Increasing participation in benefit programs for low-income seniors

Increasing participation in benefit programs for low-income seniors

Collection:
Health Policy and Services Research
Contributor(s):
Summer, Laura.
Commonwealth Fund.
Publication:
New York, NY : Commonwealth Fund, [2009]
Language(s):
English
Format:
Text
Subject(s):
Community Participation
Eligibility Determination -- statistics & numerical data
Health Services for the Aged
Public Assistance -- statistics & numerical data
Aged
Choice Behavior
Information Dissemination
Information Services
Poverty -- economics
Public Assistance -- economics
Humans
United States
Genre(s):
Technical Report
Abstract:
A review of the literature shows that some of the most vulnerable Americans, low-income seniors, do not participate in benefit programs for which they are eligible. The two major obstacles to enrollment are lack of knowledge about public benefit programs and the complexity of application and enrollment processes. The author identifies several ways of helping low-income elders get the health care they need: simplifying and aligning eligibility rules and enrollment procedures; using a "person-centered," one-on-one approach to outreach and enrollment; investing in information technology; and providing support for ongoing outreach and enrollment activities. More systemic studies regarding the effectiveness and efficiency of efforts to increase enrollment are necessary, the author says.
Copyright:
Reproduced with permission of the copyright holder. Further use of the material is subject to CC BY license. (More information)
Illustrations:
Illustrations
NLM Unique ID:
101529530 (See catalog record)
Permanent Link:
http://resource.nlm.nih.gov/101529530