GOOD TO KNOW: Patty Duke in new public service campaign with Social Security

Michael J. Astrue, commissioner of Social Security, announced that Academy Award winner Patty Duke and David Kessler, M.D., former head of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, have teamed with Social Security to launch a flu prevention public service campaign. Duke and Dr. Kessler are featured in a new public service announcement letting people know some simple steps they can take to prevent the spread of the flu, as well as the fact that most business with Social Security can be done online by visiting www.socialsecurity.gov.

“President Obama recently declared a flu emergency and we want to be sure that Americans looking to Social Security for critical services don’t underestimate the value of the simple but important steps they can take to help protect themselves and others from the flu,” Commissioner Astrue said. “They should also know if they need to do business with Social Security but don’t want to visit an office, they can always go online to www.socialsecurity.gov.”

Social Security’s online services, led by the agency’s Retirement Estimator, online retirement application, and Medicare Extra Help application, have consistently ranked at the top of all government electronic services in the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) EGovernment Satisfaction Index. The most recent ACSI report released Oct. 27, 2009, notes that citizen satisfaction with federal government Web sites surged to a new all-time high in the third quarter of 2009.

“Patty Duke and Dr. Kessler are doing a great service to the country by volunteering their services to help us get the word out about flu prevention and our online services,” Astrue said. “I encourage all Americans to do everything they can during this flu season to keep themselves, their families, and their neighbors healthy.”

For more information about Social Security’s online services and to view the new public service announcement featuring Patty Duke and Dr. Kessler, go to www.socialsecurity.gov.

If you have any additional questions, you may call Pat Hafermann, elderly benefits specialist with the Aging and Disability Resource Center, at (920) 467-4076.

Resource: “Spotlight on Social Security” December 2009