SMP Integration Projects

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Since 1997 the Senior Medicare Patrol Projects (SMP) have been AoA's primary vehicle to conduct health care fraud control outreach and education for Medicare/Medicaid beneficiaries. Retired professionals are recruited as volunteers to conduct community based training activities designed to increase awareness of vulnerable older consumers. As a result, consumers are empowered to protect themselves and take action to report suspicious activities, thereby decreasing costly billing errors, fraud and avoiding unnecessary medical interventions. In 2004, SMP Integration Grants were first awarded to 14 existing SMP projects for a two- year period, to develop new partnerships or "cutting edge" approaches to improve outreach efforts. AoA identified three priority areas for collaboration and program integration, including: Medicaid fraud, home health care fraud, and fraud related to the new prescription drug benefits under the Medicare Modernization Act. In 2006, 15 two-year awards were made to grantees who demonstrated how their proposals would strengthen the SMP program through the integration of SMP program materials, outreach and message to: 1) reach targeted populations; and 2) address targeted areas of health care fraud, error or abuse. Under this competition, AoA plans to further expand and integrate the SMP fraud awareness message throughout rural areas through collaborative efforts led by the state aging organization. Up to nine (9) cooperative agreements will be funded at a federal share of $100,000 per year and a project period of up to two years under this announcement. The award is a cooperative agreement because the Administration on Aging will be substantially involved in the development and implementation of the activities of the projects and will describe the technical assistance, support, and training to be provided to the projects. The cooperative agreements will provide expectations for: project activities, development and dissemination of models, and evaluation of the project; as well as detail substantial assistance and support to be provided by AoA and the National Consumer Protection Technical Resource Center (the Center). Applicants are required to cover at least 25% of the total program costs with non-Federal resources. The full text of the announcement includes a description of the priority areas and all the instructions necessary to prepare and submit a grant proposal to compete for the SMP Integration Grant awards. Competition for this funding opportunity is limited to State Units on Aging (SUA) as defined by the Older American Act (OAA) of 2006.

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