A community-based health plan for a community-minded couple
After retiring from busy careers in software engineering and microbiology, Dwight and Adrienne Shimoda set their sights on moving to a community where they could feel connected and engaged. That community turned out to be Monterey, or as Adrienne calls it, “heaven on earth.”
When they arrived in 2004, the Shimodas jumped into their new local scene, becoming avid volunteers and active members of their church.
It feels personal to have the local healthcare system managing our plan. It’s unique to be able to walk into your health insurance office if you have a question or need something.
— Adrienne Shimoda
As they settled in, the Shimodas wanted to set themselves up for a long and healthy retirement, so they started exploring local healthcare options. “We wanted our Medicare Advantage plan to be based in the Monterey Peninsula — we weren’t interested in a big national company,” Dwight says.
“We learned about Aspire Health, and the fact that Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula was behind it gave credence to the program for us,” Adrienne continues. “It feels personal to have the local healthcare system managing our plan. It’s unique to be able to walk into your health insurance office if you have a question or need something.”
When Dwight started struggling to bend his legs, he made an appointment with his primary care doctor. “My doctor said I needed compression socks, but instead of just telling me, he took off his shoe and demonstrated the correct way to put on and wear the socks,” Dwight recalls. “That felt like he really cared, which meant a lot.”
“This is our home,” Adrienne says. “Our friends are here, our church is here, and we’ve developed relationships here. It’s reassuring to have an organization like Aspire working to keep you and the people you care about healthy.”
