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Helping Hand

Aired March 06, 2006 - 13:38   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: You know Montel Williams as a talk show host, but these days he's pressing talk more than show. Williams is crisscrossing the country on the "Help is Here Express." It's part of his new role as a paid spokesman as a partnership for prescription assistance, an effort to match Americans with programs that offer free or low-cost drugs.
Montel Wiliams, welcome to the show.

MONTEL WILLIAMS, TALK SHOW HOST: Thank so much for having me.

PHILLIPS: Good to see you.

WILLIAMS: Here we were during the break, and I'm telling you, OK, these drug companies, they make so much money, and they should be giving these drugs people for free and helping out, but you're saying, not necessarily.

WILLIAMS: Let's look at the reality of this. And I've been one of those people, I think -- and most of your viewers will know this -- over the last 15 years -- I've done my show for 15 years -- I've probably taken on the drug corporations more than anybody else on daytime television, and I've talked about all the egregious offenses that I though, like where there were drugs that were being misused and being misprescribed.

But I think, like anybody should say, when you vilify someone, you should also vindicate them when they do something right. Right now, it's not the responsibility of the prescription -- of the pharmaceutical industry to give Americans free drugs. It's really, I felt, our government's opportunity to figure out how to come up with a program to figure out socialized medicine here, so that those people who need medication don't have to go without.

But what's happened is that through the PPA, the Partnership for Prescription Assistance, about 450 different programs, 475 different programs, that were already available to kind of get drugs in the hands of people who need them have been all brought together under one uniform program called the PPA, and people can dial 1-888-FOR-PPA-NOW.

PHILLIPS: We're going to continue to plug that 800 number.

WILLIAMS: I'm telling you, if they call that number. within 10 minutes they can find out if they qualify. If they qualify they can get medication for free.

PHILLIPS: All right, well, let me ask you about this, because Medicare, Medicaid, we've been doing story after story after story about how confusing it is. People are trying to get their medications, they're not in the computer. Pharmacists are going crazy because they can't help their people. They can't afford their medication. How is it all of a sudden that this program, you're telling me someone can call and in 10 minutes and actually get drugs and get help?

WILLIAMS: I'll tell you how it works. First off, it is a partnership of private and public companies that are already providing the drugs for people free or near free. They've brought this together under one roof, now being headed up by the pharmaceutical research corporations and they're called PPA. You can call this number and in 10 minutes find out if you're qualified and one hour you'll register and three weeks get your medication at your doorstep for free or nearly free.

Why is this happening? Because I think if you commercialize things, we do things better. The pharmaceutical industry understands this responsibility. They're making a lot of money off of medication. At the same time they also know there are Americans making choices between food and medicine.

If I were a provider of medication, I would make sure that these people were able to get through those hard times so that when times are better they can afford the medication.

PHILLIPS: So who can qualify? Can anybody qualify?

WILLIAMS: there are 29 million uninsured Americans and another 15 to 20 million underinsured Americans. What you can do right now, anybody who is uninsured and underinsured, does not have a prescription medication plan in their life, they can contact this number, 1-888-4PPA-NOW and they'll find out within 10 minutes, 10 questions if they qualify. Once they qualify, every three months you register and you get your drugs.

PHILLIPS: What are some of those questions. You would want every low-income individual to be able to qualify for this.

WILLIAMS: I'm here in Atlanta right now. There are over 500,000 people in the state of Atlanta, in the state of Georgia, that can qualify for this program. So far about 80 thousand of them have registered and already receiving medication today.

PHILLIPS: Is there a cap?

WILLIAMS: No, there's no cap and there's no catch. Everybody thinks there's a big catch.

PHILLIPS: It seems too good to be true. Here we are as taxpayers paying for health insurance and a lot of people are saying man, our government can't even get this right. So how is it that this program can be so good.

