Opportunity Information: Apply for HHS 2015 ACL CCASD SM 0107
Apply for HHS 2015 ACL CCASD SM 0107
- The Administration for Community Living in the income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) /State Health Insurance Assistance Program(SHIP) Hard to Reach Beneficiary Project" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.048 Special Programs for the AgingTitle IVand Title IIDiscretionary Projects 93.324 State Health Insurance Assistance Program.
- This funding opportunity was created on Apr 15, 2015 and posted on Apr 15, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 14, 2015 Electronically submitted applications must be submitted no later than 1159 p.m., ET, on the listed application due date.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $150,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $150,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 3 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: City or township governments Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Small businesses For profit organizations other than small businesses State governments Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities County governments Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Independent school districts Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Private institutions of higher education Special district governments.
- Individuals, foreign entities, and sole proprietorship organizations are not eligible to compete for, or receive, awards made under this announcement.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) / State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) Hard to Reach Beneficiary Project is a discretionary cooperative agreement funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Community Living (ACL), created to help SMP and SHIP programs better reach Medicare beneficiaries who are often underserved by traditional outreach and counseling approaches. It sits within ACLs broader mission to reduce fragmentation across federal aging and disability programs, improve access to quality health care and long-term services and supports, and strengthen consistent community living policy. Within ACL, the Office of Healthcare Information and Counseling (OHIC) oversees both SMP and SHIP, two long-running nationwide programs that operate in every state and several territories and that often work side-by-side at the local level.
The opportunity builds on the distinct roles of SMP and SHIP. SMP, established under HIPAA in 1996 as part of the Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control framework, focuses on preventing, detecting, and reporting Medicare fraud, errors, and abuse by educating beneficiaries and supporting a large volunteer network. SMP projects exist in 54 jurisdictions and have historically relied heavily on trained community volunteers to deliver fraud prevention education and encourage beneficiaries to review their Medicare statements and report suspicious activity. SHIP, authorized by OBRA 1990 and transferred from CMS to ACL in FY 2014, focuses on unbiased, personalized counseling and community education so Medicare beneficiaries and their families can understand Medicare, Medicaid, supplemental coverage, managed care options, and related insurance choices. Like SMP, SHIP also operates in 54 jurisdictions, typically through state units on aging or insurance departments, with many local partners such as Area Agencies on Aging.
The main purpose of this grant is to develop innovative, efficient, sustainable, and culturally competent approaches that SMP and SHIP grantees across the country can replicate to better serve hard to reach Medicare populations. In practical terms, funded projects are expected to expand the reach of fraud prevention messaging (SMP) and benefits counseling and education (SHIP) for a specific target population, while also producing practical supports for the national networks, such as training, tools, and outreach materials that local SMP/SHIP programs can adopt. The grant emphasizes integration and expansion of coverage, stronger community engagement, and improved service quality for groups that have historically been more difficult for these programs to reach consistently.
Applicants must select one targeted population per application, with ACL naming several priority groups: Medicare beneficiaries under age 65 (often eligible due to disability), LGBT Medicare beneficiaries, American Indian/Alaska Native beneficiaries, beneficiaries in rural areas, limited English speaking beneficiaries, beneficiaries from racial and ethnic minority communities, and other hard to reach groups if the applicant can justify the need with data and rationale. The focus is not simply on direct service in one place, but on creating approaches, materials, and training that help the broader SMP and SHIP systems do better work with the selected population over time.
Proposed projects are evaluated on how clearly they define the population and its needs, and how well they support SMP and SHIP grantees with actionable best practices. Competitive applications are expected to explain how they will identify and address barriers faced by the target population, develop or adapt culturally competent outreach and education methods, and help local SMP/SHIP programs find and work with community partners that already have trusted relationships with the audience. Strong proposals also describe approaches to recruiting and training volunteers or counselors who are well positioned to serve that community, and they include an outcomes measurement plan that explains how results will be tracked. Where relevant, applicants should discuss Medicare coverage rules or enrollment realities that uniquely affect the target group and may create challenges for outreach or counseling.
