Benefits Access
![Close up of a SNAP sign on the window of grocery store.](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets-us-01.kc-usercontent.com%3A443%2Fffacfe7d-10b6-0083-2632-604077fd4eca%2Fe5087a0b-c63d-41fc-8ade-c13dc5d36b0a%2FSNAP-welcomed-here-sign-in-discount-store_Category-Hero_iStock-1287472642_2021-02_770x614.jpg&w=1920&q=75)
How NCOA Helps Older Adults Find and Enroll in Benefits
The Center for Economic Well-Being
![Under Orlene Grant's leadership, the foundation has created multiple programs that remove the stigma of aging, provide training to support older adults’ retention in the workplace, and educate individuals on how to reduce financial scams and elder abuse.](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets-us-01.kc-usercontent.com%3A443%2Fffacfe7d-10b6-0083-2632-604077fd4eca%2F30b3c0bc-c852-4f43-a46c-6bc28ae079f7%2F2022-Trailblazers-in-Aging-Awards_Innovator-Award_S-Orlene-Grant-Hiring-Event_2022-06_On-Page-600x338.jpg&w=1200&q=75)
MIPPA Resource Center
![lightbulbs drawn on blue, yellow, and orange sticky notes pinned to bulletin board](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets-us-01.kc-usercontent.com%3A443%2Fffacfe7d-10b6-0083-2632-604077fd4eca%2F4d043c14-9442-478a-ac53-ba3b58a6173c%2FLight-bulbs-drawn-on-colorful-sticky-notes_Category-Hero_iStock-152955834_2021-02_770x614.jpg&w=1920&q=75)
SNAP Enrollment Initiative
![SNAP approvals have been at a standstill, leaving older adults with fewer options for affordable groceries. Now the federal government is holding states accountable to speed up the process.](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets-us-01.kc-usercontent.com%3A443%2Fffacfe7d-10b6-0083-2632-604077fd4eca%2F6c5da0e8-0b97-4270-88e6-27c3f1018a22%2FWhy-Are-My-SNAP-Benefits-Delayed-2024-6-FBLI-1200x630.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
Benefits Enrollment Centers
![Our test of Budget CheckUp was so successful, outreach and education has expanded nationwide](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets-us-01.kc-usercontent.com%3A443%2Fffacfe7d-10b6-0083-2632-604077fd4eca%2Fdd0c13e5-f5b6-47be-8929-353ed49ebe1f%2FBuilding_Money_Management_Skills_HERO_1336x614_2024-02.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
BenefitsCheckUp®
![An older couple sits at a dining table, viewing a website on a laptop. The screen displays an NCOA BenefitsCheckUp page with the headline 'Worry Less and Age Better with BenefitsCheckUp.' The man has gray hair and wears a light-colored shirt, while the woman, partially obscured, has dark hair. On the table next to the laptop is a prescription bottle and a glass of water. The background features a living room with a sofa and a television.](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets-us-01.kc-usercontent.com%3A443%2Fffacfe7d-10b6-0083-2632-604077fd4eca%2F93999b21-b405-4690-9965-b960007ec568%2F2024-WEB-BCU%2520Featured%2520Content%2520Block%2520Image%2520%25281%2529.png&w=3840&q=75)
Boost Your Budget® Week
![Certainly! Here is a suggestion for the alt text:
A cheerful multigenerational family with a grandmother, mother, and child smiling together. The image is accompanied by the text 'Find Ways to Boost Your Budget' and logos of NCOA and Boost Your Budget.](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets-us-01.kc-usercontent.com%3A443%2Fffacfe7d-10b6-0083-2632-604077fd4eca%2F7c03003c-4ea1-4a48-8c2a-026119f36dca%2F2024-BYB-Image.png&w=3840&q=75)
Financial assistance is available—but $30 billion goes unclaimed each year
NCOA is committed to helping all older adults understand the financial programs and supports available to them. According to NCOA’s research, there are major barriers to benefits program participation. In fact, people who qualify for assistance programs but are not enrolled leave $30 billion in benefits on the table annually.
The key to overcoming these obstacles is working collectively to provide proactive, targeted outreach. This outreach can happen within the community—from health care providers, area agencies on aging, religious organizations, and others.
How NCOA supports benefits access for older adults nationwide
Through the coordinated efforts conducted by our Center for Economic Well-Being, NCOA helps older adults find and enroll into benefits programs and connects them to tools and education to improve their finances.
Explore our resources below and learn more about the Center for Economic Well-Beings's work, the main benefits programs we focus on, and our national network of community-based organizations that work to achieve this mission in their communities.
Benefits Programs: Enrollment & Eligibility 101
There are several core benefits that can help people with low income afford the basic costs of living. Our Benefits 101 slide decks can be downloaded and tailored for your use in your community.
NCOA Partners in Benefits Access
The Latest in Benefits Access
What Are Benefits Enrollment Centers (BECs)?
![Benefits Enrollment Centers help low-income Medicare enrollees](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets-us-01.kc-usercontent.com%3A443%2Fffacfe7d-10b6-0083-2632-604077fd4eca%2Fd0b82095-cb39-439b-9e6b-972f447abc9e%2FSenior-asian-couple-outside_Hero_Pexels-1642883_2021-01_1336x614.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
Meet Our Benefits Enrollment Centers (BECs)
![Benefits Enrollment Centers (BECs) help Medicare members with low income get benefits that pay for food, healthcare, and more.](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets-us-01.kc-usercontent.com%3A443%2Fffacfe7d-10b6-0083-2632-604077fd4eca%2F46d9dc97-8db5-41f8-bce6-85549c0471f9%2FDiverse-group-of-people-with-arms-around-each-other_Hero_iStock-1199706305_2021-02_1336x614.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
Understanding benefits participation in your area.
NCOA's new tool shows participation rates for older adults enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Medicare Savings Programs (MSP), and the Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Get started by selecting specific areas to see how they compare to national and state averages.
Advocate for MIPPA Funding
Millions of people can't afford their Medicare out-of-pocket costs. There are programs to help, but few people know about them or how to enroll. Thanks to efforts from aging network advocates, funding for the program was saved; but only until December 31, 2024. After more than a decade of success, It's time to make the program permanent.
![Advocates nearing Capitol Hill](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets-us-01.kc-usercontent.com%3A443%2Fffacfe7d-10b6-0083-2632-604077fd4eca%2F30e85266-e948-4c21-abf7-d8ea1cab7fa4%2FHillDay24_group.jpg&w=1920&q=75)