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From the Director, Department on Aging, requesting authorization to increase by $42,879, from $406,209 to $449,088, the 2011 Contract with Legal Action of Wisconsin, Inc., to provide Benefit Specialist/Legal Services.
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DATE: May 4, 2011
TO: Sup. Lee Holloway, Chairman, Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors
Sup. Peggy West, Chairperson, Committee on Health and Human Needs
FROM: Stephanie Sue Stein, Director, Department on Aging
RE: Request for authorization to increase by $42,879, from $406,209 to $449,088, the 2011 contract with Legal Action of Wisconsin, Inc., to provide Benefit Specialist/Legal Services authorized under File No. 11-34 (a)(a)
I respectfully request that the attached resolution be scheduled for consideration by the Committee on Health and Human Needs at its meeting on May 18, 2011
The resolution authorizes the Director, Department on Aging, to increase by $42,879, from $406,209 to $449,088, the 2011 contract with Legal Action of Wisconsin, Inc., to provide Benefit Specialist/Legal Services authorized under File No. 11-34 (a)(a).
The Benefit Specialist/Legal Services program assists about 1,000 Milwaukee County seniors annually to work through the complex maze of state and federal benefit programs and how they compare to private benefit plans. The program provides seniors, their family, and caregivers with health benefit information, counseling services, and assistance in understanding their public and private health insurance options. The program helps seniors to determine which health insurance plan, prescription drug program, or other benefit plans would service them best and how to apply for such benefits.
The 2011 contract award to Legal Action of Wisconsin, Inc., provides for both benefit specialist services and legal services to seniors age 60 or older. Offering such services is a priority of the Older Americans Act and is part of the Milwaukee County Area Plan for Older People. In addition to Older Americans Act dollars, the program receives funding from several state sources including State Benefit Specialist Program, State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), and a grant from the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance (OCI).
The awards from both the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) and the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance (OCI) are for periods other than a calendar year. The SHIP award covers the period March through April and the OCI award covers the period July through June. The attached resolution, if approved, amends the 2011 Benefit Specialist/Legal Services contract to add SHIP and OCI funds not included in the original resolution.
The attached resolution authorizes the Director, Department on Aging, to increase by $42,879, from $406,209 to $449,088, the 2011 contract with Legal Action of Wisconsin, Inc., to provide Benefit Specialist/Legal Services. It reflects additional funds available for the contract year. The $42,879 increase includes $15,070 from SHIP and $27,809 from OCI.
May 4, 2011
Sup. Lee Holloway
Sup. Peggy West
Page 2
If you have any questions, please contact me at 2-6876.
Stephanie Sue Stein, Director
Milwaukee County Department on Aging
Attachments
cc: County Executive Chris Abele
George Aldrich
Antionette Thomas-Bailey
Jennifer Collins
Nubia Serrano
Mary Proctor Brown
Brad Peele
Gary Portenier
Pat Rogers