A key deliverable is the creation of effective guidance and/or a practical toolkit that SMP and SHIP projects can use to improve outreach, education, counseling, and volunteer engagement with the target population. Projects must also include a dissemination plan so the strategies and materials do not stay local. Dissemination is expected to include sharing through the SMP and SHIP national networks, including participation in annual grantee trainings and relevant webinar trainings, so other states and territories can replicate what works.
Administratively, this 2015 opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number HHS-2015-ACL-CCASD-SM-0107) offered an estimated total of $150,000 with an award floor of $100,000 and a ceiling of $150,000, with about 3 awards expected. It required no cost sharing or match. Eligible applicants included a wide range of organizations and governments, such as state and local governments, tribal governments and tribal organizations, public and private colleges and universities, nonprofits (including those without 501(c)(3) status), public housing authorities, and for-profit organizations (including small businesses), while excluding individuals, foreign entities, and sole proprietors. The application window opened April 15, 2015 and closed June 14, 2015, with submissions due electronically by 11:59 p.m. ET on the due date.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the SMP/SHIP Hard to Reach Beneficiary Project?
The Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) / State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) Hard to Reach Beneficiary Project is a discretionary cooperative agreement funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Community Living (ACL). It is designed to help SMP and SHIP programs develop better ways to reach Medicare beneficiaries who are often underserved by traditional outreach and counseling approaches.
Which federal agency runs this opportunity?
This opportunity is offered by HHS through the Administration for Community Living (ACL). Within ACL, the Office of Healthcare Information and Counseling (OHIC) oversees both SMP and SHIP and manages this related effort to improve reach and service quality.
How does this opportunity relate to SMP and SHIP?
The project builds on the distinct roles of the two nationwide programs:
- SMP focuses on preventing, detecting, and reporting Medicare fraud, errors, and abuse by educating beneficiaries and supporting a large volunteer network.
- SHIP focuses on unbiased, personalized counseling and community education to help Medicare beneficiaries and their families understand Medicare, Medicaid, supplemental coverage, managed care options, and related insurance choices.
What is the main purpose of the grant?
The main purpose is to develop innovative, efficient, sustainable, and culturally competent approaches that SMP and SHIP grantees nationwide can replicate to better serve hard to reach Medicare populations. The focus goes beyond serving one local area and emphasizes creating approaches, materials, training, and practical supports that can be adopted across the SMP and SHIP networks over time.
What kinds of activities are expected under a funded project?
Funded projects are expected to expand the reach of:
- SMP fraud prevention messaging (education about fraud, errors, and abuse and encouraging beneficiaries to review Medicare statements and report suspicious activity), and
- SHIP benefits counseling and education (helping people understand Medicare and related coverage choices)
Projects should also produce practical supports such as training, tools, and outreach materials that local SMP/SHIP programs can adopt.
What does "hard to reach" mean in this grant?
In this opportunity, "hard to reach" refers to Medicare beneficiaries who have historically been more difficult for SMP and SHIP programs to reach consistently using traditional outreach and counseling methods. The grant prioritizes building culturally competent, community-connected strategies tailored to the needs and barriers of these groups.
Do applicants have to pick a specific target population?
Yes. Applicants must select one targeted population per application. The proposal is expected to clearly define that population, describe its needs and barriers, and present strategies SMP and SHIP programs can replicate to better serve that group.
What target populations are specifically prioritized by ACL?
ACL names several priority groups, including:
- Medicare beneficiaries under age 65 (often eligible due to disability)
- LGBT Medicare beneficiaries
- American Indian/Alaska Native beneficiaries
- Beneficiaries in rural areas
- Limited English speaking beneficiaries
- Beneficiaries from racial and ethnic minority communities
Applicants may also propose other hard to reach groups if they can justify the need with data and rationale.
Can an applicant propose a different hard to reach group not listed in the priorities?
