Monday, May 19, 2025
5/19/2025
ACL State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) - Abstract The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) oversees the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) grant. In Texas, SHIP is known as Health Information Counseling Advocacy Program (HICAP). Over the five-year project period, HHSC will work in partnership with stakeholders to perform benefits counseling, outreach, and education to Medicare and Medicare-eligible beneficiaries, their families, and caregivers. Goal The goal of HICAP is to improve access to care and affordability of benefits through person-centered counseling, outreach and education to Medicare beneficiaries, their families, and caregivers on public and private health benefits and community-based services. Objectives 1) Increase awareness and visibility of the HICAP program through social media platforms and HICAP publications 2) Focus efforts to reenergize and increase the number of volunteers 3) Identify gaps and create efficiencies and innovations to expand outreach and education efforts 4) Develop and maintain policies and procedures for efficient operations 5) Maintain and improve benefits counselor training, certification, and ongoing technical assistance Outcomes 1) Increase in the number of trainings certified benefits counselors attended 2) Increase in the number of reported Group Outreach and Education forms 3) Increase in the number of volunteers in the program 4) Increased utilization of HICAP services by the general Medicare population and populations regarded as “hard to reach” 5) Quality assurance of subrecipients is conducted utilizing HICAP performance measures Products 1) HICAP trainings at annual conference 2) HICAP informational and promotional materials in additional languages 3) HICAP media campaign 4) Volunteer recruitment and training materials 5) Resources for reaching hard-to-reach beneficiaries
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).