[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 109 (Thursday, September 7, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1667]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




HONORING MR. ALEX TRUJILLO, REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE CENTERS FOR 
                     MEDICARE AND MEDICAID SERVICES

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. MARK UDALL

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 7, 2006

  Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Alex 
Trujillo, who has served for 35 years in the federal government, most 
recently as the Region VIII Administrator for the Centers for Medicare 
and Medicaid Services. A personable, thoughtful and caring individual, 
Mr. Trujillo has worked closely with my office on numerous occasions to 
ensure that beneficiaries of Medicare, Medicaid and Children's Health 
Programs are receiving reliable information from which to base their 
healthcare decisions.
  Under Mr. Trujillo's direction, nearly 92 percent of beneficiaries in 
Region VIII now have prescription drug coverage. This is a remarkable 
number of people receiving much needed healthcare coverage, especially 
in a time of rising prescription drug costs.
  Over the past four decades, Medicare has grown to become a critical 
provider of healthcare services for millions of Americans. More often 
than not, recipients of Medicare are not fully aware of all of the 
advantages and health benefits to which they are entitled. 
Consequently, many beneficiaries pay a higher premium for their 
healthcare or do not understand where and how they can make savings. 
One of Alex Trujillo's accomplishments has been his leadership in 
improving public education about Medicare. During his tenure, Region 
VIII has measured an increase in responsible healthcare decision-making 
by beneficiaries that not only provides better quality healthcare, but 
also utilizes services more efficiently. This is an important 
accomplishment considering that Region VIII provides services for 3.2 
percent of the U.S. population. It is also one of the biggest regions 
geographically, with a coverage area that stretches from Colorado to 
Montana, Wyoming, Utah, North Dakota and South Dakota. Mr. Trujillo's 
attention to rural communities has also been noteworthy.
  Following his graduation from college in 1971, Mr. Trujillo entered 
public service at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. For 
the last 20 years he has worked for the Center for Medicare and 
Medicaid Services (CMS). He gained valuable experience in the Divisions 
of Medicare and Health Standards and Quality, and also served as the 
Assistant Regional Inspector General for the Office of Investigations 
and Office of the Inspector General. In short, he knows the landscape 
of these agencies and developed a reputation for exceptional service.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in expressing our 
appreciation to Alex Trujillo for his record of service in the federal 
government.

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