Compassion & Experience are necessary in the complex Medicare Insurance Industry. We’ve got the couple for you!

Early in my writing career, I had the opportunity to interview many successful entrepreneurs for an OC-based regional business/lifestyle publication. While the scope of the featured businesses was diverse, the owner/operators all shared an unerring passion for their profession and a common belief that “if you love what you do, the money will follow.”

It didn’t take long after meeting Denice and Stephen Merrill for me to discover this energetic, enthusiastic couple were obviously cut from the same entrepreneurial cloth. As specialists in the often confusing Medicare insurance industry, they educate seniors on the ever-changing nuances of Medicare and the myriad of Medicare Insurance plans available.

For the past sixteen years, Denice has been working in the insurance industry, first as an independent agent, and then as an incorporated business owner, as Merrill Insurance Services Inc. entered the market in 2009. Like any other field, there are the requisite hoops to jump through on the way to owning one’s own insurance business, and Denice has leapt through them all. State board exams, licensing, yearly certifications. “Even with all the classes, there is nothing that can beat years and years of experience,” she says. “I continue to learn and that is what keeps my interest”. It is like a puzzle to fit the unique plan for that unique person. This is not something you can easily do on your own without some guidance from a professional.

As an independent agent, broker and business owner, Denice found that there was not just one approach to the process of “guiding people, organization and staying in touch. “Keeping myself open, selfless and available started setting Merrill Insurance Services apart from others in the industry, and I’ve always tried to operate in a way that I would want to be treated in any given market - to never approach anyone as a salesperson.” I like to find what we might have in common. Enjoy people. It’s easy - Today’s seniors are so diverse, active, and great travel stories! Once we help someone, its usually a relationship for life.

It’s also important to Know your product and services inside and out. Don’t try to be the jack of all trades! Lots of agents try to do it all, and end up knowing very little about the products they are recommending. This leaves the client vulnerable - typically in the area of prescriptions.

Clients began flooding in. In the ensuing years, Denice and her husband Stephen (who joined the agency in 2012 have focused their efforts to exclusively supporting the senior market. “We have both found incredible contentment and passion in our day to day lives and helping seniors. Education and taking the time to explain the details is what makes us different.” We always look at what makes the best financial sense for the client, even if it means suggesting they hold off on activating their Medicare and not enroll with us for a period of time.... (sometimes staying with an employer plan can be the most prudent).

Even with all the classes, there is nothing that can beat years and years of experience. I continue to learn and that is what keeps my interest.

Toward that end, Denice is a regular editorial contributor to Sorbet - a SoCal Senior publication and is the sole presenter at a series of educational seminars on Medicare each month at Mission Hospital. Standing in the spotlight is usually outside her comfort zone and she found the idea of speaking to a large group unnerving. But she talks to the audience like she does to each and every one of her clients: as individuals, with families, and history, and legitimate concerns about their future. “By offering or showing all options, we can help everyone that is 65 and over. There is just not a one plan that fits all.” At these seminars, Denice explains Medicare Basics and the Full Benefits of Medicare in a side-by-side comparison model and finds that “everyone benefits because it is so interactive and lots of questions get asked.”

Questions like “What does Medicare A or B Cost?” and “Do I have to activate Medicare when I turn age 65?” Or Questions like “How will MY personal prescriptions be covered?” This is what might make one plan a better fit for you than another!,” she says. “Honestly, I can simplify and help you to understand your options of a Medi-Gap Supplemental policy which is a PPO Style of coverage or a Medicare Advantage HMO style of plan and they all offer amazing coverages, but its the everyday or every month usages of medications that can really break the bank!” I want to protect people and have the skills to help them. We do reviews every year!

Being self-employed has given Denice the opportunity to grow without limitations. “My agency now trains other agents and we are helping them replicate what has worked so well for us.”

My success has come from being honest and just being human and down to earth. I’ve always felt blessed to have found this business, actually out of a time in my life that was difficult financially.

