Taking the URBAN CALL STAFF REPORT
mystery out of the Medicare program
I
t’s a whole new world in the Medicare program. “For the first time ever, everyone with Medicare, regardless of income, health status, or preMedicare Advantage Prescription Drug (MAPD) scription drug usage, will have access to pre- Plans: Plans that combine prescription drug coverage with hosscription drug coverpital and doctor benefits. These age,” notes the govern- offer more benefits than the original Medicare plan. ment’s Medicare Internet site (www.medicare.gov). The program is called Medicare Part D. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is the federal agency that runs the Medicare program and works with each state to run their Medicaid programs. Medicare Part D is unique because it cannot be purchased directly from the government. Only private insurance companies provide the coverage — a standard plan or one with more features. There are two ways to purchase a Medicare prescription drug plan from a private company: ■ A stand alone Medicare prescription drug plan (PDP) ■ A Medicare Advantage plan with prescription drug coverage (MA-PD) The stand alone Medicare prescription drug plan (PDP) provides only prescription drug coverage and is
Ronald Williams
Aetna Chairman
Joseph Swofford, Joseph Swafford,M.D. M.D. Melba Swofford, Melba Swafford,M.D. M.D.
7
2
Advisory Board Members
The ABC’s of Medicare 7 Kelvin Boston
Inside...
typically used with original Medicare. If you choose a Medicare Advantage plan from a private company with Medicare prescription drug coverage, you’ll also have coverage for doctors’ visits and hospital care. This is known as a Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug Plan.
Boston Media
Is Medicare Part D for you?
4
What is a Medicare Advantage Plan?
5
Health Associations
7
If you have Medigap: A Medicare Medicare but obtain Supplement Plan offered by priyour prescription vate companies that helps pay for drugs through selected benefits not covered by Medicaid, you would original Medicare. have been automatiOutpatient care: Services given cally enrolled in a outside a hospital. prescription drug Senior: Social Security defines a plan by the govern“senior” as one who has reached ment. If you’re not 65. satisfied with the plan you’re in, you have the option to choose a new plan at any time. And what if you’re healthy? The likelihood increases as you age of needing medications to remain healthy. Selecting new Medicare prescription drug coverage means protection from the unexpected. Congress intended for the new prescription drug insurance to be just that — insurance — immediate relief for those burdened with high medication bills today and insurance protection against those costs tomorrow.
See “Best value in Medicare plans cover hospital, medical and prescription drug coverage” on page 5.
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URBAN CALL – Healthy Living Every Day! Edition
Magazine names Williams Corporate Executive of the Year By Rose Walsh URBAN CALL STAFF REPORTER
Ronald A. Williams, chairman, chief executive officer and president of Aetna, was named a “Corporate Executive of the Year” by Black Enterprise magazine. He has improved the company so much he has been called “The Turnaround King,” said the magazine. Before Williams, the company was at its lowest point in its 125-year history, said Joe France, a bank analyst who is quoted in the article. Williams grew up on the South Side of Chicago. His late mother was a parttime manicurist. “His father worked as a parking lot attendant, bus driver and transit union trustee. Both parents
Ronald A. Williams Aetna Chairman
instilled in him strong values that remain part of his personal and professional code,” said the magazine. Source: Black Enterprise Magazine, Sept. 2006
Vol.1 Issue 1 4265 Brownsboro Road, Suite 225 m Winston-Salem, NC 27106-3425 www.segmentedmarketing.com FAX: (336) 759-7212 m PHONE: (336) 759-7477
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Aetna: A culture of diversity
URBAN CALL STAFF REPORT
History in Detroit called “And Still
