Benefits Enrollment Center

Millions of older adults who are eligible are missing out on benefits programs that can help pay for healthcare, prescriptions, food, utilities, and more. These benefits can help you save money and stay healthy, active, and independent in your home and community.

The Aging & Disability Resource Center is now a National Council on Aging Benefits Enrollment Center. This means we are experts in connecting older adults and people with disabilities with benefits programs that can help pay for health care, medicine, food, utilities, and more.

BenefitsCheckUp: What It Is

older adult and daughter smiling at the daughter's phone. BenefitsCheckUp is the nation’s most comprehensive tool to connect older adults and people with disabilities to benefits assistance. We'll make it easy to see if you may be eligible—and then help you apply or connect you with a benefits counselor.

BenefitsCheckUp helps assess whether you can get help from programs before you apply. All you have to do is answer a few simple questions to find out if you may be eligible for programs that can 'boost your budget' by thousands of dollars each year. We’ll check your eligibility for programs like Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Medicaid, Medicare Savings Programs, Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), and Part D Low-Income Subsidy (Extra Help), among others.

  • The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the largest federal food assistance program, helping individuals, families, and people with disabilities buy food to maintain good health. We'll see if you're eligible to get help paying for groceries.
  • Older adults spend on average over $600 a year on prescription drugs. We’ll explore prescription assistance benefits from Medicare, states, and drug manufacturers to help pay for your medications at the pharmacy.  

  • We can also connect you with other programs and services like the Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC), transportation programs, money management programs, farmer’s market coupons and more! 

Get Your Free BenefitsCheckUp!

Getting your free BenefitsCheckUp is the first step. 

  • In person: Visit the Aging & Disability Resource Center at 2100 Washington Boulevard, 4th Floor, Arlington VA 22204.
  • By Phone: Call 703-228-1700 and ask for a BenefitsCheckUp!

Frequently Asked Questions

How can a Benefits Enrollment Center help me?

Benefits Enrollment Centers (BECs) are community organizations that help Medicare members with low income and people with disabilities find and enroll in all the benefits programs that they qualify for. Benefits Enrollment Center services are free and 100% private. No one will try to sell you anything or steer you toward a certain program.

What happens when I call a Benefits Enrollment Center?

During your first phone call, you’ll speak with a trained benefits counselor who will:

  • Get to know you. Your counselor may ask you about your current situation, any challenges you’re facing in your life, and what benefits programs you’re currently enrolled in.
  • Perform a personalized benefits screening. Even if you've already used BenefitsCheckUp, your counselor may screen you again to make sure you didn't miss any details that could help you get more benefits. They will also help explain the programs you qualify for and answer any questions you may have.
  • Help you with the application process. Once they've learned which programs you qualify for, your counselor will work with you to find, complete, and submit the applications. This includes helping you gather all required documents. 
  • Follow up. Your counselor will later reach out to you later to make sure you’re getting the benefits you applied for. If you run into any issues along the way, your counselor can help you troubleshoot and keep the process on track.

Can I do this online?

Yes! It's easy, convenient, and takes just a couple of steps. Some local benefits programs may not be listed when you apply online, so we recommend setting up an appointment with one of our specialists to ensure you get every benefit available to you.

1. Answer some questions to get more information

Get a benefits checkup and choose the categories that you're most interested in. Once you have made your selections and click next, you'll have the ability to review your initial results or enter more details to further personalize your options. For programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly Food Stamps), the Medicare Low-Income Subsidy, and Medicare Savings Programs, among others, additional information may be required to determine your eligibility. 

2. Check to see if you qualify or if further information is required

When clicking 'See If You May Be Eligible', our free, confidential tool will ask you additional questions to help determine your eligibility and will provide you with a personalized report. Once your 'Eligibility Results' report has been created, you can view it as a PDF, email it, go back and edit your answers, and you also have the option to screen for someone else.

 

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