Staying true to her core values has helped everything fall gracefully into place, one hour at a time. “I truly enjoy people and hearing their stories,” says Denice, and these stories are what make her days. “Today, many businesses are so hands-off, so computerized. You’re told to call an 800# and then possibly get disconnected. I am told daily that clients appreciate when they call me, I actually answer the phone: it’s unheard of!” And we are still happy to meet with folks face to face rather than calling someone they’ve never met or may never talk to again. Denice’s husband, Stephen, is a product of the theory too. He’s the one that has always loved public speaking and has taken to this very naturally once you understand your products inside and out, then its a matter of simplifying it to help others understand it too. The personal aspect of still making house calls and sitting across from someone at their kitchen table is not a lost concept.

“When you love what you do, it doesn’t seem like work,” says Denice. “My success has come from being honest and just being human and down to earth. I’ve always felt blessed to have found this business, actually out of a time in my life that was difficult financially. It took a few years and finding my stride before I was able to convince my husband to leave his engineering and sales background to join the company. Now the only thing he can say is that he wishes he’d done it sooner. We tend to draw people in that we can relate to, and Stephen found his success with folks who share similar interests like being outdoors, golfing, fishing, etc. We try and keep it fun. We love our clients and hope that is what comes through.”

Here is some Helpful Information.

WHAT CAN YOU DO NOW - OCT 15TH - DEC 7TH (Annual Election Period)?

You are able to switch from one Medicare Advantage Plan to another or from one Part D drug plan to another. The new policy will take effect on Jan 1 2020.

You are able to apply for a Supplemental policy (PPO Style) and Part D prescription plan. The new policy will take effect on Jan 1 2020.

If you are coming off of an employer plan and age 65+, you can enroll with either solution and the start date will be the first day you’ve chosen to come off the employer plan.

If you already have a Supplemental plan, Example like a “Plan F” - please do not fear that your plan is going away!

The Plan F isn’t going away, it is simply being discontinued to be offered for folks that are turning age 65 as of Jan 1, 2020 and after. If you currently have the plan in place or are already age 65 before Jan 1, 2020, it will still be offered to you. You will not lose your plan if you are currently on Plan F.

MEDICARE INSURANCE IS COMPLICATED, we can SIMPLIFY IT FOR YOU ~

There are multiple ways of getting informed about Medicare and the Plans available to you - it is unique not only by state, but also by county! The Plans Do Change each year. Find an Advocate which can be a Medicare Insurance Broker that can show you side x side comparisons so you can make the best decision as it pertains to YOUR prescriptions, and keeping YOUR doctors, and keeping YOUR costs the lowest for the up coming year.

A Broker offers all the same exact plans being offered by the insurance companies, and at the same exact costs if you had chosen on your own and enrolled over the phone (possibly an 800# with a sales person you’ll never talk to again and that possibly doesn’t even live in your state), so consider using a Specialist in their field….a local, in your town, Agent/Broker Advocate to help you understand the overwhelming and sometimes confusing Medicare Options - Remember this is a no cost service available to you.

If you’d like to contact us directly, please do

Or if you prefer a group setting please stop in at one of these locations and talk to one of us or our agents - we are here to serve you.

TEAR OUT THIS PAGE TO REFERENCE UPCOMING MEDICARE MEETINGS

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO - RSVP Denice
Oct 5th 9:00a (Saturday)
Marie Callendar
31791 Del Obispo St
San Juan Capistrano 92675

Oct 12th 9:00a (Saturday) - RSVP Denice
Marie Callendar
31791 Del Obispo St
San Juan Capistrano 92675

SAN CLEMENTE
Oct 16th 10:30a (Wednesday)
Nov 6th 10:30 (Wednesday)
Nov 21st 1:00p (Thursday)
San Clemente Senior Center
117 Avenida Victoria
San Clemente 92672

MISSION VIEJO
Oct 17th 6:00p (Thursday)
Mission Hospital Conf Ctr
26726 Crown Valley Pkwy
Mission Viejo 92691
Free Validation for Parking

MISSION VIEJO
Oct 24th 6:00p (Thursday)
Mission Hospital Conf Ctr
26726 Crown Valley Pkwy
Mission Viejo 92691
Free Validation for Parking

MISSION VIEJO
Oct 30th 6:00p (Wednesday)
Mission Hospital Conf Ctr
26726 Crown Valley Pkwy
Mission Viejo 92691
Free Validation for Parking

