U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Michael Leavitt visits the Church on the Rise May 6 as part of a nationwide bus tour to discuss the new Medicare prescription drug program. (Photo by Jeff Gallatin)

Secretary hopes bus trip gets citizens on drug plan
By Jeff Gallatin
Westlake
Published May 10, 2006

As the deadline for enrolling in the new Medicare prescription drug program nears, federal officials hope a road trip inspires citizens to get on the bus and join the program.

Federal Secretary of Health and Human Services Michael Leavitt stopped by the Church on the Rise in Westlake May 6 to discuss the program with people prior to the Monday enrollment deadline. Leavitt and other federal workers have been on a bus tour of the country to try to inform people about the program and get them enrolled in it.

“This affects millions of people in the country,” Leavitt said. “We want to make sure people are properly informed about the program and the options available to them.”

Danielle Yaggi, a communications assistant on the trip, said they had stopped at over 300 cities along the way.

“We’ve been getting a good response from people when we meet with them one on one and in groups to discuss the plan,” Yaggi said.

Leavitt said they decided to stop at Westlake because one staff member used to live about a mile from the church and another is from Fairview Park.

“We try to stop at locations where there are a large number of people who are affected by the plan,” Leavitt said. “We try and stop at locations where we can partner up with people and organizations who can get people involved and in the program.” He noted there are are about 1.3 million Ohio residents signed up with about 300,000 still eligible.

With the turnout at about 10 people, Leavitt met with different people and discussed the plan with them.

U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Michael Leavitt discusses the new Medicare prescription drug program at Westlake's Church on the Rise Saturday. (Photo by Jeff Gallatin)

One church member, Bob Smalley of Avon, said he got a flyer at the church about the event and decided to come.

“I’ve got a mother in her 80s who this affects,” Smalley said. “She didn’t really think the plan would affect her because she doesn’t have prescriptions right now. But I stopped here to find out about it and make sure everything is taken care of for her.”

Smalley said he appreciated the opportunity to meet with a federal official about the plan.

During his 11 years as governor of Utah before taking the cabinet position last year, Leavitt was known for innovations in health care work as well as using the Web and technology to better inform people.

Leavitt said he enjoys the combination of meeting with people as officials are doing on the bus trip and letting them know how to use modern technology to learn more about the plan.

He said the bus trip is one way of getting people involved.

“We want to make sure people know about the plan and get signed up,” Leavitt said. “Even though people may not have a need for prescriptions right now, they may later. We want them to sign up before the deadline and get the benefits from the program.”

He said concerned children, relatives and friends such as Smalley are a primary target audience to get information to so they can work with the older citizens who can enroll in the plan.

Leavitt said signing up can be done in three easy steps.

“Get your prescriptions and medical bottles together, then get your Medicare card,” Leavitt said. “Then call 1-800-MEDICARE or go online at www.medicare.gov.”

He said seniors and the friends or relatives helping them will be able to talk to people about the best plans for each person or find information online about it.

“If people sign up before the deadline, they can start saving on the drugs, and if you don’t need them now you still get the lowest cost protection for when you do,” Leavitt said.