Louise lives in Marvell with her husband. She previously worked at “Dollar General” and “The Cotton Compress,” then retired at 62. Louise has received Medicaid since retiring and now at 67, she is receiving Medicaid and Medicare1.  Medicaid pays her Medicare premium and her co-pays. She pays nothing to see the doctor and so she is incredibly happy with her current plan. United Health Care Medicare Advantage Plan is her insurer. With this insurance plan, Louise gets access to an “U-Card”2.  She uses her U-Card to purchase over-the counter products, buy food, pay for her prescriptions, and even pay her utility bills (a particular benefit not offered to all beneficiaries, but she is one of the lucky ones).  

Louise has diabetes and suffers from hypertension. She must take insulin at night and use a glucose monitor which requires her to stick her finger. Recently, she learned that she may qualify for the Freestyle Monitor which is worn on the arm and alerts the wearer to hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia (without having to frequently stick her finger). She is looking forward to trying this out in a few weeks. 

Remaining healthy and active is particularly important to Louise. She does not have a caregiver’s assistance or aide. Louise says that she does not want to be tied down – she wants to stay active for as long as possible, dreading the day that she must stay home relying on an aide to assist her. She is happy to report that she does her own chores, can manage to take care of herself, and run her own errands. There are times when she may not feel up to it, but she tries her best, and will rest when needed. Independence is important to her, so she is working hard to maintain it. 

Louise is happy with what Medicaid provides her. She would not want to change anything. When asked if she had anything else to add to her story she said, “Stay out of the heat.” 

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