Our outstanding volunteer team includes people of all ages with diverse interests, talents, and origins. They have backgrounds as health care professionals, lawyers, administrators, teachers, artists, and more. Volunteers are integral to our work and to our mission.
Medicare Rights has several volunteer opportunities to meet varied interests and schedules. No prior Medicare knowledge is required, but a desire to learn about Medicare is essential. Volunteers receive comprehensive training and always have access to staff support to perform their role effectively.
Our helpline volunteers are based in our New York City offices, where they assist people with Medicare through one-on-one telephone counseling in both English and Spanish. Volunteers answer callers’ questions and provide guidance on a wide range of Medicare issues. For example, volunteers assist with questions on how to select a supplemental plan and how to appeal a claim that has been denied. They also help ensure that our callers are aware of their rights and make referrals when necessary.
There are various programs available to people with limited incomes that help pay for Medicare. Enrollment and operational support volunteers support the efforts of our staff who help thousands of people enroll in these programs every year.
They also perform tasks such as filing, copying, entering data, graphic designing, marketing research, fundraising, and compiling reports. Our enrollment and operational support volunteers play a special role at Medicare Rights, enabling smoother operations that allow us to carry out our mission.
We’re always looking for people who can lend a hand with projects such as mailings, data entry, and filing. We also seek professionals who can provide pro bono assistance in their fields of specialty, such as law and medicine. There’s always so much to be done. If you have special skills to share, or a new idea about how you might pitch in, please let us know!
To learn more about volunteering at the Medicare Rights Center, please provide your contact information. We will keep you posted on all available opportunities.
If you’re thinking about becoming a Medicare Rights Center volunteer, we want you to know what to expect. Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions we receive from prospective volunteers.
Generally speaking, we ask our volunteers to commit to five hours per week in our New York City office.
On average, we ask for a minimum six-month commitment because we are very dedicated to helping you learn Medicare. We find that it is not until about six months into volunteering that you hit your stride.
Not at this time.
Of course! If you are gone for a lengthy amount of time, you may feel better retaking some of the trainings when you return. Many of our volunteers travel or take time to explore other things – vacations and breaks keep us interesting.
No prior knowledge or experience is needed. In fact, we ask that you forget everything you think you may know about Medicare when we train you so that you can start with a fresh perspective.
At the Medicare Rights Center, we are always looking for ways to build on our volunteers’ talents. During the volunteer interview, we will discuss your interests and skills and find ways to engage you in a way that is meaningful to you. As volunteers become proficient in Medicare, they may be invited to specialize in particular areas.
Yes, basic knowledge of how to use a computer is necessary for all of our volunteer roles.