LAGUNA NIGUEL
WALMART SHOPPERS!
Open Table to help you with Medicare Options
Walmart Oct 15th - Dec 7th
Tuesdays - Fridays 8:00a - 1:00p
27470 Alicia Parkway
Laguna Niguel, CA 92677

Connect with Denice directly by calling (949) 584-2646. You can also connect with Stephen Merrill by calling (949) 584-2634.
Denice CA LIC # 0D99790
Stephens CA LIC # 0E31931

Let St. Joseph Hoag Health Guide You Through Open Enrollment

If you’re 65 or older, it’s almost time to take stock of your health care coverage needs. Medicare open enrollment runs from October 15 through December 7, 2019, during this period, you’re able to make the following important decisions:

• You can change from Original Medicare to Medicare Advantage or vice versa. With Original Medicare, the government pays directly for health care costs you incur, but your out-of-pocket costs can be costly.[CL1] With Medicare Advantage, you have the same level of coverage as Original Medicare as well as options such as vision care, hearing aids, routine dental care, prescription drug coverage, and fitness center membership (check the plan to confirm). However, you’ll need to see a doctor within a specific network.

• You may switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to another or from one Medicare Part D plan (for prescription drugs) to another.

• If you didn’t enroll in a Medicare Part D plan when you became eligible for Medicare, you could do it during open enrollment. A late fee may apply.
Here are some tips on making smart decisions:

Know your options

When choosing a Medicare plan, consider annual deductible, prescription drug co-pays, out-of-pocket costs, and coverage options. Also review the plan’s customer ratings, both for convenience and satisfaction with the doctors and care provided.

Make sure your doctors are available

Even if you’re not planning on switching plans, doctors can change each year. Make sure your favorite St. Joseph Hoag Health providers are still available under your plan. If they aren’t and you want to access their care, you could end up with hefty out-of-network fees. You can find out who is in which plan by calling your doctor’s office.

Know that Medicare is not your employer’s health plan

Many people think that Medicare is similar to their old workplace insurance. Unfortunately, it’s more complicated at first, and if you don’t choose certain elements, such as Part D, you may incur a penalty if you want it later on.

The good news is you don’t have to make Medicare decisions on your own. St. Joseph Hoag Health, Orange County’s most trusted health care network, provides extensive resources and information about your Medicare options. You don’t even have to be a current patient to take advantage of our offerings:

• Seminar: Attend one of our conveniently located meetings throughout open enrollment where representatives from our partner health plans will discuss 2020 benefits. Find a complete schedule of meetings at sjhh.org/medicare.

• Phone: Speak with a trusted, independent licensed agent about your Medicare options. After Oct. 15, you’ll even be able to enroll in coverage right over the phone.

• 1:1 Meeting: Call (855) 670-1938 to schedule a personal appointment and a licensed agent will review plans with you and answer any questions or concerns you may have.

• Online: Compare our contracted health plans’ 2020 benefits online by visiting our website at sjhh.org/medicare.

All these options are at no cost to you and will help guide you in making the best Medicare choices for your 2020 coverage. To get started and to RSVP for our meetings, visit sjhh.org/medicare or call (855) 670-1938.

UC Irvine (UCI) is one of the Institutions selected by the National Institute of Health to lead the All of Us Research Program in California, and Dr. Hoda Anton-Culver is the Principal Investigator at UCI. This Research Program is a national effort that aims at engaging one million or more participants nationwide to change the future of health.

UC Irvine has been very successful in leading this effort in California. More than 194,000 people have already joined across the country.

Dr. Anton-Culver, what is the All of Us Research Program?

The All of Us Research Program is led by the National Institutes of Health and part of the larger Precision Medicine Initiative. The goal is to engage one million or more volunteers living in the U.S. to improve health outcomes, fuel the development of new treatments for disease, and catalyze a new era of evidence-based and more precise preventive care and medical treatment. The mission of All of Us is simple: we want to speed up health research and change the future of health towards individualized care. Participants will share different kinds of health information over time to help build one of the largest, most diverse biomedical resources of its kind. Researchers will be able to access the data for a wide range of studies on different health conditions.

What is precision medicine?

