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A heart attack, a second family, a life saved

August 21, 2024
Your Stories Healthy Voices
1 MINUTE READ

Ms. Nadine, the tribal enrollment officer for the Coharie Tribe, is someone the people of the tribe count on. When she suffered a heart attack in 2015, she had to count on her doctors and her Medicare Advantage HMO Standard plan from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (Blue Cross NC). Today, she’s back and doing as much as ever for her tribe and her community.

Ms. Nadine shares her story

[MUSIC]

[Nadine W.]

The doctor comes in after my surgery, and he said, "You know, you're not supposed to be here."

The man upstairs was just not ready for me yet.

[SCREEN TEXT] Nadine W., Member since 2015, Medicare Essential Plus

He's got something else for you to do.

[MUSIC]

[SCREEN TEXT] The heart of Coharie

[SCREEN TEXT] Greg J., Coharie Tribal Administrator

It doesn't take long to be around Nadine for her to get to your heart. All of her life, she's been a caretaker.

[Nadine W.]

I'm a go-getter. I just love helping people, cooking, serving people. 

We need some costumes, can you make them for me? If you need me, I'm there. I really think they know that I'm puttin' my heart into it

[MUSIC]

[SCREEN TEXT] Though she never expected it, Ms. Nadine had a heart attack.

[Nadine W.]

I woke up about a quarter after 11 that night, and I was having problems breathing and I felt pressure in my chest.

I'm having a heart attack. I can't believe this, And then I thought about, "Oh, my God, I'm on a fixed income. How can I pay all of this hospital bill I'm going to have?"

But whenever I got my statement from Blue Cross and Blue Shield, I couldn't believe it.

[SCREEN TEXT] Ms. Nadine's heart attack happened in 2015 while she was on Blue Cross NC's Medicare Advantage HMO Standard plan (no longer available), and was responsible for paying $1,910. She is now on our Medicare Essential Plus plan.

[Nadine W.]

It has come in and just about wiped out the whole bill. Blue cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina was like a second family to me.

I have had insurance companies to try to get me to change, but no way. I can't leave my family.

God had something else for me to do. For me to come back and help my people.

And I thank God I have been able to do it.

Sometime I get a little weak, but I take a lick and keep on ticking.

[MUSIC]

[SCREEN TEXT] Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina


The following Blue Cross NC employees contributed to this story: John Fulton, dynamic media manager; Kyle Griffin, senior dynamic media producer; And Martin, dynamic media producer; and Dennis Whipper, senior copywriter.

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