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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Elana Berman, MPH and Nilo Couret. Medicare Rights Center, 1460 Broadway 17th Floor, New York, NY 10036, 2112-204-6248, eberman@medicarerights.org

The Medicare Rights Center's innovative remote one-to-one counseling model has proved efficient and effective at engaging new volunteers and expanding enrollment in entitlement programs. This program called LINCS (Linking Individuals in Need to Care and Services) is an at home Health Buddies model which utilizes large numbers of volunteers and relies on web-based technologies to deliver accurate information. Volunteers work from the comforts of their own home, receive on-line training and counsel clients on the phone at times that are convenient for both parties. This unique program has proved timely in coinciding with the 2003 Medicare overhaul bill, which privatized Medicare and expanded the program to cover prescription drugs. The changes demanded an unprecedented need for fast, reliable information – a need that required an innovative solution. The LINCS program's success in meeting this need is worthwhile and has been beneficial on multiple levels, for both volunteers and clients because of the ongoing supportive relationship created. LINCS uses a web-based system that trains and matches virtual counselors to clients with health care questions, which radically increases volunteer bases, maximum client capacities, and the efficiency of counseling sessions.

Pairing this innovative volunteer model with unconventional outreach strategies to reach people of low income has resulted in successful rates of enrollment for the state of New York. Integral to this success are unique partnerships with the Pharmacy Patient Assistant Program, the EPIC program, AARP and other similar entities.

Learning Objectives:

• • Maximize virtual volunteer bases and learn how to develop productive volunteer management tools
• • Learn how to increase enrollment into entitlement programs using an at home health buddies model
• • Managing volunteers and clients and providing technical assistance using secure remote databases.
• • Describe the value in creating innovative partnerships to identify hard to reach populations

Keywords: Medicare, Access to Care

Related Web page: medicarerights.org/lincs/

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation