HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today launched an unprecedented
public-private outreach effort with hundreds of community
organizations all across the nation to help millions of eligible
seniors and people with a disability begin saving on their
prescription drugs right away.
"We want seniors to get the full $1,200 credit for their
medicines over the next 14 months. This is real savings for
seniors who need the most help," Secretary Thompson said. "We
need to work together and focus on how communities can help seniors
enroll in the program so they don't leave this money on the
table."
More than 100 community-based organizations and coalitions
representing nearly 700 individual organizations will receive a
total of $3.95 million from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services (CMS) and the Administration on Aging (AoA). This support
will go to help the local organizations educate and enroll seniors
and people with a disability about the benefits of the
Medicare-approved drug discount card (A list of the awardees is
attached).
"The Medicare drug card can provide literally thousands of
dollars in help, so that people with Medicare on a fixed income
won’t have to choose between their drugs and other basic
necessities," said CMS Administrator Mark B. McClellan, M.D.,
Ph.D. "Nearly two million people will be receiving cards
that provide big savings in the mail, and we are working with many
other organizations to make sure these beneficiaries and many more
take advantage of the savings."
Last week, Secretary Thompson announced that 22 national discount
cards will be mailed to 1.8 million Medicare beneficiaries who will
be able to use the cards immediately to get savings at pharmacies.
In addition to receiving the card, beneficiaries will also receive
instructions on how to activate the $1,200 benefit. To do so,
recipients will have to verify by phone that they do not have other
drug coverage and provide information to help determine how much
they should expect to pay for their drugs at the pharmacy.
"Seniors who get Medicare-approved drug discount cards in the
mail will only have to pick up the phone to receive the $1,200
benefit," said AoA Assistant Secretary Josefina G.
Carbonell. "The community organizations that work with
seniors where they live are the best way in reaching seniors to
help them access ways to save money."
A CMS analysis has found that Medicare beneficiaries can save from 44 percent
to 77 percent off the average retail price for name brand drugs when they combine
the lower cost drugs with the $600 credit. Savings will be larger, often exceeding
90 percent, when the credit is combined with a "wraparound" program
from drug manufacturers or with other savings opportunities like generic drugs
or state pharmacy assistance programs. These wraparound discounts, which reduce
drug prices to $15 or less, are available on more than 200 brand-name drugs,
including six of the ten drugs used most by seniors.
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Organization
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City
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State
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Alpha Omega Life Care, Inc.
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Delta Junction
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AK
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Alabama-Tombigbee Regional Commission Area Agency on Aging
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Camden
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AL
|
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Southern Alabama Regional Council on Aging Area Agency on
Aging
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Dothan
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AL
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Franklin Primary Health Center, Inc.
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Mobile
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AL
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Arizona Association of Community Health Centers
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Phoenix
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AZ
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Area 1 Agency on Aging
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Eureka
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CA
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Sutter Lakeside Hospital
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Lakeport
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CA
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Rav Tov Committee to Aid New Immigrants Inc.
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Los Angeles
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CA
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The County of San Bernardino
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San Bernardino
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CA
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Self-Help for the Elderly
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San Francisco
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CA
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Bernal Heights Neighborhood Center
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San Francisco
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CA
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Network for Elders
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San Francisco
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CA
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Council on Aging Silicon Valley
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San Jose
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CA
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Salud Para La Gente, Inc.
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Watsonville
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CA
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City of Los Angeles, Department of Aging
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Los Angeles
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CA
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Aging and Independence Services
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San Diego
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CA
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St. Anthony Hospitals RxAssist
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Denver
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CO
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Colorado Gerontological Society
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Denver
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CO
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Northwest Colorado Visiting Nurse Association
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Steamboat Springs
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CO
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Norwalk Senior Center, Inc.
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Norwalk
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CT
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The National Caucus and Center on Black Aged, Inc.
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Washington
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DC
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Educational Organization for United Latin Americans
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Washington
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DC
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American Institute for Social Justice
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Washington
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DC
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Suwannee River Area Health Education Center
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Alachua
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FL
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The Cooperative Feeding Program, Inc.
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Ft. Lauderdale
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FL
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Broward Homebound Program, Inc.
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Pompano Beach
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FL
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Area Agency on Aging of Pasco-Pinellas, Inc.
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St. Petersburg
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FL
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Neighborly Care Network
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St. Petersburg
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FL
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Area Agency on Aging- Palm Beach
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West Palm Beach
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FL
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Southwest Georgia Community Health Institute
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Albany
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GA
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Athens Community Council on Aging
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Athens
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GA
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Atlanta Regional Commission, The Area Agency on Aging
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Atlanta
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GA
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Kaua'i Economic Opportunity, Inc.