Aetna, one of the nation’s leading health care benefits companies, serving nearly 30 million Americans, values diversity. It has a long history of service. Aetna paid its first Medicare claim in 1966, the year coverage began. “We are committed to bringing our health insurance products and related services to some of the fastest-growing segments of our population — multicultural markets,” said Floyd Green, head of Aetna’s Emerging Markets, in a company diversity annual report. Many of the company’s employees appreciate Aetna’s outlook. “It is rewarding to work for a Fortune 500 company that is committed to innovation and meeting the consumer’s needs,” notes Elicia Pegues Spearman, a corporate lawyer on the Aetna staff. One of the ways Aetna recruits its diverse staff is to partner with educational institutions that traditionally serve African-Americans, Hispanics and Asians. For instance historically black colleges and universities may take advantage of the “executive-in-residence” program. In this program executives participate as keynote speakers at university events, work directly with stu-
We Rise: Our Journey Through African American History and Culture.” As a company Aetna partners Elicia Pegues Spearman Counsel, Law
Floyd Green
Aetna Emerging Markets Head
dents as mentors, conduct mock employment interviews and review resumes. Aetna’s African-American Employee Network (AAEN) sponsors health and wellness fairs, Black History Month events, senior management speakers, volunteer projects and coordination with corporate staffing on recruiting. Aetna has also established the Voice of Conscience Award in memory of the famed AfricanAmerican tennis player, the late Arthur R. Ashe, Jr. Two types of awards are presented. One honors a national humanitarian and another recognizes Aetna employees who reflect Ashe’s humanitarian ideals. Ashe was chairman of the Aetna Foundation and a member of the company’s board of directors. The Aetna Foundation is sponsoring an exhibit at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American
with over 40 organizations that serve diverse communities including: ■ 100 Black Men of America ■ African-American Breastfeeding Alliance ■ Blacks in Government ■ Black Data Processors Association (BDPA) ■ Congressional Black Caucus ■ Council of Concerned Women Physicians of the National Medical Association ■ Delta Sigma Theta sorority ■ International Association of Black Actuaries ■ National African-American Insurance Association ■ National Association of Black Accountants ■ National Black MBA Association ■ National Council of Negro Women ■ National Medical Association ■ National Minority Supplier Development Council ■ Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund
Welcome to the SMSi network It’s always a privilege to welcome old and new friends to another Urban Call Healthy Living — Every Day! edition. For the past three decades our minority owned company has brought “families and companies together in a very special way.”™ We are pleased to team up with Aetna Medicare, and we admire and strongly support their motto: “We want you to know.” They are working hard to simplify information on health plans and help individuals understand how Medicare Advantage medical benefits and Medicare Part D prescrip-
fit greatly from the information provided by Aetna Medicare. Since 1978 our national network has grown and now includes SMSi’s Church Family, Beauty Salon, Barbershop, Opinion Leader, SMSi Vice President Joseph Rodney Lawrence (from left), Sandra Miller Jones, founding chair, and CEO Lafayette Jones.
tion drug coverage work. Medicare beneficiaries in our national community of networks often have more health problems than most. They and their caregivers will beneSMSI COMMUNITY
OF
NETWORKS
Senior and Health Care networks and others. We distribute millions of free product samples and special publications like this to our networks throughout the year. Join us. Visit www.segmentedmarketing. com.
URBAN CALL – Healthy Living Every Day! Edition
Page 4
Frequently
Asked Questions
about the
Prescription
Drug Plan
■ How do I sign up for Medicare Part D? You must
select coverage from one of the companies approved by the federal government.
■ If I do join a plan will my prescriptions be covered?
Both generic and name brand drugs will be covered. Plans may have different rules about what drugs are covered in different drug categories to be certain that people with different medical conditions get the treatment they need.
■ How much will the new Medicare prescription drug benefit cost me? Your
monthly plan premium and out-of-pocket expenses (copayments or possible deductibles) will depend on the plan you choose.
■ How much can I save?
