Nebraska Department of Insurance
THE NEBRASKA HEALTH INSURANCE INFORMATION, COUNSELING, AND ASSISTANCE (NICA) PROGRAM
JUNE 1999 NICA NEWS
VOLUNTEER HIGHLIGHTS
Nyla Heese, volunteer from Randolph, Nebraska called our office recently. She requested additional copies of the 1999 Medicare Benefits booklets that were sent with the spring mailing. Nyla pointed out that there was an omission of the Mutual of Omaha, phone number as a Medicare Part A intermediary. In the Medicare Benefit booklet, only the phone number for Blue Cross and Blue Shield was listed. The hospital in Nyla's area has Mutual of Omaha as the intermediary. Nyla is going to put a sticker on the Medicare Benefits Booklet publication from HCFA before handing it out. You may want to do so too. Mutual of Omaha's phone number is 1-402-351-5897.
1999 Governor's Conference on Aging
May 24, 1999 through May 26, 1999, the Kearney Convention Center was host to the "International Year of Older Persons: Towards a Society for All Ages" conference. The conference this year was attended by 320 individuals. In addition there were 80 participants and exhibitors. Some 190 individuals, including many of our NICA Volunteers, visited the NICA booth. As the NICA Program Specialist, I enjoyed getting out to not only meet our Volunteers in person but meeting community members as well.Workshop topics ranged from Medicare to Massage Therapy. Seminars ranged from Health and Humor to Round Table discussions where you had a choice of a variety of topics. There were many choices to make and not enough time to hear all the well-versed speakers. The Tuesday banquet began with the wonderful music of the Omaha Intergenerational Orchestra. Governor Mike Johanns delivered the keynote banquet speech.
The NICA Volunteers who attended this year were Raymond Herbert, Arlene Dillon, Sonya Rasmussen, Barbara Graham, Norma Havranek, Rhonda Godbey, Gloria Gummere, Marge Smith, Norma Phillips, Robert Hoeft, Jean Meyer, Sunny Kontor, Jim and Wilma Barry, Dick Jacoby, and Adale Schroeder.
--------Carla Zinn------
Public Speaking South Central Nebraska Area on Aging
NICA Volunteer Adale Schroeder gave two educational presentations in March. She spoke at the Kearney Senior Hospitality Center to one hundred individuals. Adale's topic was the Medicine Program that assists individuals with prescriptions. She was so popular, they asked her back in the same month, and she spoke to eighty people at that event.Adale researched this Medication Program in her area and has had success with it. (At present, the NICA Program Office is looking into the availability of this program for all the volunteers to discuss with their clients.)
Sharon Strong, who is very active with counseling on average more than 50 individuals per month, still finds time to give presentations. In March, Sharon spoke to the Retired Teachers Association of Buffalo County regarding Medicare. Fifty-two people attended.
Keeping in her teaching mode, Sharon then gave a classroom lecture at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. Sharon spoke on "NICA and What It Is." Sharon's class size was twenty-three. Thank you, Sharon!
Educational Events by the Program Office
Tiffany Geis was busy with presentations at the end of winter. Tiffany gave an educational presentation at the York State Bank regarding NICA, the new preventive benefits with Medicare and Medicare+Choice. Ten people attended. The Hanson Garden Club in Omaha had 15 members in attendance to hear Tiffany speak on Medicare+Choice and the Preventive Changes.On March 24, 1999, Tiffany presented a program to the Hastings Senior Center on Long-Term Care Insurance. Her presentation attracted thirty-five people. Many questions were asked and the attendees found the information very beneficial.
Carla Zinn, NICA Program Specialist, spoke at two workshops for the Visually Impaired Persons (VIP) annual convention on April 28 in Grand Island. The topic of the workshops was "Medicare and You". Carla also answered individual questions during the Tuesday evening "get acquainted session" and the free time between Wednesday's workshops. In all, over 100 individuals attended the workshops or contacted Carla individually.