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WASHINGTON - Medicare, the federal health insurance program for seniors and the disabled, is spending $600,000 this year to have a blimp fly at sporting events, including Saturday's Tennessee-Alabama college football game in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
The blimp is part of a $30-million ad campaign in 2003 to make the program better known to its 40-million participants.
The white blimp bears a likeness of the American flag and blue lettering advertising 1-800-Medicare, the telephone number the public can call with questions about benefits.
The ad campaign is needed because "the average senior has no clue what the benefits are," said Tom Scully, the Medicare administrator.
The Medicare blimp already has flown over football games, state fairs and an auto race in Texas.