Volunteer Positions
Seniors Out Speaking on Medicare (SOS Medicare) (Westchester County, NY)
Volunteers in this award-winning program reach over 1500 senior center members each month with brief presentations on Medicare benefits, rights and options.
Health Advocacy Players (Westchester County, NY)
Volunteers in this program work in teams, telling stories that show people how to stand up for their rights in difficult situations with health care professionals in a non-confrontational way. For example, participants learn “How to Talk to Your Doctor” and “How to Navigate a Hospital Stay.” Over 500 Westchester residents participated in these interactive programs in the past year.
Health Advocacy Resource Center Counselors (Westchester County, NY)
People who prefer to help others on a one-on-one basis can volunteer as a counselor at one of the Health Advocacy Resource Centers located in public libraries in Yonkers and Shrub Oak. Counselors have access to a wide range of resources with which to help people find answers to Medicare and other health-related questions. This program will expand to other branch libraries if we have more volunteers.
Volunteers for the above three Westchester County programs are required to attend five half-day training sessions the week of September 22 in Tarrytown.
Volunteers must meet the following requirements:
Westchester resident age 50+ excellent public speaking skills (for programs requiring public speaking) computer literate excellent interpersonal skills fluency in Spanish is a plus Able to commit to a minimum of 12 hours per month, including update meetings Some knowledge of the health care system is also a plus. Health care professionals are encouraged to apply.
To apply or learn more about any of the above three Westchester programs, call 1-800-480-2060, ext. 6266, or 212-204-6266.Low Income Programs Enrollment Counselors
Volunteers will help low-income New Yorkers with Medicare get extra help paying for prescription drugs. Volunteers receive thorough training, and will work one-on-one with clients to assist them in completing and submitting their applications for the federal program Extra Help.
If you are interested in volunteering, please complete an application online or call (212) 204-6270 for more information.
Remote Volunteer Counselors
LINCS is a network of volunteers to help older and disabled New Yorkers complete and submit applications to receive extra help paying for their Medicare prescription drug costs. After undergoing web-based training, volunteer counselors will assist people who need this extra help through one-on-one telephone counseling from the comfort of their own home.
If you are interested in becoming a remote volunteer counselor please complete an application online or call (212) 204-6218.
Volunteer Hotline Counselors
The MRC Volunteer Hotline Counselor assists people with Medicare with health care issues. Through one-on-one counseling and informal advocacy, MRC Hotline Counselors support the independence of people to make choices that affect their health and financial well-being. Counselor responsibilities include:
Volunteer orientation consists of attending five training sessions. Volunteers are expected to make a commitment to one hotline shift a week, for a minimum of one year. Hotline shifts are 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. or 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, or 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday evenings.
- Counseling: Provide individual counseling to people with Medicare regarding Medicare billing and claims problems, Medicare supplemental insurance, HMOs, and other private health insurance.
- Advocacy: Ensure that clients’ rights under Medicare and related health insurance benefits are upheld and make referrals when appropriate.
If you are interested in volunteering as a Hotline Counselor, please contact Betty Duggan, Director of Volunteer Services, by phone: (212) 869-3850 ext. 6229, or by e-mail.
Volunteer National Medicare Consumer Action Board Members
The Medicare Rights Center (MRC) is forming a National Medicare Consumer Action Board to begin its work mid-September 2002. The board will be comprised of 35-50 men and women with Medicare who will serve as representatives of their communities' Medicare consumer voices. Board members will educate our staff about local Medicare issues and take MRC's messages back to their communities.
The MRC Consumer Action Board will participate in bi-monthly teleconferences at which board members and MRC staff will exchange information about recent Medicare hot topics. Together we will develop strategies to tackle these issues. We expect each board member to commit to outreaching to a minimum of 20 people with Medicare in their communities along with taking a minimum of four actions each year. These actions will range from writing letters to elected officials and local papers to testifying at hearings and speaking to the press.
We are looking for representatives from the following states: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Idaho, Hawaii, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Washington and W. Virginia.
If you are a person with Medicare from any of these states and are interested in applying for a position on MRC's Consumer Action Board, please e-mail Al Mendlovitz.
At-Home Medicare Preventive Benefits Counselor
The Medicare Rights Center (MRC) is a national, not-for-profit consumer service organization that works to ensure access to affordable health care for older adults and people with disabilities through counseling and advocacy, educational programs, and public policy initiatives.
MRC Preventive Benefits Counselors provide invaluable counseling services to people with Medicare via phone, from the comfort of their own home. Through one-on-one counseling, MRC Counselors support the independence of people to make choices that affect their health and financial well-being.
Preventive Benefits Counselors call Medicare beneficiaries monthly to inform them about important preventive services covered by Medicare, such as cancer screenings, flu shots, and glaucoma screenings. In addition to helping people with Medicare stay healthy and informed about their rights, volunteers also provide a valuable, regular social contact for people who may be homebound.
Volunteers must be able to use the phone and internet simultaneously. Additionally, volunteers should have the ability to effectively and patiently communicate important information about health care benefits.
Prior knowledge of Medicare is not required. Volunteers will be required to participate in two conference call training sessions. Trainings are conducted over the phone with other volunteer trainees on a monthly basis.
During the training sessions, you will learn about Medicare Basics, the Preventive Services that Medicare covers, and how to use our online client database and other web-based counseling tools.
To apply or learn more about the program, call 1-800-480-2060, ext. 6266, or 212-204-6266.