[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 119 (Tuesday, June 21, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40310-40311]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-14611]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Administration for Community Living
Announcing the Intent To Award a Single-Source Supplement for the
National Center for Benefits Outreach and Enrollment (NCBOE)
AGENCY: Administration for Community Living, HHS.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Administration for Community Living (ACL) announces the
intent to award a single-source supplemental to the current cooperative
agreement held by the National Council on Aging (NCOA) for the National
Center for Benefits Outreach and Enrollment (NCBOE). The purpose of the
NCBOE is to provide technical assistance to states, area agencies on
aging, and service providers to provide outreach and low-income
benefits enrollment assistance, particularly to older individuals with
greatest economic need for federal and state programs. The
administrative supplement for FY 2016 will be for $6,657,383, bringing
the total award for FY 2016 to $11,657,383. This supplement will fully
fund the NCOBE project as stated in the reauthorization of NCBOE
activities in section 110 of the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of
2014. With this funding NCOA will be expected to continue, expand, and
[[Page 40311]]
complete the work they are currently undertaking with the NCBOE award
without disrupting services. The additional funding will not be used to
begin new projects but to expand the capacity of current activities to
increase the number of beneficiaries and seniors reach by the NCBOE.
Program Name: The National Center for Benefits Outreach and
Enrollment (NCBOE).
Recipient: National Council on Aging (NCOA).
Period of Performance: The award will be issued for the final year
of the current project period of September 30, 2014 through September
29, 2017.
Total Award Amount: $11,657,383 in FY 2016.
Award Type: Cooperative Agreement Supplement.
Statutory Authority: The Medicare Improvements for Patients and
Providers Act of 2008--Section 119, Public Law (Pub. L.) 110-275 as
amended by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010
(Affordable Care Act), reauthorized by the American Taxpayer Relief Act
of 2012 (ATRA) and reauthorized by section 110 of the Protecting Access
to Medicare Act of 2014.
Basis for Award: The National Council on Aging (NCOA) is currently
funded to carry out the NCBOE Project for the period of September 30,
2014 through September 29, 2017. Much work has already been completed
and further tasks are currently being accomplished. This supplement
will fully fund the NCOBE project as stated in the reauthorization of
NCBOE activities in section 110 of the Protecting Access to Medicare
Act of 2014.
Since 2001, the NCOA has been a national leader in improving
benefits access to vulnerable older adults. They have a strong history
of working with community based organizations to develop and replicate
outreach and enrollment solutions, while maintaining and enhancing
technology to make it easier and more efficient to find benefits. The
NCOA through NCBOE accomplishes its mission by developing and sharing
tools, resources, best practices, and strategies for benefits outreach
and enrollment via its online clearinghouse, electronic and print
publications, webinars, and training and technical assistance.
In addition, the NCOA has the BenefitsCheckUp which is, by far, the
nation's most comprehensive and widely-used web-based service that
screens older and disabled adults with limited incomes and resources
and informs them about public and private benefits for which they are
very likely to be eligible. Since the BenefitsCheckUp was launched in
2001, nearly 4 million individuals have been assisted to identify over
$14.3 billion in potential annual benefits. In addition to a focus on
Low-Income Subsidy and Medicare Savings Programs, the BenefitsCheckUp
also includes more than 2,300 benefits programs from all 50 states and
DC, including the recent addition of Medicaid expansion programs as
part of the Affordable Care Act; over 50,000 local offices for people
to apply for benefits; more than 1,500 application forms in every
language in which they are available; and user-friendly mapping tools
that allow streamlined access to program fact sheets and application
forms based upon a person's locality.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information or comments
regarding this program supplement, contact Rebecca Kinney, U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community
Living, Center for Integrated Programs, Office of Healthcare
Information and Counseling; telephone (202) 795-7375; email
[email protected].
Dated: June 14, 2016.
Kathy Greenlee,
Administrator and Assistant Secretary for Aging.
[FR Doc. 2016-14611 Filed 6-20-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4154-01-P