Is Medicare Part D Right for You? on-one assistance available by phone; mail order for extra savVirtually all people on ings and convenience; additional Medicare take at least one presavings with generics; member scription drug (91 percent) says discounts on a host of items the Henry J. Kaiser Family and services. Plans offer differFoundation. In recent years, ent levels of coverage so people with Medicare have Medicare recipients can choose spent more and more on preThe good news about getthe plan that best suits their scription drugs — an average ting more than standard cov- needs. out of pocket spending increase erage. Can Medicare recipients The best news — getting of 86 percent says the foundaget more than the standard prescription drug coverage tion. Medicare Part D, the new Medicare Part D coverage? Yes. with hospital and doctor care. Coverage Gap/ “Donut hole” prescription drug benefit, is Private insurance companies You may wish to receive Amount you and the plan pay for something every Medicare bene- covered prescriptions between your offer the standard Medicare Part Medicare prescription drug covinitial coverage limit of $2,400 and ficiary should consider. It is a D plan, but also offer others erage through a Medicare the point at which your out-ofvoluntary benefit. The federal with more extensive features. pocket expenses reach $3,850. Advantage (MA) plan. All MA Some have government has designed a plans cover hoscontinuous standard plan which outlines a pital and doctor protection, so base package. visits and more. ■ A $265 deductible paid by there is no These combined the Medicare recipient. coverage gap Here’s the Medicare Part D plans are known ■ The Medicare recipient pays (or donut standard plan for 2007: as MA-PD 25% out-of-pocket; thestandard hole) where plans. plan pays 75% of the next Medicare $2,400 in covered prescription recipients pay See “What is drugs. 100 percent Out-of-pocket spending: a Medicare varies with each insurance plan. It ■ After that, the recipient of drug costs. is the money spent on co-pays and Advantage pays 100% of covered drug Some compadeductibles. Plan?” page 5. costs until a threshold of $3,850 nies add oneURBAN CALL STAFF REPORT
Your individual savings will depend upon which plan you choose. You should look at which drugs are covered, which pharmacies are included and the monthly premiums associated with the plan.
has been reached. (This is called the coverage gap or “donut hole.” ■ The standard plan will then pay 95% of the rest of the covered drug costs for the year, and the recipient will pay 5%.
Generic Drugs: A prescription drug that has the same active-ingredient formula as a brand name drug. Generic drugs usually cost less than brand name drugs and are rated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to be as safe and effective as brand name drugs.
■ Could I ever lose my coverage? Medicare Part D
will always be there for you, just like Medicare Parts A and B. ■ I would like to get more than just prescription drug coverage. I would like coverage for hospitals, doctors and prescription drugs from one company. Is there something out there for me? Yes,
you may want to look into a Medicare Advantage plan that has prescription drug coverage. These plans are known as Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug Plans (MAPD). See “Best value in Medicare plans cover hospital, medical and prescription drug coverage” on page 5.
URBAN CALL STAFF REPORT
Medicare: The nation’s largest health insurance program administered by the federal government covering approximately 42 million people Medicaid: Medicaid is a joint federal and state
program that helps pay medical costs for some people with limited incomes and resources. Most of your health care costs are covered if you have Medicare and Medicaid. Medicaid programs vary from state to state. Medicare Part A covers some, but not all expenses for hospital inpatient care; medical care from skilled nursing facility, some hospice care and some home health care. Limitations apply; deductibles, copays and other costs may be charged to the patient
Medicare Part B covers medically necessary
service from doctors or outpatient hospital care. It assists with some physical and occupational therapist services and some home health care services. In general, individuals must sign up for Part B and pay a monthly premium to be eligible for coverage. Medicare Part C (also known as the Medicare Advantage program) includes Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B and other benefits provided through private companies contracted with the federal government. These plans are known as Medicare Advantage plans (MA). Medicare Part D is the newest Medicare benefit that provides prescription drug coverage. A voluntary program, it must be purchased from a private company. The coverage may be purchased separately or as part of a Medicare Advantage (MA) plan.
Important Dates to Remember
January 1 to March 31, 2007:
Known as the Medicare Advantage open enrollment period, anyone with Medicare has an additional, yet more limited, ability to make another choice if desired.
November 15 to December 31, 2007:
Known as the annual enrollment period, anyone with Medicare can select a new Medicare health and/or prescription drug plan for 2008. This is also the time that anyone with Medicare can make changes to their current coverage.
