An online service—BenefitsCheckUp.org—provided by the National Council on Aging (NCOA), can help you find programs that may pay for some of the costs of your prescription drugs, health care, utilities, and other essential items or services. The site contains a fast confidential screening tool that asks a series of questions to determine eligibility for hundreds of state and federal programs. You receive a free report listing all programs in your area for which you are eligible, a description of what they provide, local contact addresses, and phone numbers.

To test the service, I assumed that I was 62 years old. Using my data, here’s a partial list of programs in my area for which I would be eligible. (Programs vary depending on your personal information and residence.):

1. Social Security
2. Group and Home Delivered Meals (Meals on Wheels)
3. Employment Services
4. Alzheimer’s Disease Education and Referral Center
5. Legal Assistance Programs
6. Virginia Insurance Counseling and Assistance Program
7. SeniorNavigator.com—(A Virginia non-profit program that combines the Internet with a statewide system of volunteers to provide health and aging information to seniors. Provides details for about 17,000 local senior services and providers.) 
   

September 2002