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Lihu'e
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HI
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Heritage Area Agency on Aging
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Cedar Rapids
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IA
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The Iowa Association of Area Agencies on Aging (I4A)
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Des Moines
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IA
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Elderbridge Agency on Aging
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Mason City
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IA
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Area Agency on Aging of Southwestern Illinois
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Belleville
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IL
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Rural Peoria County Council on Aging
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Bellevue
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IL
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Community Health & Emergency Services, Inc.
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Cairo
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IL
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Korean American Senior Center
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Chicago
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IL
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Chicago Hispanic Health Coalition
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Chicago
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IL
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Suburban Area Agency on Aging
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Oak Park
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IL
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Chicago Department of Public Health Office of Health Care
Access
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Chicago
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IL
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Open Door / BMH Health Center
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Muncie
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IN
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Area 7 Agency on Aging and Disabled
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Terre Haute
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IN
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Generations
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Vincennes
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IN
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CICOA Aging and In-Home Solutions
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Indianapolis
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IN
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Jayhawk Area Agency on Aging, Inc.
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Topeka
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KS
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Central Kentucky Community Action Council, Inc.
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Lebanon
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KY
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Access to Justice Foundation
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Lexington
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KY
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Washington Parish Council on Aging, Inc.
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Franklington
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LA
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New Orleans Council on Aging
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New Orleans
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LA
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Capitol City Family Health Center
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Baton Rouge
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LA
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Community Partners, Inc
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Amherst
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MA
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Greater Boston Chinese Golden Age Center
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Boston
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MA
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Visiting Nurse Association of Boston
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Charlestown
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MA
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Bristol Elder Services, Inc.
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Fall River
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MA
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Manet Community Health Center, Inc.
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North Quincy
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MA
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Choptank Community Health System, Inc.
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Denton
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MD
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Baltimore City Commission on Aging and Retirement
Education
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Baltimore
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MD
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SeniorsPlus
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Lewiston
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ME
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Detroit Area Agency on Aging
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Detroit
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MI
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|
Southwest Regional Development Commission
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Slayton
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MN
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West Central Missouri Area Health Education Center
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Kansas City
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MO
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James River Senior Citizens Center, Inc.
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Jamestown
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ND
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Clark County Health District
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Las Vegas
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NV
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Medicare Rights Center, Inc.
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New York
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NY
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North General Hospital
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New York
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NY
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The New York City Department for the Aging
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New York
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NY
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Phipps Community Development Corporation
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New York
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NY
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Legal Aid of Western New York, Inc.
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Rochester
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NY
|
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Near East Side Community Health Task Force
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Buffalo
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NY
|
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Area Agency on Aging Region 9
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Byesville
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OH
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Council on Aging of Southwestern Ohio
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Cincinnati
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OH
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Inner City Health Care
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Cincinnati
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OH
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Western Reserve Area Agency on Aging
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Cleveland
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OH
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LifeCare Alliance
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Columbus
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OH
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Allen County Council on Aging, Inc.
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Lima
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OH
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Area Agency on Aging District 7, Inc.
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Rio Grande
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OH
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The Area Agency on Aging, 10B Inc.
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Uniontown
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OH
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Community Service Council of Greater Tulsa, Inc
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Tulsa
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OK
|
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Southwestern Oregon Community College
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Coos Bay
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OR
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Clackamas County Social Services
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Oak Grove
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OR
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Hamilton Health Center, Inc.
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Harrisburg
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PA
|
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Generations on Line
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Philadelphia
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PA
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Meals On Wheels Of RI, Inc.
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Providence
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RI
|
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CareSouth Carolina, Inc
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Hartsville
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SC
|
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East Tennessee Area Agency on Aging and Disability
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Knoxville
|
TN
|
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SHIELD INC.
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Memphis
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TN
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Aging Commission of the Mid South
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Memphis
|
TN
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The Jesse Tree, Inc.
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Galveston
|
TX
|
|
Valley Baptist Health System
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Harlingen
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TX
|
|
Alamo Area Development Corporation
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San Antonio
|
TX
|
|
Alamo Area Development Corporation
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San Antonio
|
TX
|
|
Area Agency on Aging of Dallas County
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Dallas
|
TX
|
|
Shenandoah Area Agency on Aging
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Front Royal
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VA
|
|
Tri-Area Health Clinic
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Laurel Fork
|
VA
|
|
Senior Services of Southeastern Virginia
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Norfolk
|
VA
|
|
India Association of Western Washington
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Bellevue
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WA
|
|
Olympic Community Action Programs
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Port Townsend
|
WA
|
|
National Asian Pacific Center on Aging
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Seattle
|
WA
|
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Aging and Long Term Care of Eastern Washington
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Spokane
|
WA
|
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Warm A Heart
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Ripon
|
WI
|
|
TRIAD of West Virginia Inc.
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Charleston
|
WV
|
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Center for Aging and Healthcare in West Virginia, Inc
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Parkersburg
|
WV
|
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Wheeling Health Right
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Wheeling
|
WV
|
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Alliance for Aging, Inc.
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Miami
|
FL
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Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press materials are available at http://www.hhs.gov/news.