WILLIAMS: Let me tell you what else is so good about it. If you qualify for Medicaid or Medicare, you can call 1-888-4PPANOW and they'll show you how to navigate through the Medicaid bureaucracy because they're trying to get the medication into the hands to the people who need it.

You have to say this is great, the pharmaceutical industry has stepped up to the plate and decide do something super and philanthropic. Yes they have, $5 billion dollars of medication has been given out since April.

PHILLIPS: It sounds like you should be running Health and Human Services.

WILLIAMS: Give me a chance and I can take care of these. What we ought to do is bring in the people who recognize how to do it right. If you commercialize things and allow our corporations to step up to the plate and understand their responsibility to the American public they will do so and that's what's happening through this program. I'm really adamant about this.

I've never endorsed one thing. I've been in this business for 15 years.

PHILLIPS: There's been questions about this. He's doing commercials and getting paid for this.

WILLIAMS: This is the first commercial in 15 years. I haven't sold a burger. I haven't sold a car, I haven't sold anything. Why? Because I needed something I believe in.

Yes, they have to compensate me. I'm running all over the country. They have to pay me for my time. At the same time, now you're paying me for something I'm passionate about because I have people walk up to me all of the time and say Montel, my God, I know you have M.S. Look at you. How good you're doing. Why am I doing this right. I pay attention to my medication.

PHILLIPS: Tell me why because I asked you that.

WILLIAMS: I pay attention to my medication. I exercise. I pay attention to what I eat every day. I take charge. I have taken charge of my medical care rather than turn it over to a doctor who has 900 other people that he's seeing and could care less about me at the end of day, even though they may think they do, he's got too many cases to deal with.

I am responsible for what goes in my body and I'm responsible for what comes out and I'm responsible for how I take care of it and if more people stepped up to the plate and realized that. The doctors don't have all of the answers. Go up on the Internet and find out what you need to find out and then call 1-888-4PPA-NOW.

PHILLIPS: You're former military and expert in cryptology. How did you become talk show host?

WILLIAMS: I was a special duty intelligence officer in the Navy. I spent 22 years in the service supporting and defending this constitution. Before I came off active duty in '88 I started a program speaking to kids around the country and that's what snowballed and now 15 years later I'm speaking in everybody's living room every day of the week trying to make sure people understand.

We have a responsibility to ourselves, not our country. Our country has a responsibility to us and we need to find out whether or not we need a medication and what those medications are and understand and get a second and third choice of opinion. If our government doesn't have a program to provide medication to you, I'm glad the private sector has stepped up to the plate.

PHILLIPS: Are you ready for the shout out to Bill Gates? You going to pitch it now?

WILLIAMS: I need to talk to Bill Gates. Since I'm on the news right now. Can I come and see you? I've been calling your office, we sent a letter, nobody wants to talk to me. I'd love to talk to you and it's about something good and it will save people's lives. Give me a call.

Thank you, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Imagine what that money can do. It's good to see you, Montel.

You look great.

Speaking of prescription drugs, Medicare recipients are facing a May 15th deadline to sign up for a plan or face higher charges. If you're still trying to decide or you're having problems with the plan that you signed up for, send us your questions now because on Wednesday Dr. Mark McLellan, the administrator for Medicare and Medicaid will join me here on LIVE FROM. Maybe we'll have get Montel to come back and hammer him with a few questions.

We're going to pose your questions to him directly. E-mail us at livefrom@cnn.com.

Envelopes and tears and speeches, oh my. You saw what happened on stage during the Academy Awards, but the winners had plenty more to say after the orchestra started playing. LIVE FROM has a backstage pass coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, we're betting nobody got a perfect score in your office Oscar pool. It was a year of surprises at the Academy Awards. Here's another one. Our Brooke Anderson is still awake in Los Angeles.

