their outreach and assistance to current and newly eligible Medicare beneficiaries and their caregivers, as well as reaching out to beneficiaries with limited incomes who may be eligible for the extra help.
The New Jersey SHIP has used prior grant funding to supply each county office on aging with county-specific census data down to the zip codes for potential Medicare beneficiaries who needed extra help paying for Medicare Part D premiums. The State SHIP also provided New Jersey counties with a list of the Meals-on-Wheels county providers and an eligibility-criteria notice for the Low Income Subsidy for placement in each home-delivered meal box.
CMS will continue to support the SHIPs in 54 states and territories with training and technical assistance. This will help to ensure that the community network remains fully capable of accessing and using all of CMS’ regional offices and online tools at www.medicare.gov to provide assistance to beneficiaries.
To reach the NJ State SHIP, call its toll-free hotline at: 1-800-792-8820. You can also visit its website: www.state.nj.us/health/senior/ship.shtml