Page 5
URBAN CALL – Healthy Living Every Day! Edition
What is a Medicare
Advantage Plan? While you are considering the new Medicare prescription drug coverage, you may want to take the opportunity to get more comprehensive medical coverage through a Medicare Advantage plan. If you choose a Medicare Advantage plan with Medicare prescription drug coverage, you get hospital, medical and prescription drug coverage all through one company. Medicare Advantage plans cover all the benefits offered by original Medicare and more with easy-to-budget co-pay and coinsurance amounts when you use network doctors and hospitals. And you’ll often pay a lower monthly plan premium than you would for a Medicare supplement plan policy. Even if you don’t take many prescriptions, you may want to consider enrolling in a plan that includes Medicare prescription drug coverage anyway to avoid paying a penalty later. In most cases, if you don’t join when you are first eligible, and you don’t currently have a drug plan that is at least as good as the new Medicare prescription drug coverage, you may pay a penalty that increases every month (the penalty is 1% higher plan premium for each month of delay after you first become eligible).
Best value in Medicare plans cover hospital,
medical and prescription drug coverage Medicare Advantage Plans with Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage (MA-PD) MA-PD plans include hospital, medical and prescription drug coverage.
hospitals and other health care providers who contract with health plans
Copay: The set amount you
pay for select plan benefits, such as a doctor’s visit
URBAN CALL STAFF REPORT
■ What is a Medicare Advantage HMO plan? An HMO is a Health Maintenance
Organization. In this type of Medicare Advantage plan your care will be managed through a network of doctors and hospitals. This allows you to get more benefits for less money than the original Medicare plan and many Medicare supplement plans. The Aetna Golden Medicare Plan® is an HMO. ■ What is a Medicare Advantage PPO plan? A PPO is a Preferred Provider
Organization. In this type of Medicare Advantage plan you may choose any doctor or hospital in or out of the network. There is a a higher copay or coinsurance for out of network services. Also, referrals are not required. The Aetna Golden Choice ™ Plan is a PPO.
the original Medicare plan and more, including vision and hearing benefits. They do not cover prescription drug costs.
same Medicare rights and protections. You get the same or better coverage, plus additional benefits. ■ Is my choice of doctors limited with plans that have a network? In
many areas the Aetna network is so large that it’s likely to include your current doctors and hospital. The Aetna Golden Choice Plan (a PPO) allows you to choose any doctor or hospital in or out of our network. There is a higher copay or coinsurance for out of network services. ■ Will I need a referral to see a specialist? With the Aetna Golden Choice
Plan (PPO) you don’t need referrals to see specialists. With the Aetna Golden Medicare Plan (HMO) getting a referral is as easy as visiting your primary care doctor. You don’t need referrals for emergency and urgent care, routine eye exams, flu and pneumonia shots, annual mammograms or pregnancy care services.
Medicare program and you still have the
Aetna is the brand name used for products and services
Look at the extras
Annual routine vision and hearing exams
Among the benefits that an Aetna Medicare Advantage plan offers are:
■
Deductible: A set amount you may be required to pay before you receive coverage for your plan benefits.
Medicare Advantage Plans (MA) Cover the same or better benefits as
PDP
About Medicare Advantage Plans
Coinsurance: The percent of
the Medicare-approved amount that you pay for select plan benefits. With some plans you do not pay coinsurance until you have first paid a deductible.
They cover all the benefits of original Medicare and more.
MAPD
Frequently Asked Questions
■ Do I give up my Medicare coverage when I join an Aetna Medicare Advantage Plan? No, you are still in the Network: A group of doctors,
MA
■
Fitness benefits that cover the cost of joining a network fitness center Flu shots
■
Allowance for eyewear and hearing aids ■
Opportunity to add dental coverage for additional monthly plan premium ■
Preventative care at 100% coverage ■
provided by one or more of the Aetna group of subsidiary companies. Plans are offered by Aetna Health Inc., Aetna Health of California Inc., Aetna Health of Illinois Inc., and/or Aetna Life Insurance Company. © [2007] Aetna, Inc.
Questions?
