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Date:  September 14, 1995
For Release:  Immediately
Contact: HCFA Press Office (202) 690-6145

HCFA Announces Toll-Free Medicare Hotline
for Hearing and Speech Impaired

Bruce C. Vladeck, administrator of the Health Care Financing Administration, announced today that a new, toll-free hotline with direct text telephone (TTY/TDD) access is now available to people with hearing and speech impairments seeking information about Medicare.

"This national hotline is part of HCFA's ongoing efforts to provide greater access to Medicare for people with disabilities," said Vladeck. "Through this hotline, we will be able to better serve hearing and speech-impaired Medicare beneficiaries."

The new hotline has several purposes. The first is to answer inquiries from Medicare beneficiaries and the general public regarding the Medicare health insurance program, especially questions about health insurance plans that supplement Medicare (Medigap policies). The hotline will also accept reports of suspected Medicare waste, fraud and abuse and complaints regarding Medigap sales practices.

The telephone number for the hotline is 1-800-820-1202 and will require text telephone capability. Many hearing or speech-impaired people have TTY/TDD terminals for telephone communication. The staff answering calls at the hotline are specially trained to communicate with hearing and speech-impaired beneficiaries and to respond to questions regarding disability issues associated with Medicare.

Persons without hearing or speech disabilities who wish to use the hotline should call 1-800-638-6833. Also, individuals with hearing and speech impairments who do not have text telephones can access this number through a telephone relay service.

For further information about HCFA outreach activities for persons with disabilities please contact: 

                 Paul D. Mendelsohn
                 HCFA Liaison for Disability Issues
                 (410) 786-3213 (voice)
                 (410) 786-7581 (TTY)
                 (410) 786-3194 (fax)

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