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