Medicare D(isaster): Sales Pitch Now Translated.

The sudden realization of the fact that 1/6 of Medicare beneficiaries are African American or Hispanic has influenced the most recent alliance in to promote Medicare D(isaster). The administration and the NAACP have formed an arrangement to market Medicare D(isaster) to minorities as a means of increasing enrollment in the program. 

Two years ago, the head of the NAACP called for Bush's defeat in his re-election bid. Now, the NAACP is courting celebrities such as Bill Cosby to promote the program and inviting Medicare officials to send their flashy, high-tech bus to black churches so counselors can help beneficiaries wade through all their options.

Although the NAACP feels that Medicare D(isaster) needs improvement, and minorities hold a more negative opinion of it as compared w/the general population, the administration is attempting to counterract that percpetion.  President Bush's Wednesday trip to Annandale, Va., on Wednesday was an attempt to reach out to minority groups. At a largely Asian-American audience at Northern Virginia Community College, those in the audience who did not speak English wore headphones to hear a translation of the sales pitch.

Bush stated

I'm trying to show that our government is reaching out to people from all walks of life in all neighborhoods."

Adolph Falcon, of the National Alliance for Hispanic Health, said the organization is  helping the administration with its outreach.

"We're the group for whom this will have the biggest impact.  We've been the group least likely to have medication for the treatment of chronic illnesses.  Once they sit down with somebody they're able to trust and they bring their medications with them, they're really able to walk through it and make a decision that's best for them."

Kathleen Harrington, director of external affairs for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, explained that approximately 1000 different events will be occurring and asked churches, civic organizations and advocacy groups such as the NAACP to organize them.

''In some of these communities we've faced some culture barriers where there is a lack of trust in government, a natural suspicion, in addition to language barriers.  That's why we've established these partnerships with people who have the trust of the community.  They really see this as an opportunity to really start to close the health disparities gap that has been sadly present.  Part D is the beginning of that effort.''

Emphasis on personal attention was also mentioned as the "key" to persuading Hispanic beneficairies to sign up for a Medicare D(isaster) policy.

*  Victor Law, owner of Alpha Pharmacy, has spent countless hours helping many Chinese-speaking seniors. 

"It's driving them nuts!" "Oftentimes they have a whole bunch of letters in their hand and we have to review them and explain to them what is going on."

*  Amy Chin, 73, wanted to know how the cost of her rx's.  She was tired of repeatedly trying and experienced long waits.  With a reporter and Korean center staffer listening in, Chin again called up her plan, Humana, to reach an interpreter. The Korean center staffer had advised her to press 0 until she was able to talk to a person and say, "Korean, please."  After 15 minutes, she hung up, called back and waited half an hour longer before an interpreter came on the line.  Coincidencally, this was only after the center volunteer intervened to make the request again.

*  Kyong Lee, 65, called to get her drug prescription card number, and was told,

"We cannot help you.  Sadly, we do not have an interpreter's line .... Thank you for calling Unicare."

*  Over a month ago, Lee Sun Hua, 81, was unable to obtain his rx.  First, he was told that it was because he did not have a card.  Lee then contacted a volunteer at a non-profit agency that provides services to Koreans, and was still unable to receive the card.  A few weeks ago, Lee contacted his insurance carrier, BCBS and requested an interpreter, using a tip sheet to explain that he did not speak English.  BCBS responded by claiming that no one spoke Korean.

Medicare must accommodate non-English-speaking callers.  One can request a translator through the toll-free line.  Other pressing two for Spanish, the menu of options is in English, with nothing to suggest that interpreters are available.

Nothing was mentioned as to whether or not  requests for an interpreters for a language other than Spanish need to be made in English. 

Also, nothing was mentioned in the article cited as to whether or not the lack of translators has been rectified in every insurance company.

Question:  How can one make an informed choice if their language is not spoken?