DeLauro Announces $450,000 Grant to Assist Medicare Beneficiaries through Connecticut Health Insurance Assistance Program

New Haven, CT – C Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro (CT-3) announced that nearly $450,000 of new funding is being distributed to the Connecticut State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), the CHOICES program, to help Medicare beneficiaries in Connecticut get more information about their health care choices. CHOICES, "Connecticut's program for Health insurance assistance, Outreach, Information and referral, Counseling, Eligibility Screening" program, is a "one-stop shopping" information source for services available to older adults in Connecticut. For more information, Connecticut residents should call 1-800-994-9422 to speak with a local counselor or to volunteer with the program.

Connecticut's $450,000 grant is part of the first installment of Federal grant funds provided to SHIPs by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for the grant year beginning April 1, 2009 and ending March 31, 2010. An additional $1.5 million in performance-based funding will be awarded in September 2009.

"The CHOICES program is an important resource to help people over 60 and persons with disabilities in Connecticut access the information they need about important health care benefits," said DeLauro. "This new funding will help to ensure that CHOICES continues to provide personalized assistance to Medicare beneficiaries on a wide range of Medicare, Medicaid, and Medigap matters, including enrollment in Medicare prescription drug plans, long-term care insurance, health care fraud and consumer rights, and information and referrals to needed services."

CMS expects the SHIPs to use the 2009 funding to conduct targeted community-based outreach to people with Medicare who may be unable to access other sources of information. SHIPs will also provide outreach and assistance to current and newly eligible Medicare beneficiaries and their caregivers, with a special emphasis on reaching people who will most likely be eligible for Medicare's low-income subsidy if they enroll in Medicare prescription drug coverage.

CMS will continue to support the quality of services provided by SHIPs through training, technical assistance, the SHIP Resource Center, and the online tools at www.medicare.gov to assist people with Medicare.