After a series of serious health issues, David Fournier had a long journey ahead of him to get back on his feet – literally and figuratively.
Following an accident, David had surgery on his foot and contracted a blood disorder. Not long after, he suffered two strokes. He moved to Connecticut to begin recovery.
“I lost six months of my life,” he said. “I don’t remember anything. I had to learn how to walk, talk and use my hands. And Donna has been there.”
Donna isn’t a relative, or even anyone he’s ever met in person. Donna is his health care navigator with Navigate4Me, a dedicated one-on-one support program that helps eligible UnitedHealthcare members with complex needs get the most from their benefits and assist in coordinating care.
“Thanks to Donna, I’m sitting in my own home, and I’m getting the care I need and I’m getting all the therapy I need,” David said. “It’s made my life tremendously easier.”
People like David who have a Dual Special Needs Plan — those who are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid — often have complicated health care needs, which require a variety of providers and care teams.
David said Donna has helped him with everything from securing rides to appointments and medication management to reminding him of appointment dates and personally talking to his providers to ensure that everything is in order.
For Donna, she is personally invested in the work she does, making sure David, as well as many other people that she helps as a navigator, have what they need to get back on track and live a healthier life. She said she truly appreciates the relationships she’s able to make through her work.
After recent carpal tunnel surgery, she noted that she received “lots of voicemails from members telling me they missed me and were thinking of me.”
David is forever grateful for Donna’s help. He said having her beside him on his health care journey made all the difference.
“She puts a smile on my face every time I talk to her,” he said. “If I didn’t have Donna in my life, I don’t think I’d be sitting where I’m sitting right now.”
Visit UHCMedicareHealthPlans.com to find a Dual Special Needs Plan near you that can offer support through Navigate4Me.