To find out which Aetna Medicare plan is right for you, talk to an Aetna Medicare Information Specialist by calling (800) 3161191, ext. 501. They can answer your questions and send you a free information kit. You can also look in your local newspaper for a neighborhood informational meeting. Aetna Medicare Information Specialists:
(800) 316-1191, ext. 501
Page 6
URBAN CALL – Healthy Living Every Day! Edition
Ways to beat heart disease URBAN CALL STAFF REPORT
The American Association of Black Cardiologists (www.abcardio.org) encourages black Americans to adopt good health habits to defeat heart disease. “One of the myths about heart disease is that it is unavoidable,” said Waine Kong, who is head of the black doctor’s group. His organization promotes these steps to better health: Seven Key Steps ■ Be spiritually active ■ Take charge of your blood pressure ■ Track your blood sugar ■ Eat smart and enjoy regular exercise ■ Don’t smoke ■ Access better health care ■ Take medications as prescribed Source: Aetna’s African-American History Calendar www.aetna.com/diveristy/aahcalendar
Helpful Web Sites
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
www.aetnapharmacy.com www.aetnamedicare.com www.intelihealth.com www.My.Medicare.gov www.Medicare.gov www.SeniorCarePharmacist.com www.simplestepsheart.com www.SMSiHealthcareNetwork.com www.SSA.gov (Social Security)
Let us hear from you In order to better serve you, the Healthy Living — Every Day! grass roots initiative sponsored by Aetna Medicare needs your help. Please take a moment to fill out the brief confidential survey below. Your answers are important to us. Respond now! Complete and return survey by mail or fax: Mail to:
Healthy Living — Every Day! Aetna Medicare Survey Segmented Marketing Services Inc. (SMSi) 4265 Brownsboro Road, Suite 225 Winston-Salem, N.C. 27106-3425 Fax to: (336) 759-7212 SMSi respects your privacy; this information will not be sold or traded.
1. Where did you receive this copy of Urban Call Healthy Living — Every Day! edition? ❑ Church ❑ Barbershop ❑ Beauty Salon ❑ Senior citizen residential or recreational facility ❑ Aetna insurance representative ❑ SMSi Ambassador ❑ Health facility ❑ Aetna Medicare information meeting ❑ Other _____________________________________________ 2. Which of the following best describes you? ❑ Medicare beneficiary
Glossary of insurance terms Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS): The federal agency that runs the Medicare program. In addition, CMS works with states to run the Medicaid program. Coinsurance: The amount you may be required to pay for services after you pay any plan deductibles. Copay: Usually a specific dollar amount or a percentage of the total cost for a service or product that is paid by you out of your own pocket. Coverage Gap/“Donut hole”: Sometimes referred to as the “donut hole.” It is the amount you and the plan pay for covered prescriptions between your initial coverage limit of $2,400 and the point at which your out-ofpocket expenses reach $3,850. Formulary: A list of drugs covered by a plan. This list must always meet Medicare’s requirements. Generic Drugs: A prescription drug that has the same active ingredient formula as a brand name drug. They usually cost less than brand name drugs and are rated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to be as safe and effective as brand name drugs. Health Maintenance Organization (HMO): Group that manages care through a network of doctors and hospitals.
❑ Caregiver to a Medicare beneficiary ❑ Health care or senior care advocate
Medicare Deductible: The amount you must pay out of your own pocket for health care before Medicare begins to pay. Medicare Supplement Plan/Medigap: Insurance policies that are offered by private insurance companies that help pay for selected benefits not covered by original Medicare. Network: A group of doctors, hospitals and health care providers who contract with health plans and are part of the health maintenance organization plan benefits. With HMO and PPO plans, you pay less when you use network providers. Out-of-pocket expense: Costs that vary with each insurance plan. It is the money spent on co-pays and deductibles. Primary care doctor (PCP): Physician who is chosen from an HMO network to provide routine and preventative care. When a primary care doctor is chosen in a preferred provider organization (PPO) office visits require lower copays. Preferred Provider Organization (PPO): Allows a choice of doctor or hospital outside of a network for a higher copay or coinsurance. You don’t need referrals to see specialists or doctors in the network. Senior: Social Security says a “senior” is a person who is 65 or older.
