Enrollment
Do I Qualify?
LINCS
Coalition
Deputization
Volunteer
Professionals
NYC Deputization Project
The Problem
The Medicare Part B premium is a major cost for limited income New Yorkers: $88.50 in 2006. For thousands of people with Medicare, an annual premium of $1,062 can be crippling.
Medicare Savings Programs (MSPs) pay for the cost of the Part B premium for people whose income is less than 135% of the Federal Poverty Level. The MSPs also help low-income people with Medicare access prescription drug assistance through Medicare's new drug benefit.
The Medicare Savings Programs are vastly underutilized. Applicants face a myriad of bureaucratic obstacles to access these programs. One of the biggest obstacles is New York State's requirement that individuals apply for these programs in person at a local Medicaid office. Going to the Medicaid office to apply can be a tremendous obstacle for seniors and people with disabilities. As a result of this kind of barrier, many eligible New Yorkers are not enrolled in an MSP.
Removing Barriers As A Solution
The New York City Deputization Project helps New York residents apply for Medicare Savings Programs without going to a local Medicaid office. The Medicare Rights Center (MRC), through a special arrangement with the New York City Human Resources Administration (HRA), acts as a clearinghouse for MSP applications submitted by over 100 community advocates and social workers.
Once they have received training, advocates become Deputized Agents. Deputized Agents complete MSP applications for people in their communities or at their workplaces and can can call or email MRC for technical assistance. Once an MSP application is complete, Deputized Agents send it to MRC, and MRC submits it directly to HRA. This collaboration between Deputized Agents and the Medicare Rights Center allows clients to access MSP benefits without the difficulty of a face-to-face interview.
Since its inception in 2003, the Deputization Project has helped more than 1,000 New York City residents apply for MSPs, saving these residents over $1 million in health care expenses.