Nebraska Department of Insurance
THE NEBRASKA HEALTH INSURANCE INFORMATION, COUNSELING, AND ASSISTANCE (NICA) PROGRAM
SEPTEMBER 1998 NICA NEWS
VOLUNTEER HIGHLIGHTS
INITIAL TRAINING
The Northeast Nebraska Area on Aging and the Nebraska Department of Insurance conducted a two day NICA training program on July 22-23, at the Norfolk Senior Center. There were seven new NICA volunteers attending and completing the training. Incorporated in the training were the new manual revisions, which include a new record of counseling form.We welcome aboard:
Bette Keiser, Fordyce
Raymond Herbert, Newman Grove
Rita Brehmer, Pender
Richard Jacoby, Spencer
Jan Osten, Columbus
Lyle Thomas, Coleridge
Sharon Graham, Coleridge
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT
Jim Berry
Forty people attended the inservice given by Jim Berry from Loup City,
NE. He was explaining the warning for the elderly to "NOT pay their
bucks until Medicare and the Insurance paid their part. If there is
a question, call your NICA Program Representative, or insurance company."
HALL COUNTY FAIR
Mary Buford and Craig Buford, NICA Regional Representatives from the Midlands Area maintained a booth at the Hall County Fair in Grand Island from August 5-8. Assisting them with the booth were NICA Volunteers Norma Havanek and Bill Grimes. Seniors Coordinator Tiffany Geis joined in too. There were 247 senior citizens who requested information on specific NICA related topics. Many brochures were given out.REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE MEETING
The quarterly Regional Representative Meeting was held on Friday, July 24, 1998, by teleconference. Tiffany Geis called the meeting to order. The agenda included discussing a change in the training manual and new record of counseling forms. These were accepted by the Regional Representatives as being more beneficial to the individual counselors.Instructions on how to fill out the new forms and a question and answer session will be held at the Fall Update Training Session in your area.
The Regional Representatives were reminded to turn in possible dates for fall update trainings in their areas, as well as dates for training of new volunteers.
GOOD-BYE, GOOD LUCK
Elena Pedroza has left her position at the Western Nebraska Legal Association. She has not only been at the Western Nebraska Legal Services for 18 years but has been a strong voice in helping NICA volunteers spread their word and actions. We wish Elena well as she assumes her new position with a financial mortgage company. Elena will continue to be a NICA volunteer and plans to assist with the Spanish language questions. In the meantime, Bonnie Youngquist has assumed Elena's position.Bonnie has been with the NICA Program for five years. We know that she will continue with the same fine standards as Elena. Bonnie lives on a ranch, with her spouse and four children. They raise cattle. The children are very active in 4-H, keeping the family busy. Bonnie has a nice sense of humor, is willing to help, and we feel she will be an asset to the NICA program. Her immediate goals are to bring in more Volunteers to the NICA Program.
OUTREACH TIPS
The lavender cards that are enclosed in your September mailing will help you contact those seniors in your area who could benefit from your knowledge. Some suggestions we have for outreach contacts include your Senior Citizen Centers, religious groups, book clubs or any of the various other organizations within your community.Our job is especially important at this time with all the new changes in Medicare.
NICA is working on a project that will assist in reaching out to the Hispanic populations of Nebraska. A mailing will be sent to the various Spanish Centers and community based organizations. This mailing will introduce the NICA Program and give an overview of the program's objectives. Also included in the mailing will be a variety of brochures written in Spanish.
Elena Pedroza, our former NICA Contact in Western Nebraska has translated several NICA brochures into Spanish. The brochures that are available are, Questions About, NICA Has the Answers, the gray NICA brochures, and an informational sheet with this years current deductibles, coinsurance and premium amounts. Also available from HCFA, are the 1997 Guide to Health Insurance for People with Medicare and the Medicare Summary Notices. If you are interested in any of these brochures, call Carla at (402)471-3845.