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Arkansas Communitycare takes steps to assist Fort Smith Medicare Beneficiaries in financial need
Partnership with Social Service Coordinators™ Will ensure community gets help they deserve
February 1, 2007, Fort Smith, Ark. – Only 60 percent of eligible beneficiaries enroll in Medicare Savings Programs1 that can help ease the often overwhelming financial burden of medical costs felt by many Fort Smith Medicare beneficiaries. In an effort to assist Fort Smith community members in taking advantage of all the services available to them, Arkansas Community Care announced today that it has signed a long-term agreement with Social Service Coordinators, Inc. (SSC). The partnership will provide Arkansas Community Care members with the information and opportunity to enroll in social programs designed to ease some of the financial burden associated with Medicare Part B. Arkansas Community Care is dedicated to walking Fort Smith through the often confusing Medicare choices every step of the way and this partnership will open the doors for community members to take advantage of the guidance and resources available to them.
SSC will reach out to all of Arkansas Community Care’s Medicare Advantage current and new members to provide education about the Medicare Savings Programs that they qualify for that can reduce or eliminate the financial burden of monthly premiums. SSC will assist members in applying for these programs and follow-up yearly to keep them enrolled. Many Medicare beneficiaries are unaware of the Medicare Savings Programs that are funded by the federal government and administered locally by Arkansas and Oklahoma, and presume they aren’t eligible for these cost-saving benefits. If a member meets the state’s eligibility rules for income and asset limits, the state will subsidize the member’s Part B premium, saving them up to $93.50 per month in 2007. Additional savings on health care costs are also available to those who are enrolled in the Medicare Savings Programs or state Medicaid programs by enrolling into the Medicare Special Needs Plan offered by Arkansas Community Care, which offers lower co-payments and broader benefits than most standard Medicare Advantage Plans.
“Our hope is to bring to Arkansas Community Care members all the resources we possibly can to ensure them a higher quality of life and health,” said Donna Jennings, Regional Vice President, Arkansas Community Care. “For example, homeowners with fixed incomes may be eligible to receive benefits from Medicare Savings Programs. While these programs have certain federally mandated requirements, through the services of SSC those members most in need will receive the benefits to which they are entitled.”
“It’s clear that Arkansas Community Care wants to be at the forefront of outreaching to its membership in order to actively increase participation in those federal and state programs for which their members may qualify,” said Alan Flaumenhaft, founder and CEO of Social Service Coordinators. “We are proud to be associated with Arkansas Community Care and its members. As always, SSC will work diligently to ensure that those members most in need will receive the help they deserve.”
About Arkansas Community Care
Arkansas Community Care is a physician-led company dedicated to providing affordable health plan products to Medicare beneficiaries in Crawford (AR), Franklin (AR), Logan (AR), Scott (AR), Sebastian (AR), Yell (AR), Haskell (OK), Le Flore (OK), and Sequoyah (OK) counties. For more information call toll-free 1-800-705-0783 (TTY/TDD 866-573-8613) or visit www.arkansascommunitycare.com.
About Social Service Coordinators
Social Service Coordinators, Inc. (SSC) is a private social service organization that contracts with Managed Care Organizations to provide education and assistance to enroll individuals into an array of federal, state and local social programs. SSC also provides ongoing support to help those individuals retain the benefits for which they have qualified. There is never a cost to health plan members to receive education and enrollment assistance services from SSC. Based in Miami Lakes, Florida, SSC is contracted to support over 5 million Medicare and Medicaid recipients nationally.
1. According to Kaiser Family Foundation