The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced April 7 that nearly $36 million will be distributed to State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIPs) to help Medicare beneficiaries get more information about their healthcare choices.
The nearly $36 million being distributed to the SHIPs is the first installment of more than $50 million that will be provided to them in 2008. This $20 million increase in funding over FY07 reflects more than $39 million in regular SHIP grants, performance-based grants to be awarded in September, and SHIP support, as well as an additional $15 million in supplemental funding that will be distributed on June 1.
CMS expects the SHIPs to use the increased 2008 funding to conduct targeted community-based outreach to an increasing number of beneficiaries who may be unable to access other sources of information. Read the press release.
