Benefit Counseling: Benefit Specialists

This page includes information on benefit specialists and how they can help older adults and people with disabilities understand and apply for benefits.

What do benefit specialists do?

Benefit specialists provide trusted and confidential advice to older adults and people with disabilities about benefits, including health care, disability income, and programs that could save them money.

Benefit specialists can help with:

• Expenses, including:
  • FoodShare
  • Internet bills
  • Phone bills
• Health insurance, including:
  • Medicaid
  • Medicare
  • SeniorCare prescription drug program
  • Other programs that help cover health care costs
• Housing and utilities, including:
  • Evictions
  • Financial assistance programs
  • Shutoffs
  • Tenant rights
• Income, including:
  • Debt collection
  • Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)—program that pays benefits to you and certain members of your family if you’re “insured,” meaning you worked long enough and paid Social Security taxes
  • Social Security Retirement
  • Supplemental Security Income (SSI)—program that pays benefits based on financial need

The services benefit specialists provide are free. They don’t sell anything and aren’t paid by a company or plan. Their only goal is to help you identify and apply for programs and health care that will best meet your needs.

Find examples of ways benefit specialists can help you.

Which benefit specialist is right for you?

There are different types of benefit specialists. They include:

• Disability benefit specialists—help people with disabilities who are between the ages of 18 and 59
• Elder benefit specialists—help people who are 60 or older
• Work incentives benefit specialists—help people with disabilities make informed choices about returning to work

Where can I find a benefit specialist?

Find a benefit specialist using our “Find a Benefit Specialist” page.