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National Council on Aging logo. We believe every person deserves to age well. That’s why we’re on a path to improve the lives of 40 million older adults by 2030.

Center for Economic Well-Being

NCOA's Center for Economic Well-Being connects professionals with tools and resources to effectively find and enroll older adults into benefits programs, connect them with financial education, and maximize their savings. Learn more about our work as the MIPPA Resource Center and our Senior SNAP Enrollment Initiative.
Two senior women are working at a computer together, smiling. There's an older man seen in the foreground also on a computer.

NCOA's Center for Economic Well-Being (CEW) helps community-based organizations enroll older adults and people with disabilities with limited means into the benefits programs for which they are eligible so that they can remain healthy, independent, and improve the quality of their lives.

The Center for Economic Well-Being accomplishes its mission by:

  • Providing tools and resources that help local, state, and regional organizations to find, counsel, and assist seniors and younger adults with disabilities to apply for and enroll in the benefits for which they may be eligible.
  • Generating and disseminating new knowledge about best practices and cost effective strategies for benefits outreach and enrollment.

Key benefits for people with Medicare

Along with its partners, CEW works to maximize enrollment in a variety of public and private benefits.

CEW's main programs of interest are:

  • Medicare Part D Extra Help/Low-Income Subsidy (LIS)
  • Medicare Savings Programs (MSPs)
  • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP – formerly known as Food Stamps)
  • Medicaid
  • Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)

In addition, CEW assists professionals and consumers to apply for and enroll in these programs both through personalized benefits counseling in their communities, and online via our free online screening tool, BenefitsCheckUp®.

Funding for the Center for Economic Well-Being

The Center for Economic Well-Being (CEW) is the designated National Center for Benefits Outreach and Enrollment funded under the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA) through by the U.S. Administration for Community Living (ACL).

CEW also manages the Senior SNAP Enrollment Initiative, an effort funded by the Walmart Foundation to increase older adult enrollment into the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). 

The content and views expressed herein are those of NCOA and do not necessarily represent the views of, nor should be attributed to, ACL or the Walmart Foundation.

Training and technical assistance

CEW can offer training and technical assistance on a wide range of benefits access issues.

We do this through several means:

  • Webinars on topics including changes to benefits programs, strategies for outreach and enrollment, Medicare benefits, and more.
  • Presentations and workshops at numerous national, regional, and state conferences throughout the year.
  • Publications, including case studies, promising practices, success stories, and other periodic reports. 
  • Data visualization tools that help professionals understand areas of need in their communities.
  • Updating and maintaining our online screening tool, BenefitsCheckUp®.
  • Individualized support.

How to contact the Center for Economic Well-Being

Please send inquiries to Center4EWB@ncoa.org.

Thank You to Our Center for Economic Well-Being Funders

  • AT&T logo
  • Bank of America logo
  • Fidelity logo
  • A logo for Nationwide insurance with the slogan Nationwide is On Your Side and an eagle flying
  • The Henry & Marilyn Taub Foundation
  • Uber Health logo
  • Visa logo
  • Walmart foundation logo
  • Zelle logo

More from the MIPPA Resource Center

Find additional tools, resources, and training to help low-income people with Medicare save money on health care, prescriptions, food, and more through additional benefit options.

Younger woman helping older woman on laptop

Use BenefitsCheckUp® to Find Money-Saving Benefits

Older adults living in or near the poverty level are eligible for billions of dollars of unclaimed benefits. These unclaimed benefits are not for everyone, but if you’re a Benefits Enrollment Center working with older adults, , you can help them find out if they qualify.

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