NCOA's free online tool connects older adults and people with disabilities to 2,000 benefits programs to help pay for food, medicine, and more

Contact
Simona Combi
Public Relations Manager
571-527-3982
simona.combi@ncoa.org

Arlington, VA (June 21, 2022) — The National Council on Aging (NCOA), the national voice for every person’s right to age well, is launching a new and improved version of its free online tool. BenefitsCheckUp.org connects older adults and people with disabilities with nearly 2,000 benefits programs to help them pay for food, medicine, utilities, and other daily expenses.

“In today’s economy, inflation is taking a bigger and bigger bite out of people’s incomes,” said Ramsey Alwin, NCOA President and CEO. “The good news is that there are programs that can help."

We completely redesigned BenefitsCheckUp to make it even easier for older adults, individuals with disabilities, and caregivers to find the resources they need to age with dignity. No one should have to choose between paying for medication or food,” Alwin said.

Millions of people miss out on saving money through public and private benefits simply because they don’t know the programs exist—or how to apply. NCOA created BenefitsCheckUp in 2001, and since then millions of people have used it to find billions of dollars in benefits. Programs featured on the site include the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as food stamps), Medicare Savings Programs, Medicare Part D Low Income Subsidy (LIS/Extra Help), Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, and Affordable Connectivity Program.

On BenefitsCheckUp, visitors can learn which programs they might be eligible for—and find the right contact information to take the next step to apply.

How BenefitsCheckUp helps older adults and people with disabilities:

• Provides details on nearly 2,000 federal, state, and local benefits programs in both English and Spanish
• Offers free, confidential eligibility checks by specific program or benefits category
• Helps users save their eligibility results when they create an account
• Extends personalized support through a call center, online chat, email, and NCOA’s network of local Benefit Enrollment Centers—85 agencies in 41 states where people can get in-person application support

“Benefits programs are a critical piece in ensuring that every person has what they need to age well—regardless of gender, color, sexuality, income, or ZIP code,” Alwin said. “Now more than ever, BenefitsCheckUp is a great place to start to see if you’re eligible and find out how to apply.”

About NCOA
The National Council on Aging (NCOA) is the national voice for every person’s right to age well. We believe that how we age should not be determined by gender, color, sexuality, income, or ZIP code. 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. Follow us at @NCOAging.

About BenefitsCheckUp
BenefitsCheckUp® connects millions of older adults and people with disabilities with benefits programs that can help pay for health care, medicine, food, utilities, and more. Every year, billions of dollars in benefits programs go unclaimed because older adults don't know they’re eligible or how to apply. BenefitsCheckUp can help you find savings for yourself, or for someone you know. It only takes a few minutes, it’s confidential, and there’s no registration required. For more information, go to BenefitsCheckUp.org.