California Groups Win $3 Million for Medicare Outreach Initiatives
On Monday, CMS announced awards totaling $3 million for advocacy programs throughout California that work to provide Medicare beneficiaries with information about their coverage options, the Sacramento Business Journal reports (Robertson, Sacramento Business Journal, 4/8).
The grants will go to State Health Insurance Assistance Programs, or SHIPs, to undertake targeted, community-based outreach efforts aimed at helping beneficiaries find information about alternatives for prescription drug coverage and additional financial subsides for which they might be eligible.
CMS awarded $35.8 million in funding to SHIPs nationwide of more than $50 million that the agency will disburse to such organizations in 2008. This marks a $20 million increase from fiscal year 2007 (CMS release, 4/7).