COMMUNITY SERVICES BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM

Information Memorandum

Administration for Children and Families
Office of Community Services
Division of State Assistance
370 L'Enfant Promenade, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20447

Date: July 6, 2005

Partnership Initiative with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services: Participation in OCS/CMS sponsored training conference call

In Information Memorandum Number 83, the Office of Community Services (OCS) announced its partnership with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. This partnership was established to help ensure that eligible low-income individuals with Medicare receive prescription drug benefits under the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA).

As part of this partnership initiative, a significant number of CAAs received training on how to conduct outreach, educate, and enroll eligible individuals in the Medicare-Approved Drug Discount Card Program which ends December 31, 2005, when the new Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Program takes effect January 1, 2006.

CAAs have developed a reputation as trusted, well-respected community-based service providers. Since Americans age 55 and older make-up 15 percent of family childcare providers, it is extremely important this population of individuals is not over-looked. Accordingly, the Child Care Bureau (CCB), within the Administration for Children and Families, and the National Association of Child Care Resources and Referral Agencies (NACCRRA) have joined the partnership. A jointly signed letter is planned wherein the CCB and NACCRRA network will be encouraged to refer childcare providers and clients of childcare providers, who may qualify for a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan, to CAAs for assistance in obtaining Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage.

Currently, CMS is undertaking many activities to transition from the Medicare-Approved Drug Discount Card Program to the new Part D Prescription Drug Program. We invite and encourage strong CAA participation in helping eligible Medicare individuals, with limited resources, get information and enroll in drug prescription plans that may significantly reduce their drug costs. Toward this end, we would like for you or an agency representative to participate in one of two OCS/CMS sponsored training conference calls to learn how your agency can help Medicare eligible individuals in your community. The first call, which will include OCS’ Community Food and Nutrition and Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program grantees, will take place Thursday, July 14, 2005 at 3:00 p.m. (EST). To participate on this call, please dial USA Toll Free 1-888-323-2711, enter the pass code: LUCKY (58259) and follow the instructions. The second call will take place on Thursday, July 21, 2005 at 2:00 p.m. (EST). To participate on this call, please dial USA Toll Free 1-877-546-1566, enter the pass code: LUCKY (58259) and follow the instructions.

In order to receive electronic copies of the training material prior to each call, lease confirm your participation by sending an e-mail with your name, e-mail address and the name and address of your agency to: wgraham@acf.hhs.gov. In your e-mail, please specify which date you will participate on the call.

For more information, we are placing the training material as well as other downloadable Power Point Presentations about Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage on the OCS/CSBG Website, http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ocs/csbg/index.htm. These Power Point Presentations can be used as training tools for your staff or as tools to educate the Medicare population.

Once again, we strongly encourage the participation of all CAAs on these training conference calls. The information given will greatly enhance your ability to better serve your community. If for some reason your agency is not available for either of these conference calls, the training information will be available on the web.

Please contact Whitney Graham, OCS at 202-690-6563 or Anita Wright, OCS at 202-690-5660 if you have any questions.