The Administration on Aging (AoA) and the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) have announced the funding of 26 new projects with more than $1.5 million to help AoA's national aging network of supportive home and community-based service providers respond to inquiries from Medicare beneficiaries.

The Medicare Empowerment and Collaboration Initiative is a way to link older persons, their families, and caregivers to information about the full range of health care insurance choices and decisions available through Medicare programs. AoA's national information and referral system responds to nearly 14 million requests for information and assistance each year. 

The system puts older adults and their caregivers in touch with state and local resources such as health care, congregate and home-delivered meals, adult day care, consumer protection, elder abuse prevention, transportation, housing, pension counseling, legal services, and others that help older adults remain independent in their own homes.

The toll-free number for AoA's Eldercare Locator is 1-800-677-1116.