Yes. The opportunity allows other hard to reach groups if the applicant can justify the need with data and a clear rationale for why the population faces barriers and why the proposed approach is needed.
Is the focus on delivering services in one location, or on creating replicable approaches?
The focus is not simply on direct service in one place. The emphasis is on creating approaches, materials, training, and guidance that can strengthen the broader SMP and SHIP systems and can be replicated by other states and territories.
How are proposed projects evaluated (in general terms)?
Proposals are evaluated based on how clearly they define the target population and its needs, and how well they support SMP and SHIP grantees with actionable best practices. Competitive applications are expected to explain how barriers will be identified and addressed, how culturally competent outreach will be developed or adapted, how community partners will be engaged, and how outcomes will be tracked.
What role do community partners play in a strong application?
Strong proposals describe how local SMP/SHIP programs will find and work with community partners that already have trusted relationships with the target population. Community engagement is emphasized as a way to improve outreach effectiveness and service quality.
What does the grant say about volunteers and counselors?
Strong proposals are expected to describe approaches to recruiting and training volunteers or counselors who are well positioned to serve the selected community. This aligns with SMP's historic reliance on trained community volunteers and SHIP's counseling and education model.
Is an outcomes measurement plan required?
Yes. Competitive applications include an outcomes measurement plan explaining how results will be tracked. The intent is to demonstrate whether the outreach, education, counseling, and engagement strategies are working for the target population.
Are applicants expected to address Medicare rules or enrollment realities for the target population?
Where relevant, applicants are expected to discuss Medicare coverage rules or enrollment realities that uniquely affect the target group and may create challenges for outreach or counseling.
What key deliverable(s) must a funded project produce?
A key deliverable is the creation of effective guidance and/or a practical toolkit that SMP and SHIP projects can use to improve outreach, education, counseling, and volunteer engagement with the target population. The deliverable is intended to be usable by the broader networks, not just the awardee.
Is dissemination of project products required?
Yes. Projects must include a dissemination plan so strategies and materials do not stay local. Dissemination is expected to include sharing through the SMP and SHIP national networks, including participation in annual grantee trainings and relevant webinar trainings, so other states and territories can replicate what works.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) for this grant?
The Funding Opportunity Number is HHS-2015-ACL-CCASD-SM-0107.
How much funding was available under this opportunity?
The opportunity offered an estimated total of $150,000 in funding.
What were the minimum and maximum award amounts?
The award floor was $100,000 and the award ceiling was $150,000.
How many awards were expected?
Approximately 3 awards were expected.
Was cost sharing or a match required?
No. The opportunity required no cost sharing or match.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants included a wide range of organizations and governments, including:
- State and local governments
- Tribal governments and tribal organizations
- Public and private colleges and universities
- Nonprofits (including those without 501(c)(3) status)
- Public housing authorities
- For-profit organizations (including small businesses)
Who was not eligible to apply?
The opportunity excluded individuals, foreign entities, and sole proprietors.
When did the application window open and close?
The application window opened on April 15, 2015 and closed on June 14, 2015.
What was the application submission deadline time and method?
Submissions were due electronically by 11:59 p.m. ET on the due date.
How broad are SMP and SHIP programs geographically?
Both SMP and SHIP operate in 54 jurisdictions and function nationwide across every state and several territories, often working side-by-side at the local level.
What is SMP and when was it established?
The Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) was established under HIPAA in 1996 as part of the Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control framework. It focuses on educating beneficiaries to prevent, detect, and report Medicare fraud, errors, and abuse, and it supports a large volunteer network.
What is SHIP and what authority supports it?
The State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) was authorized by OBRA 1990. It provides unbiased, personalized counseling and community education to help Medicare beneficiaries and their families understand Medicare and related coverage choices. SHIP was transferred from CMS to ACL in FY 2014.
What larger ACL mission does this opportunity fit into?
This opportunity sits within ACL's broader mission to reduce fragmentation across federal aging and disability programs, improve access to quality health care and long-term services and supports, and strengthen consistent community living policy.
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