Precision medicine is health care that is based on each individual. It takes into account factors like where you live, what you do, and your family health history. At the moment, health care is often one-size-fits-all. But imagine a future where your health treatments are tailored to you. This is called precision medicine. We can help make that future possible.

Why is UCI so successful in conducting the All of Us Research Program?

I think we are successful for a number of reasons. Our research team strongly believes in the importance of this research program as an unprecedented opportunity to change the future of health for our people, our community and our society. We created an amazing network of local healthcare providers, clinic staff members, and collaborators who are enthusiastically helping to promote the mission of the program in different ways. Our staff members are very well trained and mostly bilingual to overcome participants’ language barriers and cultural differences, and the positive experience of our participants is of paramount priority. We work together as a team to accomplish this important mission.

Why should someone consider joining All of Us?

People join for many reasons: to learn more about their health, to help improve the health of their communities and future generations, to help researchers find the best ways for people to stay healthy, and to help researchers one day create better tests and treatments. The longer a person stays involved with All of Us, the more they can learn about themselves and help speed up health research and medical breakthroughs.

Can anyone join?

Yes, all eligible adults, 18 years old or older can join.

What does participation involve?

People can create an account by visiting JoinAllofUs.org and provide their consent to get started. Then they’ll be asked to share their electronic health record and complete surveys. They can do all of this from their computer, tablet, or smartphone, or at one of our locations listed below. They will come to our clinics to have their physical measurements taken and to provide blood and urine sample. At completion of these steps, they will receive a $25 gift card. The All of Us Program will last for at least 10 years. We hope that participants will stay involved over time, responding to questionnaires and participating in other activities as they become available.
What do people need to do to participate at UCI?

The All of Us Research Program is important in Orange County because of the diversity of our population in this area, which includes Asians, Hispanics and other diverse populations including low socioeconomic people who are in general underrepresented in biomedical research.

They can contact us by phone (949 824-0282) or email (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) to schedule an appointment with us at one of the following locations: UCI Clinics in Irvine (Gottschalk Plaza Clinic or Gavin Herbert Eye Institute), UCI Medical Center in Orange, UCI Family Medicine in Santa Ana and Anaheim, Westminster Medical Center, and the Florence Sylvester Memorial Senior Center in Laguna Woods. They can also self-schedule the appointment at allofus.health.uci.edu.

What will you do to protect participant’s privacy?

We will take great care to protect participants’ information. Here are a few of the steps we will take: a) Information we have about participants will be stored on protected computers. We will limit and keep track of who sees the information; b) we will remove names and other direct identifiers (like your Social Security number) from the participants’ information and replace them with a code; c) Researchers must promise not to try to find out who the participants are. d) We will tell the participant if there is a risk to privacy because of a data breach. e) The All of Us Research Program has Certificates of Confidentiality from the U.S. government. This will help us fight legal demands (such as a court order) to give out information that could identify the participant.

Why is All of Us Research important for Orange County?

The All of Us Research Program is important in Orange County because of the diversity of our population in this area, which includes Asians, Hispanics and other diverse populations including low socioeconomic people who are in general underrepresented in biomedical research. This helps to know more about their health and their risk factors for developing diseases. If we want to do meaningful research for the entire country and not just certain subsets of communities, we’re going to need broad participation. We are particularly interested in groups that are currently underrepresented in biomedical research. As leaders of this research program it is our responsibility to make sure that “all of us” have the opportunity to participate in the program and make a difference. Therefore, we will do our best to engage our community, earn people’s trust and give them the opportunity to participate in this research program.

Where can someone learn more about the All of Us Research Program?

Our staff members will be happy to answer any questions you may have. Please call us at (949) 824-0282. You can also visit allofus.health.uci.edu to learn more about the program.

Quality, In-Home Care & Specialists in Serving People Living with Parkinson’s Disease

There are a number of frustrating things about a disease which presents itself differently in each of its patients. The first, quite obviously, is that the disease is present at all.

Next, perhaps, is that each conversation is marked by a tangle of personal history: for each individual has a background that informs how the disease will inhabit their lives and attempt to inhibit their futures. Lori Renaud, R.N., is no stranger to these frustrations, particularly when it comes to Parkinson’s Disease.

