Apply to become a 2025-2026 National Consumer Scholar!

Applications are now being accepted for the 2025-2026 cohort of National Consumer Scholars. National Consumer Scholars have first-hand experience living with and/or caring for someone with complex health and social needs and experience working as a consumer/patient advisor, advocate, and/or community leader.

About the National Consumer Scholars Program

“Nothing about us without us!” We believe that people with lived experience of complex health and social needs and their caregivers are critical voices needed to inform the field of complex care.

Since 2016, the Camden Coalition has brought together people with lived experience from across the country to be part of the Consumer Scholars program. Each group of Consumer Scholars takes part in peer-learning, leadership development, and training activities, plays an active role at our annual Putting Care at the Center conference, works alongside professionals to develop and inform the field of complex care, and brings lessons back to their local communities.

Alumni of the Consumer Scholars program have said that participating in this program helped them to:

• Expand their perspective and understanding of complex care, advocacy, and community engagement work
• Bring their stories and experiences to a wider, national audience
• Create meaningful connections with other people with lived experience and organizations doing work across the country.

The 2025-2026 Consumer Scholars: Empowering people who are eligible for both Medicare & Medicaid

Our 2025-2026 cohort will be a first: a cohort just for people who are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid (people who are “dually eligible”) and/or family caregivers of people who are dually eligible. Our focus is to empower program participants to play an active role in advocacy and policy work to improve healthcare for this unique population.

For this cohort, the Camden Coalition is working with our partners at Community Catalyst and PFCCpartners to bring even more knowledge and opportunities to the Consumer Scholars.

Please read the section at the bottom of this document, “How do I know if I’m dually eligible?” if you have questions about whether this applies to you.

Award details

Individuals selected as Consumer Scholars will have all costs covered to attend two national conferences, including registration fees and all travel and lodging expenses. In addition, Consumer Scholars will receive a stipend of $800 to compensate for time and effort while participating in project work. We also believe the program offers valuable opportunities for individuals to grow their personal and professional networks and to build knowledge, skills, and confidence as advocates with lived experience.

Application requirements

1. Complete the written application here.
2. Provide a letter of support from a healthcare, social service, and/or advocacy organization that you have partnered or worked with. This does not need to be a formal or paid role and can include participation in a Consumer/Patient and Family Advisory Board, a Working Group, or as a consumer advocate/advisor. The letter of support should be one page long and include the following:
   • The name of the staff person writing the letter and the name of the organization they work for
   • A brief description of the consumer/community leadership or advocacy work that you have done with them
   • Why they believe you are a good candidate for the Consumer Scholars program

3. Participate in an interview held over the phone or by Zoom. Interviews will be scheduled after reviewing the written application and letter of support.

Get the full application information, including selection criteria, in the request for applications document linked below:

Information session

Please join this virtual informational session on May 12 to learn more about the program and meet program staff and alumni.

During this informational session, we will:

• Provide an overview of the National Consumer Scholars program, including program requirements, eligibility, and award details.

• Discuss the application process and timeline.

• Answer questions from attendees about the program and application process.

Timeline

• April 1, 2025 — Application opens
• May 12 at 10am PST/1 pm EST — Virtual information and Q&A session (optional)
  • Register at this link.
• May 31 — Application deadline
• June 9-30 — Top applicants invited to Zoom/telephone interview
• July 8 — Award letters sent by email
• July 24th at 12pm PT/3 pm ET — Program kick-off meeting (required)
• October 15-17— Putting Care at the Center conference

If you would like more information, need assistance with the application, or have any questions about the Consumer Scholar Program, this application, or whether you are a person who is dually eligible, please contact Evelyne Kane at 856-701-2793 or [email protected].

How do I know if I’m dually eligible?

Many people find health insurance to be confusing (a great area of advocacy!) so we expect that some people who would be eligible to participate in this Consumer Scholars group may not be sure if they (or the person they care for) is eligible for Medicare and Medicaid. Below is some guidance and you are welcome to reach out with any questions.

To participate in this group of Consumer Scholars you must be a person who is eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid (also called being “dually eligible”) and/or a family caregiver for a person who is dually eligible. It is also okay if you were recently eligible for both programs, even if something has just changed.

Medicare eligibility

• The most common ways to be eligible for Medicare are if you are over 65 years of age or if you received Social Security Disability (SSDI) for more than two years.
• A smaller number of people can be eligible based on health conditions: end-stage renal disease or Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).

• When you first enrolled in Medicare you should have received a red, white, and blue Medicare card, but you may have since enrolled into a health insurance plan through a private insurance company (called Medicare Advantage) that you now use when you get care from doctors or at the hospital.

Medicaid eligibility

• The most common way to be eligible for Medicaid is to be under an income limit and sometimes to fit into another category like being an older adult, being pregnant, or being eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
• Different states sometimes have different names for their Medicaid program (like MediCal in California or NJ Family Care in New Jersey).
• Most people who are eligible for Medicaid pay very little out of pocket for their healthcare -usually between $0-3 in co-payments) and they usually must submit paperwork to a state agency to receive and maintain their health insurance.

Dual eligibility

• Dual eligibility means you are eligible for both Medicare AND Medicaid.

• Some people who are dually eligible have two separate insurance plans (and two separate insurance cards), and some people have just one insurance plan that combines the coverage from both programs. Some of these plans are called “Dually Eligible Special Needs Plans or “D-SNP” which might appear on your insurance card.
• People who are dually eligible and people who are family caregivers of people who are dually eligible should apply to be part of the Consumer Scholars program this year.