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Simona Combi
Public Relations Manager
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simona.combi@ncoa.org

April 13, 2026, Arlington, Virginia—With 9 million older adults not getting benefits that can help them afford food, health care, transportation, and other necessities, the National Council on Aging (NCOA) is urging Americans to use and share BenefitsCheckUp.org to see if they qualify for programs.

Boost Your Budget Week, held April 13-17, highlights the importance of connecting eligible older adults to programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Medicare Savings Programs (MSP), Medicaid and Medicare Part D Extra Help—all of which can make it easier for low-income older adults to afford daily expenses. Research shows that people 60 and older who make $20,000 per year or less die nine years earlier than those who make $120,000 per year or more.

“These benefits literally save lives,” said Josh Hodges, NCOA’s Chief Customer Officer. “Unfortunately, many older adults do not know about the programs or think they might not be eligible. More than 17 million older adults age 65 and older are economically insecure, so there is a great need for these programs.”

NCOA offers a free and confidential online tool BenefitsCheckUp.org, which allows individuals to enter basic information and receive a personalized report about which programs they may be eligible for and how to apply. BenefitsCheckUp is also available in Spanish, at BuscaBeneficios.org, and it offers a toll-free helpline at 1-800-794-6559 for in-person benefits assistance Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET.

NCOA also works with 90 local organizations that find and help enroll eligible older adults in benefits programs. These partners operate under NCOA's national network of Benefits Enrollment Centers, supported with funding from the U.S. Administration for Community Living (ACL).

About NCOA 
The National Council on Aging (NCOA) is the national voice for every person’s right to age well. Working with thousands of national and local partners, we provide resources, tools, best practices, and advocacy to ensure every person can age with health and financial security. Founded in 1950, we are the oldest national organization focused on older adults. Learn more at www.ncoa.org and @NCOAging. 

This publication was supported by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $13,504,196.00 with 100 percent funding by ACL/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by ACL/HHS or the U.S. Government.

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