✂
3. Did this issue of Urban Call Healthy Living — Every Day! help you to better understand Medicare Part D? ❑ Yes, it helped me understand a lot better. ❑ Yes, it helped me understand a little better. ❑ No, it did not help me understand better. 4. Do you intend to share the information from this issue of Urban Call Healthy Living — Every Day! with others you feel would find it beneficial? ❑ Yes ❑ No 5. Did this Urban Call Healthy Living — Every Day! edition help you to better understand the benefit and process of enrolling in a Medicare Part D plan? ❑ Yes ❑ No 6. Which of the following articles in this issue of Urban Call Healthy Living — Every Day! did you find to be most beneficial? (check all that apply) ❑ Taking the mystery out of the Medicare program, page 1 ❑ Aetna – A culture of diversity, page 2 ❑ The ABC’s of Medicare, page 4 ❑ Is Medicare Part D for You?, page 4 ❑ Frequently Asked Questions about the Prescription Drug Plan, page 4 ❑ Senior Community Resource Guide, center section ❑ What is a Medicare Advantage Plan? page 5 ❑ Best value in Medicare plans cover hospital, medical and prescription drug coverage, page 5 ❑ Frequently Asked Questions about Medicare Advantage Plans, page 5 ❑ Glossary, page 6 ❑ Health Association Directory, page 7 ❑ Helpful Web Sites, page 6
7. Which of the following best describes your understanding about Medicare Advantage plans before reading this issue of Urban Call Healthy Living — Every Day! edition? ❑ I knew nothing about Medicare Advantage plans. ❑ I knew a little, but not enough to make a good decision about enrolling in a Medicare Advantage plan. ❑ I knew enough about Medicare Advantage plans to make a good decision. 8. Which of the following best describes your understanding of Medicare Advantage plans now that you have read this issue of Urban Call Healthy Living — Every Day! ❑ I don’t know anymore now than I did before. ❑ I know more than I did before but still not enough to make a good decision about enrolling in a Medicare Advantage plan. ❑ I know enough now to make a good decision about enrolling in a Medicare Advantage plan. 9. Where have you gotten most of your information about Medicare Advantage plans? (check one) ❑ This publication (Urban Call Healthy Living — Every Day!) ❑ My caregiver ❑ My insurance agent ❑ My current or former employer ❑ Friend or relative ❑ Church or minister ❑ Professional or social organization ❑ Television programs/advertising ❑ Radio programs/advertising ❑ Magazine articles/advertising ❑ Advocacy or support groups (please specify group)____________________________________________ ❑ Web site or sites (please specify) ______________________ ____________________________________________________
❑ Other publications (please specify) ____________________________________________________ 10. Would you like to receive future issues of Urban Call Healthy Living — Every Day! edition? ❑ Yes ❑ No 11. Did you call the toll free phone number (800-3161191 ext. 501) to obtain more Aetna Medicare plan information? ❑ Yes ❑ No 12. Would you like Aetna Medicare to contact you to provide more information about Aetna Medicare plans? ❑ Yes ❑ No ____________________________________________________ NAME (Please print clearly) ____________________________________________________ ADDRESS ____________________________________________________ CITY STATE ZIP ____________________________________________________ PHONE (include area code) ____________________________________________________ E-MAIL 1006
Page 7
URBAN CALL – Healthy Living Every Day! Edition
The Golden Years: Make them shine By Rose Walsh URBAN CALL STAFF REPORTER
For every retiree, it’s different. Some have a great deal of medical needs and find that the money they enjoyed spending on the grandkids now must go to paying for their prescription drugs. Many have lost a spouse and have to make decisions on their own or with the help of a child. They get information from many companies about their healthcare options, but it’s somewhat confusing. Should they just get coverage for a Medicare prescription drug plan or should they consider a Medicare Advantage (MA) plan that includes prescription drugs, along with hospital and doctor costs? Sometimes it seems easier to stay with a current routine rather than explore the new plans. Some retirees believe they already have good value in their current health plan but might be willing to change to a new plan if they see that they will get a better value. They are especially
concerned that their drugs will be covered by the new health plan. Not all plans cover all drugs. Other retirees have few medical needs at the moment, feel they are relatively healthy and hope they stay that way. They are not so sure they need the new prescription benefit plans that are being offered. Whatever Medicare medical or prescription drug plans these retirees choose the good news is that they have options. As Dr. Andrew Weil says in his book, Healthy Aging: A LifeLong Guide to your Physical and Spiritual WellBeing: “Most of us will not have to age the way our parents and grandparents did. We have access to better medical treatments for age-related diseases. We eat better food. We have access to dietary supplements with beneficial effects on health, as well as to other products and services that can help us meet the challenges of growing older.”
