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American Red Cross Encourages Eligible 9/11 Victims To Apply For Health Insurance Subsidy Program
Application Deadline for Benefit is December 31, 2004.
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National Headquarters
2025 E Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20006
www.redcross.org
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Contact: Bruce Brodoff
Organization: September 11 Recovery Program
Phone: (646) 826-3242
Cell: (646) 879-9111
brodoffb@usa.redcross.org
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WASHINGTON, Monday, November 01, 2004 — The American Red Cross September 11 Recovery Program strongly encourages eligible victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks to apply for the Health Insurance Subsidy Program before the December 31, 2004 deadline. The program provides individuals who lost immediate family members or who sustained serious physical injuries as a result of the September 11 attacks with 24 months of subsidies to cover the full out-of-pocket cost of private or COBRA health insurance premiums.
“The Health Insurance Subsidy Program has been a vital component in our efforts to help those affected by the terrorist attacks rebuild their lives,” said Alan Goodman, Executive Director of the September 11 Recovery Program. “Almost 800 affected individuals have benefited from the program to date and we hope to enroll as many eligible individuals as possible before the end of the year. It is important for affected individuals to know that the Red Cross is still available to help them access assistance and services for their longer-term recovery needs.”
The Health Insurance Subsidy Program is open to surviving immediate family members, including spouses, partners, dependent children and others who are eligible for continuing health care coverage through COBRA or who received health insurance coverage through the decedent’s employer, but were not offered COBRA by this employer.
The program is also open to physically injured individuals and their families, people who, as a result of their presence in the immediate vicinity of the World Trade Center, Pentagon or Shanksville, Pennsylvania on September 11 were hospitalized for at least 24 hours or suffered a verifiable, physical injury that resulted in a continuous 90-day disability, with onset prior to 12/31/01.
Assistance through this program is not based on financial need. The program pays premium costs directly to the insurance company and can cover dental insurance, vision insurance and major medical health insurance such as an HMO or PPO.
The Health Insurance Subsidy Program is a Red Cross program administered by Working Today, a national non-profit organization dedicated to workers advocacy. Applications can be obtained through Working Today by either calling (718) 222-1099 extension 112 or via their website: www.workingtoday.com
About the September 11 Recovery Program
The American Red Cross’ September 11 Recovery Program (SRP) was created in 2002 to help return individuals directly affected by the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks to a state of self-sufficiency and the activities of normal daily living. Through its immediate disaster response and longer-term recovery efforts, the program has helped more than 57,000 individuals and families in 48 states and 57 countries.
As people affected by the disaster finish working one-on-one with Red Cross caseworkers in New York, the organization is now dedicating its remaining resources to ensuring that individuals with long-term needs can access quality services right where they live.
SRP’s Recovery Grant Program is a nationwide grant-making program that provides financial support to organizations that offer longer-term recovery services to people directly affected by 9/11. Detailed information regarding the program, including Requests for Application announcements, criteria for proposal submission, eligibility requirements and submission instructions, can be found at www.recoverygrants.org.
SRP’s Client Support Network makes funding available to qualified agencies that provide case management services, support groups, and events for the people most severely impacted by the September 11, 2001 disaster. By supporting these agencies, the Red Cross ensures that ongoing services to clients with long-term and emerging disaster-caused needs are available in their own communities. The Client Support Network can be reached at 1-877-746-4987 (TTY: 880-662-1220).
SRP’s 9/11 Mental Health and Substance Abuse Program provides financial assistance with mental health and substance abuse treatment costs to people directly impacted by the terrorist attacks, while the Health Insurance Subsidy Program provides individuals who lost immediate family members or who sustained serious physical injuries as a result of the September 11 attacks with 24 months of subsidies to cover the full out-of-pocket cost of health insurance premiums.
Detailed information on all September 11 Recovery Program services can be found at www.redcross.org/september11/help
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