ANDERSON: Hi, Kyra. I did get a few hours of sleep, fortunately, but the 78th annual Academy Awards went off without a hitch last night. In fact, it was pretty predictable until the very end when what some are calling one of the most unpredictable upsets in Oscar history occurred. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) JON STEWART, HOST, 78TH ANNUAL ACADEMY AWARDS: I'm Jon Stewart welcome to the 78th annual Academy Awards.

NICOLE KIDMAN, ACTRESS: And the Oscar goes to George Clooney in "Syriana."

GEORGE CLOONEY, BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Wow, all right. So I'm not winning director.

We are starting now to reflect two years later some of the social and political issues that are, for the first time probably since Watergate, concerning us. And we're talking about them. And then films start to reflect that a couple of years later.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When they test for HIV, they also test for TB free.

RACHEL WEISZ, BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Well, just for free?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A small extra service to humanity.

WEISZ: They're a drug company, Arnold (ph), come on. No drug company does something for nothing.

MORGAN FREEMAN, ACTOR: Rachel Weisz, "The Constant Gardner."

WEISZ: It's definitely nice to be part of a moment where fiction is holding a mirror up to contemporary culture and asking questions.

JAMIE FOXX, ACTOR: Reese Witherspoon, "Walk the Line."

(MUSIC)

REESE WITHERSPOON, BEST ACTRESS: For me, this is just -- it was a great sort of accomplishment to just learn to stand in my own shoes and my own self and be proud of myself.

STEWART: I do have some sad news to report. Bjork couldn't be here tonight. She was trying on her Oscar dress, and Dick Cheney shot her.

(MUSIC)

QUEEN LATIFAH, ACTRESS: It's hard out here for a pimp! Oh, my gosh! Jordan Houston, Cedric Coleman and Paul Beauregard, "Hard Out Here for a Pimp."

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My heart was beating so fast, I thought it was going to pop out of my mouth and fall in the crowd.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The Oscar goes to Philip Seymour Hoffman in "Capote."

PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN, BEST ACTOR: I saw the role as an opportunity that was going to be a great one.

TOM HANKS, ACTOR: And the Oscar goes to Ang Lee for "Brokeback Mountain."

ANG LEE, BEST DIRECTOR: I think it's a good movie. They're moved by it, by the emotion. I think it's a good love story.

JACK NICHOLSON, ACTOR: And the Oscar goes to "Crash."

TERRENCE HOWARD, "CRASH": Crash" was the one film that made me feel like everything I have gone through in my life was worthwhile.

LUDACRIS, "CRASH": If you haven't seen this movie, you have to go watch it. You got to go rent it. Whatever you need to do. I mean, it is that powerful. It's life changing.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: When Jack Nicholson said "Crash," there was genuine surprise in all their faces. There was an audible gasp among the crowd, audible gasp among us watching backstage.

And I caught up with Ang Lee, the director of "Brokeback Mountain" at the Governor's Ball after the show and he told me he was surprised, in fact, even shocked that "Crash" was victorious over "Brokeback" in that best picture category.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANG LEE, WINNER, BEST DIRECTOR: Because we've been winning all the way since September, last September, in Venice. So, backstage, I was shocked, but you know, good for them.

ANDERSON: Have you seen "Crash"?

LEE: Yes.

ANDERSON: What do you think?

LEE: It was a good movie.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: That's about all he said. It's a good movie. Kyra, he didn't go home empty-handed, though. He did pick up best director.

PHILLIPS: Of course. George Clooney. That's what we're talking about next hour? Is that right?

ANDERSON: That is. George Clooney, coming up.

PHILLIPS: Save the scoop.

ANDERSON: I will.

PHILLIPS: All right, Brooke Anderson, thanks so much.

Well, here's a "Crash" course on the movie that scored the upset of the night. Best picture winner "Crash," it's a story of racial intolerance in Los Angeles. As you know, that film cost $5.6 million to make and so far grossed more than $83 million worldwide.

Now, don't forget "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT," backstage at the Oscars. The stories you haven't heard. Our man A.J. Hammer, of course. Tune in to "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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