Health Association Directory Alzheimer’s Association (800) 272-3900 (866) 403-3073 TDD www.alz.org Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (866) 232-8484 www.alzfdn.org
Association of Black Cardiologists
National Council on Aging (202) 479-1200 www.ncoa.org
Center for Disease Control and Prevention (404) 639-3534 www.cdc.gov
National Institute on Aging (301) 496-1752 www.nia.nih.gov
(678) 302-4222 www.abcardio.org
American Society on Aging (800) 537-9728 www.asaging.org
International Society on Hypertension in Blacks (404) 880-0343 www.ishib.org
American Academy of Home Care Physicians (AAHCP) 410-676-7966 www.aahcp.org
Lupus Foundation of America, Inc. (202) 349-1155 www.lupus.org
American Cancer Society (800) 227-2345 (866) 228-4327 TTY www.cancer.org American Diabetes Association (800) 342-2383 www.diabetes.org
American Heart Association (800) 242-8721 www.americanheart.org Arthritis Foundation 800-568-4045 www.arthritis.org
National Alliance for Caregiving (301) 718-8444 www.Caregiving.org National Association of Geriatric Care Managers (520) 881-8008 www.CareManager.org National Family Caregivers Association (301) 942-6430 www.TheFamilyCaregiver.org
National Kidney Foundation (800) 622-9010 www.kidney.org National Medical Association (202) 347-1895 www.nmanet.org National Pharmaceutical Association (800) 944-6742 www.npha.net The American Geriatrics Society (212) 308-1414 www.americangeriatrics.org U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Gap Campaign, Office of Minority Health Resource Center (800) 444-6472 www.omhrc.gov
Healthy Living — Every Day! Advisory Board
Segmented Marketing Services, Inc. (SMSi) Healthy Living — Every Day! (HLED) Advisory Board is a distinguished panel of national leaders, experts and professionals who advise on health and nutritional issues in multicultural communities.
James D. Branch, M.D. Maya Angelou Research Center on Minority Health, Wake Forest University
Dr. Katie Catalon National President National Beauty Culturists’ League (NBCL)
James D. Branch, M.D. (HLED co-chairman) Ophthalmologist Board Member Maya Angelou Research Center on Minority Health Wake Forest University Health Sciences Winston-Salem, N.C. John Stroger (HLED co-chairman) Past President Cook County Board of Commissioners Chicago Robin Ali, M.D., Pharm.D. Duke Medical Center Durham, N.C. Kelvin Boston President Boston Media Baltimore Renee Bradford Owner C’est Si Bon! Restaurant Chicago
Joseph Swafford, M.D. Melba Swafford, M.D. Associate Medical Professors Houston, Texas
Kelvin Boston President Boston Media Baltimore
Jeffrey A. Dugas Sr., M.D. Internal Medicine Specialist Rush Presbyterian Medical School and Medical Center Chicago Syliva Flack, Ed.D., R.N. Retired Dean Winston-Salem State University Health Sciences Winston-Salem, N.C. Frances L. Lucas Retired Social Worker New York City School System New York, N.Y. Stephen A. Martin Jr. Director Cook County Department of Public Health Chicago Joseph Swafford, M.D. Cardiologist Associate Professor of Medicine University of Texas M.D. Anderson Center Houston, Texas
Janet Brooks Founder Fortitude Health & Wellness Dallas
Melba Swafford, M.D. Anesthesiologist Associate Professor Baylor College of Medicine Houston, Texas
Dr. Katie B. Catalon National Beauty Culturists’ League (NBCL) National President Washington, D.C.
William H. Turner, Ph.D. Vice President, University Initiatives Associate Provost Multicultural Affairs University of Kentucky, Lexington
Jeanine Downie, M.D. Dermatologist Image Dermatology Montclair, N.J.
Barbara Young, Esq. Attorney at Law Schaff & Young, P.C. Philadelphia, Pa.