Videos

Lisa Rhoads, Aetna Nurse Case Manager on the UAW Trust Aetna Medicare Advantage team

[Stories of Care
Testimonials from Aetna Nurse Case Managers]

[Lisa Rhoads
Aetna Nurse Case Manager
UAW Trust Medicare Advantage Team]

Hi, I'm Lisa. I'm a Aetna Nurse case manager dedicated to the UAW Trust members. I've always known I want to be a nurse. I think that was my goal, was to make a difference. As a nurse case manager, working with the UAW Trust members, I consider myself a patient advocate. When they answer the phone, I'm like, you know, "I'm Lisa. I'm a nurse from Aetna and I'm just calling to check on you to see how you're doing now." But I always ask them, "Is this a good time to call? Is this a good time to talk?" I tell my members, when I reach out to them, that healthcare is difficult to understand. That you can use me as your tour guide. I'm gonna be beside you as you go through this journey.

When I speak to the members and the caregivers or family, I do talk about SilverSneakers^® and the health benefits that can occur, the 24 hour nurse line, letting them know that there is a nurse 24 hours, seven days a week available to take their questions if they have some. And I have learned from members that several of them are computer savvy, so they appreciate knowing about Aetna Navigator. They may not have an illness that requires case management assistance. You may need direction to member services for claims issues or billing questions and things like that. But as their tour guide, I can direct them where they need to go, and minimize any confusion that they have.

For me to be able to impact them in a positive way, whether it's to help them understand their disease, to help them better manage or to just be an advocate for them, is so rewarding. I want my members to know that I am here for them first and foremost, and that if they're having medical issues or whatever it may be, let me try to help you work through the system and let's see if we can't get you taken care of so you feel the very best that you can feel.

One of the nicest things a member's ever said to me is that he believes I'm his guardian angel, and I was sent to help him. I hope that I am extending the empathy and the compassion, that maybe they just need to know is there, in the big health care world. I just want members to know that we truly do care about them, that there is someone there on their side.

[Aetna Medicare Advantage Plan
Learn more by calling 1-855-406-4062 (TTY: 711)]

GRP_4004_1824_M  10/2018

Philip & Catherine Hodge, UAW Trust Aetna Medicare Advantage members

Philip: My name is Philip Hodge. I worked for General Motors for forty six years. I’m thankful for the job that I had, that I was able to provide for my family, take care of them, send them to school and do all the other nice things that people want to do for their family.

Catherine: Well we got the letter that everybody was going to Aetna unless they decided to opt out and just stay with their own insurance.

Philip: And then we had an Aetna meeting. The Aetna representatives—they went pretty much from A to Z and we made the final decision that was it.

Catherine: So we checked to see if all of our doctors were there and all were there and so we just went right to Aetna.

Catherine: Being 60 and 70 now is not like being 60 and 70 back during my mother’s time. Being healthy, like you know I can go in my garden and work. I can take care of myself and I can help with my grandchildren. I can take care of my husband. We go on cruises.

Philip: We do have relatives in Florida but we also like Florida. We had considered moving but she didn’t want to leave the children. The grandchildren.

Catherine: I’m not gonna leave.

Philip: But the idea of coverage is great. Because one time when we were there we were in the bed sleeping in the middle of the night and something bit me and I had to go to the hospital.

When you’re sick away from home, something happens. You know, you don’t have your family doctor or your local hospital and you’re in a strange place and so that’s comforting to know that at least you have insurance to go to someplace, you know, where you can get help.

Catherine: I had surgery in February and then I got a bill from my doctor and I called Aetna. So the representative she look, she says, “you paid too much money,“ and I says “let me call the doctor’s office,” and she says “No. Let me take care of this for you, I’ll call you back.” It was about an hour, an hour and a half she called me back and she said the hospital had taken too much money and they were going to put it right back on my debit card and so everything was fine and I really appreciate Aetna for being so thorough specially’ to elderly people. You know maybe I don’t look elderly, but I am 68. And I’m so glad they had representatives there to take care of that for us.

I don’t know what I would’ve done without a union. We really lived a good life. So I want to tell anybody that wants to go Aetna.  Were here and were glad that were here.

