Andy Griffith New Spokesman For Medicare And Health Care Law

Andy Griffith New Spokesman for Medicare and Health Care Law His face fills the screen as the subtitle reads: An important message from Medicare and Andy Griffith. Actor Andy Griffith has a new role as spokesman for President Barack Obama's health care law in a cable television ad paid for by Medicare. The veteran actor just may be starring in the role of his life. The promo is part of a Medicare campaign to educate senior citizens about the new benefits of the health care law which will be made available next year, indicates Alan Weinstock, insurance broker at Ad Focused on Outreach to Seniors not Politics The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) explains that the national ad is not meant to be political. It is part of its outreach to educate seniors about the new Medicare benefits that will be available next year. The 84-year-old Griffith tells seniors about preventive check-ups and lower-cost prescriptions for Medicare recipients, some of the benefits of Obama's health care overhaul, which seeks to expand coverage for the uninsured. The current plan is to run the ad on channels that seniors typically watch, such as the Weather Channel, CNN, Hallmark and Lifetime. The initial cost: $700,000. Polls show that seniors are more skeptical of the health care law than are younger people. A large part of health care reform is aimed at expanding coverage for the uninsured. And Medicare cuts provide much of the financing. That could be a problem for Democrats in the fall congressional elections. google_ad_client = "pub-2311940475806896"; /* 300x250, created 1/6/11 */ google_ad_slot = "0098904308"; google_ad_width = 300; google_ad_height = 250; Seniors have been known to vote in large numbers. Medicare Resources for Seniors who Still Have Questions Seniors need to educate themselves on what health care reform really means to them, suggests Weinstock. This includes reading the new Medicare and the New Health Law - What it Means to You. However, if you still have questions, you may want to reach out to service organizations for assistance. There are counselors who are available through your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). For California seniors they can be found through the Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP), a volunteer program that provides free, unbiased Medicare counseling and information. And for Medicare beneficiaries who are considering Medigap insurance to help supplement their Medicare coverage, speaking to a reliable insurance broker like the brokers at can be very helpful. Its a website that offers you the opportunity to compare rates, plans and benefits from several prominent insurance companies.