NCOA estimates 9.1 million seniors are eligible but not enrolled in aid, worth $58 billion a year

The National Council on Aging (NCOA) estimates that 9.1 million people age 65 and older are eligible for but not enrolled in programs that help pay for food, health care and other costs, and puts the value of the unused benefits at $58 billion. The numbers come from NCOA's May 19, 2026 release, which updates its Benefits Participation Map, built with the Urban Institute.

What the estimate covers, and what it does not

• Three programs only: SNAP, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicare Savings Programs (MSPs).
• 2023 data. Estimated participation among eligible adults 65+: 38% for SNAP, 40% for SSI and 49% for MSPs.
• Program counts: 9.1 million not receiving SNAP, 3.6 million not receiving SSI and 6.6 million not enrolled in MSPs. The 9.1 million headline matches the SNAP count; NCOA's release does not say whether people are counted once across programs, so the programs may overlap and the three counts should not be added together.
• The $58 billion is NCOA's modeled value of unused benefits in 2023, using assumed averages of $188 a month for SNAP, about $552 for SSI and about $165 for MSPs. It is an estimate, not what any person would receive.

It is not an audited federal tally, and eligibility varies by state and household. Programs such as Extra Help and LIHEAP are not part of NCOA's count.

Official places to check

• Medicare Savings Programs: Medicare.gov explains these programs, which help with Medicare costs; your state Medicaid office runs them. Medicare says people in some of these programs also get Extra Help with drug costs.
• Extra Help (Part D): run by the Social Security Administration; see ssa.gov.
• SNAP: apply through your state agency; USDA lists them in its state directory.
• LIHEAP (energy bills): overview from the Administration for Children and Families.
• Anything else: the Eldercare Locator, a public service of the Administration for Community Living, connects older adults to local services; its number is 1-800-677-1116.

NCOA also points to its own BenefitsCheckup.org screening tool. Use official .gov channels or known nonprofits, and be wary of anyone who asks for payment to "unlock" benefits; applying for these programs does not require one.

The Chronicle has not tested these application pathways. The estimate was reported by NCOA and picked up by news outlets; we read it at NCOA's own page.

Sources: NCOA, May 19, 2026; the government pages linked above. Information, not benefits or financial advice.