LGBTQ Class: Medicaid/Affordable Care Act/SNAP 101 (Pittsfield, MA)

4/29 LGBTQ CLASS ON PROTECTING/ENROLLING IN MEDICAID/AFFORDABLE CARE ACT HEALTH INSURANCE/SNAP: Counselors from BHS's Advocacy for Access Program will teach a basic class on How to Enroll in and/or protect you Medicaid or Affordable Care Act medical insurance benefits and what we know about the latest changes to these federal/state benefits. This class is for LGBTQ people who are low-income and may or do qualify for Medicaid or Affordable Care Act subsidies. Q-MoB will also briefly review how to enroll in & protect your SNAP/Food Stamps benefits. Elder Services of Berkshire County SHINE Counselor will be on hand to briefly answer questions from seniors wondering about Medicare.

PRESENTERS:

• Catherine (Cat) Record is an application counselor for BHS Advocacy for Access (in the Pittsfield Office), helping community members apply for and manage their health insurance coverage. She has been at Advocacy for over a year now, but she has been serving the Berkshire County area since 2018.

GETTING MORE PERSONALIZED ASSISTANCE: This class cannot necessarily help you with your specific circumstances, but it will give you a solid overview, and then you can show up at one of these 3 Advocacy for Access offices to get help with your specific circumstances:

1. Advocacy for Access of Berkshire Medical Center
   510 North Street, Suite 8
   Pittsfield, MA 01201
   WALK-IN HOURS
   (NO APPOINTMENT REQUIRED)
   Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday: 8:15am to 3pm

APPOINTMENT ONLY
Thursday: 9:30am – 3pm

• Walk-in assistance is available on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 8:15am to 3pm on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Appointments are available by calling: 413-445-9480
  
  

1. Advocacy for Access of Fairview Hospital
   29 Lewis Avenue
   Great Barrington, MA 01230
   WALK-IN HOURS
   (NO APPOINTMENT REQUIRED)
   Monday – Friday: 8am – 4pm

• Appointments are available by calling 413-854-9616. Assistance is also provided on a first-come, first-served walk-in basis

You will need to bring the following information and verification documents with you:

• Applicants under 65 years of age – English | Spanish
• Applicants 65 years of age or older – English | Spanish
  
  3. Ecu-Healthcare Advocates serving all North Berkshire residents from North Adams and towns of Cheshire, Adams, Savoy, Florida, Clarksburg, Williamstown, and New Ashford.
  Ecu-Health Care is the designated outreach and enrollment site in northern Berkshire County for all of the Massachusetts health programs and we also help residents enroll into all supplemental programs associated with Medicare. The programs we help residents access include: The new subsidized and unsubsidized Qualifed Health Plans implemented under national health reform, ConnectorCare, MassHealth, the Health Safety Net, The Children's Medical Security Plan, Medicare Part-D, Prescription Advantage for seniors and the disabled, Medicare premium assistance, reduced fee dental care, and all prescription assistance programs
• Appointements are available by calling (413) 663-8711

LOOKING FOR LGBTQ OMBUDSMAN VOLUNTEERS: Lastly this class is for potential Q-MoB Ombudsman Volunteers who want to learn how to help rural LGBTQ people negotiate the many cuts coming in Social Security, Medicare, the Affordable Care Act, and SNAP/Food Stamps. Please click on the Ombudsman link to learn more about becoming a Q-MoB Ombudsman.

IMPORTANT: This class will focus on Massachusetts procedures, which can be different for NY, VT, & CT residents because of varying state subsidies for these federal benefits, but you will still get a good overview of the federal programs you may qualify for and how to enroll in or protect your benefits. This Class is meant to be only a 101 overview and cannot help you with your specific circumstances, although if you live in Berkshire County, you can make an appointment with Elder Services of Berkshire County SHINE to go over your specific circumstances or show up at the 3 Advocacy for Access offices in Berkshire County listed above.

THANK YOUS: Q-MoB wishes to thank the following organizations and their heroic staff, who have gone out of their way to support the Berkshire LGBTQ community in these challenging and confusing times. In the Berkshires we have a network of organizations like these that are dedicated to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and civil rights & equal protection for all:

• Berkshire United Way, which is providing space for these classes, and a grant to build intergenerational collaboration in the LGBTQ community
• Elder Services of Berkshire County, who's SHINE Program and Information & Referral Team help thousands of seniors negotiate health insurance & other benefits challenges
• BHS Advocacy for Access, which offers help applying for and keeping Medicaid and other affordable health insurance at their offices in Pittsfield and Great Barrington.
• Ecu-Health Care, which offers help applying for and keeping affordable health insurance for residents of North Berkshires.

CARPOOLING/RIDE-SHARE: Carpooling is a great way to get to know other men, save money on gas, and help to reduce your carbon footprint and save the planet. If you need a ride or are open to carpooling with men who live near you, please indicate that when you are registering, & our ride coordinator will try to match you with people nearby who are interested in carpooling or offering rides.

REACHING US DAY OF EVENT: If on the day of the event you have trouble finding us, will be a little late, or can't make it, please call/text Bart at 503-734-6508. If you arrive more than 7 minutes late you likely will have to text us to get in, as the door will be locked and probably not staffed.