AAA Grants Overview

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) Office of Area Agencies on Aging (OAAA) applies for grants funded by Administration for Community Living (ACL). These are the State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIP) and Medicare Improvement for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA) grants. In Texas, SHIP is called the Health Information, Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP). Both grants serve Medicare beneficiaries in all 254 counties across Texas. The SHIP grant has existed since 1992 and the MIPPA grant was implemented in 2008 to support the SHIP efforts.

SHIP/HICAP Grant

The goal of SHIP is to improve access to care and affordability of benefits by providing Medicare and Medicare-eligible beneficiaries and their caregivers accurate information and person-centered counseling on public and private health benefits and community-based services.

SHIP/HICAP Eligibility

SHIP/HICAP services support Medicare beneficiaries, their families and caregivers, especially those beneficiaries with limited incomes, under the age of 65 with disabilities, and individuals who are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid.

MIPPA Grant and Eligibility

The ACL MIPPA grant expands, extends and enhances outreach efforts to beneficiaries, caregivers and their families to help save money on health care cost through Medicare Savings Program (MSP), Medicare Part D/Low-Income Subsidy (LIS)/Extra Help and Preventative Services. Texas Health and Human Services serves as the State Health Insurance Program (SHIP). In coordination with the Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) and Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRC) benefits counselors provide education and assistance to Texans with targeted outreach to individuals who are:

  • Low-income with limited resources,
  • Reside in rural areas,
  • Members of American Indian, Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian communities,
  • People with disabilities under age 65,
  • Speakers of English as a secondary language.