Statement by Medicare Rights Center President Joe Baker Regarding Funding for the Managed Care Consumer Assistance Program in the Proposed 2016-2017 Executive Budget

New York, NY—The Medicare Rights Center applauds Governor Andrew Cuomo for maintaining funding for the Managed Care Consumer Assistance Program (MCCAP) in the proposed New York 2016-2017 Executive Budget.

For more than a decade, MCCAP has provided essential assistance to low-income seniors and people with disabilities throughout New York State to help them access needed health services and reduce their Medicare costs.

MCCAP funding is more critical than ever before, as the number of New Yorkers becoming eligible for Medicare is increasing every day. The program is available to New York’s most vulnerable and hard to reach residents: Medicare-eligible individuals who are uninsured, individuals dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid, seniors, immigrants, and people with disabilities.

Each year, MCCAP agencies conduct trainings for more than 63,000 advocates and consumers throughout the state. They also provide nearly 17,000 counseling sessions to older adults and people with disabilities and their families.

The MCCAP network, comprised of the Medicare Rights Center and five community-based organizations across New York State, operates trusted consumer hotlines, conducts live and web-based trainings and educational workshops, and provides hands-on-assistance to people with Medicare who are unable to access or afford health care. MCCAP also assists health care professionals so they can better serve vulnerable New York seniors and people with disabilities and their families.

Leveraging the strengths of different organizations allows MCCAP to support state agencies and meet specific community needs, such as providing assistance in various languages and maintaining the direct-to-consumer assistance that people with Medicare and their families deserve.

In addition to the Medicare Rights Center, the MCCAP network includes the Community Service Society; Empire Justice Center; The Legal Aid Society; New York Legal Assistance Group; and NY StateWide Senior Action Council.

MCCAP is administered by the New York State Office for the Aging.

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