Today’s Options® Champions Competition Begins Online Voting

By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Weekly News -- Today's Options®, a leading local Medicare Advantage health plan, announced the five finalists in the Today's Options Champions Competition and said online voting is underway to determine the Grand Champion. Today's Options created the competition to honor individuals who help older adults in Central New York live healthier and happier lives.

All of the Champions and their stories are featured on www.TodaysOptionsChampions.com. Community members can read about them and vote for a Grand Champion daily through August 27.

The Champion with the most votes will be named the 2015 Today's Options Grand Champion. He or she will be honored at the New York State Fair's Chevy Court on September 1 before Oak Ridge Boys' 2 p.m. concert. The winner will present a $10,000 donation to his or her chosen charitable organization at that time.

"We are so proud of the work being done by this year's Today's Options Champions," said Colleen Schmidt, president of Today's Options. "Each finalist deserves recognition and will be honored at the July 30 Syracuse Chiefs game. The public can get involved by reading the Champions' personal stories on our website and voting for one Grand Champion."

Today's Options Champions are Central New York residents who are examples of how one person can make a difference in the lives of older adults. The competition is a way to recognize people who share Todays Options' goals of improving quality of life and maximizing access to services for seniors and people with Medicare. Meet the Five Today's Options Champions: Jen Coman - Jen is the director of Sarah's Guest House, an adult hospitality home for patients and their families dealing with medical situations that take them away from home. The patients and/or families at Sarah's Guest House are welcomed by helpful volunteers and receive good food and supportive companionship. Mike Gasapo - Mike is the director of operations at Honor Flight Syracuse, an organization with a mission to fly veterans to and from Washington, D.C., for a full-day trip. On this trip, Mike and his team bring veterans to monuments built in their honor and spend the day celebrating and recognizing their service. Bob Graves - Bob is the board president of the North Area Meals on Wheels, as well as a volunteer driver and cook. He and his fellow volunteers prepare and deliver meals to local seniors or disabled individuals twice daily. Bob is an advocate for seniors and works on their behalf to ensure they live healthier and happier lives. Hume Laidman - Hume is an active participant in his Cazenovia community and helped found Community Resources for Independent Seniors, an organization that supports seniors and helps them live independently at home. Through the organization's transportation program, seniors in the area have access to free rides, social support and resources to help them remain at home. Lennie Tucker -Lennie is a volunteer at Rescue Mission's Crossroads Adult Home, a residential safe haven for formerly homeless men. She is the residents' advocate, coach, teacher and friend. Lennie leads exercises and other activities to help motivate the senior men to live healthy lives and think positively about themselves and each other.

Go to www.TodaysOptionsChampions.com to read the Champions' full stories or watch their videos on YouTube.

Voting is open now through August 27. Go out and vote! About Today's Options and Universal American: Today's Options, part of the Universal American family of healthcare companies, specializes in Medicare Advantage plans. The goal of our plans is to help our members stay active, live healthy and be independent. We are dedicated to working collaboratively with healthcare professionals in order to reduce healthcare costs and improve the health and well-being of those we serve.

For more information about Today's Options and Universal American please visit our website at www.UniversalAmerican.com.

Y0067_LM_TOChmpVPR_0715 IA 07/27/2015 View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150730005172/en/

Keywords for this news article include: Medicare, Health Policy, Today’s Options.

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