R.I. Medicare counseling program gets award

WASHINGTON – A state program that provides Medicare beneficiaries counseling and benefits information has been chosen by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to receive a $23,614 performance award for its “outstanding achievements” last year.
The Rhode Island State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) helps Medicare beneficiaries with questions related to Medicare, Medicare supplement insurance, Medicare Advantage plans, prescription coverage and low-income assistance.
The program is required to use the grant funds to enhance and expand its counseling and information assistance functions. SHIPs also must use the grant funds to increase awareness among Medicare beneficiaries about the extra help available to those with limited income and resources to pay for prescription drug costs.
A total of $1.5 million will be awarded to SHIPs around the country for these purposes over the next year, CMS said in a news release.
“With these performance awards, CMS is recognizing SHIPs for their outstanding work in strengthening community health resources and creating incentives for states to expand the number of people reached through their programs,” CMS Acting Administrator Kerry Weems said.
Established by CMS in 2006, the SHIP Performance Awards are determined using data on the number of beneficiaries that SHIPs serve in one-on-one counseling sessions and in their public education and outreach efforts and on the number of counselors SHIPs have recruited and trained to provide community-based assistance to Medicare beneficiaries.
For more information about SHIP local activities, go to www.SHIPTalk.org.