[Aetna Medicare Advantage Plan

Learn more by calling 1-855-406-4062 (TTY: 711)]

[Aetna and UAW Trust logos]

Phillip Manes, UAW Trust Aetna Medicare Advantage Member

My name is Philip Manes. I’m retired and came here three years ago and I’m just living the dream now. I’m originally from Chicago and a friend of mine worked for Ford Motor Company. Went for an interview and I was 18 years old when I walked in there and I just left three years ago.

I got married pretty late in life. Getting married and have a baby and my age is the best. My daughter is 15, I like to see her grow up. Working out in the gym and playing golf, and just try to do as much as I can outdoors. I got to keep myself active in order to spend that time with my daughter because I wanna do it for as long as I possibly can.

Well I had received a letter to change my insurance, it was a hard decision but it was probably, looking back now and where I’m at right now, it was the best decision. And they had my doctors. Which was very important. Because I’ve had my doctors for 10 years.

Aetna called me. They said they’d like to have a couple of nurses come in and speak with me. So they came in and gave me a physical. And when that was done we had some conversations. They were excellent they wrote everything down that I talked about. I feel Aetna is very caring to the people that are on Social Security. They follow up all the time to see if I’m okay. I even got phone calls to see how I was feeling. That’s big.

The other benefit was the SilverSneakers^®. You can go to any place that’s covered through Aetna. So now I go there and I work out. Try to keep myself healthy and proactive. They pay for everything. Nobody likes change. Then after you get into it and you see how much Aetna cares, I wouldn’t of had it any other way. I’m very happy with Aetna.

Janice - Aetna Medicare Advantage member since June, 2016

I’ve always enjoyed the water. I want to have water, and I want to be in it.

Just about this time last year, I became eligible for Medicare. And I was over at the aquatic center, signing up.

I knew that Aetna would pay for my Silver Sneakers® membership. Aetna covers Silver Sneakers, and Silver Sneakers covers membership for physical fitness.

I enjoyed being in the aquatic center in the pool. My mom and I are in a class together. It’s wonderful to have the opportunity, you know, to exercise right alongside my mom.

The UAW has provided us with a lot of choice of health care. We were happy to choose Aetna. We can choose our doctors.

One of our doctors retired and it was time to choose another one, just a couple of months ago. And so we were able to find a doctor that we liked very much.

At this point in my life, it’s “be positive.” Always look towards the future.

My grandchildren are such a delight. And I just enjoy so much being with them. And I want to be able to go and enjoy the things that they enjoy.

I want to be free to go, and explore and just enjoy life.

John - Aetna Medicare Advantage member since August, 2016

“The company that I originally started with was Harrison Radiator, which was a division of General Motors. We took pride in what we did. We were making all the heating and air conditioning units for the General Motors cars, and in fact, I spotted several cars where my sticker was put on one of the heaters that was in the car, so I knew that was a job I did and I was very proud of that.”

[John loves a good joke]

“The plant at Harrison Radiator was a smaller plant and it was a lot like family. There were tricks that people played on one another. I would just say with grease and things like that and gloves and maybe in a sandwich.”

[But his real love is for cars]

“When I was a kid, I built model cars and I loved draw automobiles. I did want to be an auto designer and originally when I was thinking about going to college, I did want to go to General Motors Institute and study car design.”

[So Aetna ensured he’s always in the driver’s seat]

"When you join up with Aetna, first they have a doctor, which they hire to assign and come over and give you an initial physical to see what kind of help you might need with your medications or your overall health. He took my blood pressure. The blood pressure was abnormally high, so when he saw my medication that I was on he said I really think I should get ahold of your doctor, and if it wasn’t for the Aetna physician, I may not have the results that I have. I have to watch my diet specifically now because I am diabetic. Walking was the exercise that I always liked to do and that’s an important part of being healthy."

[And we’re with him every step of the way]

"Aetna has been a big blessing in providing us with really excellent health care. They’ve encouraged us to take advantage of a lot of the programs that they have and we’ve done that. It’s been just a wonderful service to have. I would have to say a word that describes my relationship with Aetna would be excellence."

[Drive on, John]

[Aetna logo]