With symptoms like muscle rigidity, tremors, and changes in speech, for people suffering from Parkinson’s, it can be easy to feel as though easy living has come to an end. But Lori and her team at Acti-Kare refuse to give up. April marks the beginning of Parkinson’s Awareness Month, engaging the global Parkinson’s community to raise the antenna on a disease which impacts an estimated 7 to 10 million worldwide. Local events, social media pushes, walking and running events all hope to foster understanding and encourage those who are affected by the disease to share their stories.

Providing oversight, check-ins, in-home care, and exercise programs tailored to her clients’ individual needs, Lori incorporates “a healthy well balanced diet, a safe at-home environment, companionship, and the chance to maintain and improve socialization.” Most afflictions impacting the elderly force them behind the doors of their homes: and what were once cherished creature comforts become cramped, confined spaces. Lori’s team of professional caregivers are there to swing open the doors once more.

An industry leader in providing highly qualified, compassionate, and trustworthy caregivers, Acti-Kare is dedicated to in-home care, and Lori Renaud, R.N., is at the helm in South Orange County, steering her team towards excellence. Especially when it comes to senior care. Acti-Kare offers affordable in-home care - both hourly and live-in services - including transportation, meal preparation, personal care services, companionship from professionals who are screened, bonded and insured.

The knowledge that your loved ones are in careful hands is priceless, and the understanding that those hands are leading your loved ones to a safer, more independent lifestyle in their advanced years is immeasurable.

“I began Acti-Kare in April of 2015. Working in healthcare provided me with the opportunity to recognize the value and benefit of high-quality in-home care,” says Lori. “Too many seniors only have a life of existence, leading to isolation and depression.” Indeed, for those struggling with even minor memory or recovery issues, like a friend’s mother after she broke her hip, life becomes smaller and smaller. Until the house you raised your children in can start to feel more like a trap than a triumph.

Caregiving through memory loss, Alzheimer’s - offering both long-term care and hospice, Acti-Kare is committed to providing outstanding service. “Our caregivers go to the client’s residence, and we are daily achieving my goal of providing seniors the opportunity to have a life with meaning, and a more active, social, and independent lifestyle in a safe environment,” says Lori.

As a Registered Nurse, Lori takes each initial consultation herself, developing an individualized plan of care for every client, and checking back in regularly to provide personalized health assessments. The Acti-Vate Program takes customized care one step further, challenging the norm of an age-induced fatigue, and balancing mind, body and spirit to improve the wellbeing of clients holistically. The knowledge that your loved ones are in careful hands is priceless, and the understanding that those hands are leading your loved ones to a safer, more independent lifestyle in their advanced years is immeasurable.

“I can now sleep at night, knowing my mother is safe,” says Mary, a client from Laguna Beach. “Not only does my mother now have a constant companion, her laundry is taken care of, mail sorted - but if she wants to go out and run errands or meet a friend, her transportation is arranged.” Clients can still do their own grocery shopping; but if they’d rather not bother with the task of preparing and cleaning up afterwards, or perhaps are dealing with a restricted diet, “Acti-Kare caregivers can prepare meals that maintain a healthy diet, as well as monitor their daily nutritional needs to insure sufficient nutrition.” Unfortunately, a great many seniors fail to meet those demands, leading to frustration, and often, a heightened risk of illness.

“I educate the public on disease management and prevention,” says Lori. “But sometimes it takes the presence of a competent, compassionate caregiver to ensure that corners aren’t being cut on health in some of the most important years of your life.” Treating every client as if they were a family member of their own, Lori’s team is confident that their suite of senior care solutions will surpass your expectations for care - without committing to a long-term contract or minimum hour block of service.

A unique disease calls for a unique approach, and Lori’s team at Acti-Kare certainly aren’t strangers to the challenges that lie before them. Lori’s main frustration isn’t the tremors that come with Parkinson’s, or the lack of awareness surrounding diseases like it, but the cost to living facing people diagnosed with debilitating disease. “I want to keep people living independently: but mostly, just to keep people truly alive.”

Connect with Lori directly by calling (949) 397-6069 or visit www.actikare.com/southorangecounty