Cómo el trabajo en equipo ayudó a Mickey a revolucionar su vida nuevamente

La diabetes es lo que llevó a Mickey, un miembro de Medicare Advantage, a encontrar a Patricia. Mickey había desarrollado diabetes tipo 2 unos años antes de conocer a Patricia. En general, sus números eran buenos. Pero en 2021, sus niveles de azúcar se desplomaron.

Ese fue el año en que tanto Mickey como su cónyuge contrajeron COVID-19. Fue lo suficientemente grave como para enviarlos a ambos al hospital. Con algunos episodios muy difíciles.

“Estuve hospitalizado 24 días. Casi me morí, ahí por el día 10 o el 11. Estaba agotado. Fue la parte más difícil de mi vida”, recordó Mickey.

Eventualmente, Mickey finalmente se sintió lo suficientemente bien como para irse a casa. Pero trágicamente, su esposa de muchos años no pudo superarlo junto con él. Ni siquiera pudo verla antes de que falleciera.

La vida de Mickey cambió drásticamente después de su tiempo en el hospital. Soltero de repente, no sabía cómo hacer frente a su salud ni a su vida diaria. Sin su amada esposa a su lado, no se cuidaba como debía. Estaba en un lugar sombrío a nivel mental.

“Durante casi 2 años me la pasé sentado en el sofá”, dice Mickey. “Veía televisión. Quizá estaba un poco deprimido, no muy feliz”.

La diabetes de Mickey también se agudizó. Su nivel de azúcar en la sangre no era estable. Y no tenía la energía ni el espacio mental para preocuparse tanto como debía. Además, el COVID-19 dificultaba la programación de citas.

One day, Patricia’s diabetes program flyer caught Mickey’s eye. Desperate for help, he signed up for her program. 

Mickey and Patricia set up their first Zoom call soon afterwards. Patricia could tell that Mickey needed support for more than just diabetes.

He told her about losing his wife and that he was feeling sad and lonely. So Patricia suggested he check out his local Optum Community Center. These centers are the perfect place to stay active, meet others and have fun.

Mickey took her up on it. His outgoing personality helped him fit right in. He learned how to use the workout equipment and quickly became a regular.

Working with an Optum specialist like Patricia can be life-changing. It was for Mickey. That’s because these specialists work closely with your doctor and care team.

The whole team works together to make it easier to get the care you need, when you need it. And they see to it that people get the right follow-up care after a hospital stay.

In Mickey’s case, he needed that care right away. Patricia worked with his doctor to get Mickey’s medical history. That background let her better help them both.

“The goal is that we all are taking care of the patient to help them get healthier,” she said.

Patricia got straight to work reading Mickey’s charts. The pair then began meeting on Zoom for 30 to 45 minutes every week or so. That might sound like a long time in today’s rush-rush society. But it’s not at all unusual if you have an Optum specialist.

“With Optum, I have the time to spend with a person,” said Patricia. “I get time to really help them understand their health problems.” She added, “I take the time to help them understand their medicines. I want them to know why they take a medicine and its importance. People can then take part in their care. And eventually be healthier.”

Patricia saw that Mickey’s sugars were going up and down. They’d spike up really high one day. They’d then dip dangerously low the next day. He was living alone now and eating healthy was a big challenge.

Patricia and Mickey talked about eating healthier. Healthy meals would help balance his blood sugar. She also got him a device that checks his blood sugar in real time. This way Patricia could check in and see where his numbers stood. She could also get a better sense of how his health was progressing.

While they worked on his sugar, she gently helped him work through his grief.

COVID-19 also gave Mickey another health problem to battle. The illness damaged his lungs and made them work harder. This made it a real struggle for Mickey to breathe and get the air his body needed.

Patricia sprang into action. She had heard about a special lung medicine for people who got COVID-19. She reached out to a pharmacy team to see about getting it for Mickey.

The problem was that this medicine cost far more than Mickey could afford. Set on making it work, Patricia and the pharmacy team figured out a plan. They worked together to get Mickey’s plan to cover the cost.

This team approach is what makes Medicare Advantage and Optum so attractive to people like Mickey. Keeping people healthy goes beyond the exam room.

Some Medicare Advantage patients can get extra help, like Mickey’s diabetes program. His plan helped him work extra closely with his doctor to help him heal and get healthier.

“Everybody is working together to get me better. That’s my goal,” Mickey said. “Optum helps you talk with all your medical teams.”

Making care easier is what it’s all about. For people with diabetes or other long-lasting problems, Optum is there for them.

“We’re the people’s champion,” Patricia said. “We’re here to support them. They can get what they need with a health care system working for them. They don’t have to fight the battle to get things done.”

Today, Mickey is happy to report that life’s good again. Really good. He shed 20 pounds and his sugar levels are stable again.

And he’s extra thankful for Patricia’s quality care. He’s also grateful that she suggested he check out the Optum Community Center. Not only did he find a community there, he also found love again. Mickey and his new girlfriend, Vicki, met in a class there called BrainSavers.

The couple loves taking long motorcycle rides together. Usually, Mickey is in front. Vicki sits behind, with her arms wrapped around him. You’ll often spot them in matching Harley gear. But what they love most of all is spending quality time together.

Patricia is overjoyed at Mickey’s new chapter. “What brings me joy is having people happy and healthy,” she said. “Being able to enjoy life. If they can’t enjoy life, then what’s the point?”

Inspired by Mickey’s story? To see how you get the care you need, when you need it from your care team, call or click today.

Call now to find a doctor and plan:

(Calling this number will direct you to a licensed insurance agent.)

• 1-877-247-2850, TTY 711*
• 1-844-575-1504 (CA residents only)
• 1-866-955-2487 (CT residents only)

We can help you find an Optum doctor in your area. We can also put you in touch with a Medicare expert. They can help you choose a Medicare Advantage plan.