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Making the Connection Updates
FEDERAL BENEFIT UPDATES
November 20, 2005
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 Substance
Abuse and Mental
Health Services Administration 
The
Center for Mental Health Services
Dear Colleague:
The National Resource and Training Center
on Homelessness and Mental Illness is pleased to share with
you the following Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration (SAMHSA) announcement:
Announcing the launch of the Substance Abuse
and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)’s
new SOAR (SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access and Recovery) webpage
located at www.pathprogram.samhsa.gov/SOAR.
The website contains several new resources for case managers
and others assisting homeless people to apply for Social Security
disability benefits (Supplemental Security Income – SSI;
and Social Security Disability Insurance – SSDI).
Resources
Include:
- Stepping Stones to Recovery, a manual
for case managers assisting adults who are homeless, with
SSI and SSDI applications. It features promising practices
and tools to document disabilities as part of the SSI/SSDI
application process. Available for download.
- Learn about the SOAR Technical Assistance
and Training Initiative that is being implemented in 13
States and the County of Los Angeles. This initiative was
offered to States participating in the Federal Interagency
Policy Academies on Homelessness and supported by SAMHSA,
HRSA, HUD, DOL, and the VA and is designed to increase access
to SSA disability benefits for people who are experiencing
homelessness.
- Join the new list serve to announce new
tools and information related to expediting SSI and SSDI
for people who are homeless. To join, send an e-mail to
soar@prainc.com.
For more information, go to http://www.pathprogram.samhsa.gov/SOAR.
You
have been included on the National Resource and Training Center
on Homelessness and Mental Illness mailing list. As a member
of this group you will receive periodic announcements regarding
funding availability, new publications, conference announcements
and other pertinent information. To unsubscribe from the NRTC
Listserv, please send an email to: nrtc-announcements-unsubscribe@lists.cdmgroup.com.
National
Resource and Training Center
on
Homelessness and Mental Illness
800-444-7415
fax: 301-656-4012
nrtcinfo@cdmgroup.com
The
National Resource and Training Center on Homelessness and
Mental Illness is operated under contract to the Substance
Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA's)
Center for Mental Health Services. It is the only national
center specifically focused on the effective organization
and delivery of services for people who are homeless and have
serious mental illnesses and/or substance use disorders.
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November 7, 2005
MEDICARE D: AUTO-ENROLLMENT
OF MEDICAID ELIGIBLE CLIENTS IN MEDICARE D PLANS
Making the Connection
Participants
During our Making the Connection
training sessions, we stated that clients who are enrolled in Medicaid
can choose the Medicare D drug plan of their choice between November
15 and December 31. This information is accurate, however, it is
important to note that your clients are receiving letters from the
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services advising them that
they are being automatically enrolled in drug plans.
The auto-enrollment is just a cautionary one, in case your clients
fail to select a plan. Your clients still have the right to select
their own plan based on their pharmaceutical needs.
Unfortunately this will add some confusion to entire process, as
many of your clients, will believe they have to stay with the plan
that was selected for them by the government. I wish you well as
you advocate on behalf of your clients.
Following is information about this auto-enrollment process along
with copies of the letters being sent.
CMS Mails Auto-Enrollment Letters to Dual Eligible Beneficiaries
Beginning January 1, 2006,
Medicare's prescription drug coverage will be available to everyone
in Medicare. For those with limited incomes, there is extra help
that will provide comprehensive coverage for no premium and no deductible.
Medicare beneficiaries who also receive Medicaid automatically qualify
for this extra help. These full-benefit dual eligibles are being
automatically and randomly enrolled in a prescription drug plan
to make sure that they do not lose a day of prescription coverage.
This week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services began
mailing these auto-enrollment letters to full-benefit dual eligible
Medicare beneficiaries. The letters let the beneficiary know the
Medicare prescription drug plan in which they will be enrolled if
they do not take any action prior to January 1. A copy of the letter
is attached and also available online at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/medicarereform/Enrollment-Q&A-10-20-05-with-cover-sheet.pdf
July 28, 2005
MEDICARE PART D: SUBSIDY APPLICATION FOR LOW-INCOME
HOUSEHOLDS IS NOW AVAILABLE ON-LINE
If a person is a Medicare beneficiary with
limited income and resources, an on-line application is now available
to assess potential eligibility for subsidy of Medicare Part D costs.
Social Security will review the submitted application and send a
letter to let the person know if she qualifies for extra help. Social
Security will also send information about the Medicare Prescription
Drug Program and provide advice on the next steps. Medicare
Application
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