♪.

TED: COMING UP NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON," A COMPARISON BETWEEN MEDICARE AND MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLANS.

>>> ALSO TONIGHT, WHAT A LA NINA WEATHER PATTERN COULD MEAN FOR ARIZONA'S WINTER FORECAST?

>>> AND A NONPROFIT LOOKS TO DESTIGMATIZE THE HOMELESS.

THOSE STORIES AND MORE NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON."

.

TED: GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON."

I'M TED SIMONS.

FOR MANY ARIZONA SENIORS, THE CHOICE BETWEEN ORIGINAL MEDICARE AND MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLANS COULD BE CONFUSING.

WHILE ADVANTAGE SOUNDS LIKE A BENEFIT, THE ARIZONA HOSPITAL AND HEALTH CARE ASSOCIATION IS WARNING PATIENTS THAT MEDICARE ADVANTAGE MAY NOT BE AN ADVANTAGE AT ALL.

ANN-MARIE ALAMEDDIN JOINS US NOW.

GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

>> GOOD TO SEE YOU.

TED: WE'RE GOING TO GET BASIC HERE, OKAY?

WHAT IS MEDICARE?

>> MEDICARE IS A HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM THAT AMERICANS ARE ENTITLED TO WHEN THEY TURN 65.

TED: OKAY, MEDICARE INCLUDES PARTS A AND B?

>> YES.

TED: AND WHAT ARE PARTS A AND B?

>> HOSPITAL AND VISIT PROVIDER PHYSICIAN NETWORKS.

>> IS IT A FEE FOR SERVICE KIND OF A DEAL?

>> IT IS, FOR TRADITIONAL MEDICARE.

TED: MEDICARE PAYS FOR PARTS OF THE BILL AND YOU PAY FOR THE REST?

>> YES.

OFTENTIMES PEOPLE HAVE A SUPPLEMENT PLAN WITH TRADITIONAL MEDICARE.

TED: IS THAT THROUGH PRIVATE INSURANCE?

>> WILL ENHANCE COVERAGE TO GET ADDITIONAL BENEFITS IN TERMS OF PRESCRIPTION COVERAGE AND HOSPITAL STAYS.

TED: SO MEDICARE ITSELF COVERS NECESSARY HEALTH CARE, NECESSARY SUPPLIES, MOST BUT NOT ALL?

>> THERE'S MEDICARE CRITERIA, WHERE PATIENTS HAVE TO MEET CERTAIN CRITERIA TO GET COVERAGE FOR CERTAIN CONDITIONS.

THAT'S ALL VERY TRANSPARENT.

PHYSICIANS KNOW WHAT THAT IS, HOSPITALS.

ONCE A PATIENT MEETS CRITERIA, THEY DON'T NEED AUTHORIZATION PROCESS, THEY MEET CRITERIA, THEY GET SCHEDULED, THEY MAKE IT HAPPEN.

TED: HOW WOULD THEY GET THAT?

>> COULD BE FOR AN OPERATION, APPENDICITIS.

TED: YES.

>> APPENDICITIS IS A BAD EXAMPLE BECAUSE THAT'S AN EMERGENCY SURGERY USUALLY, IT'S NOT SOMETHING -- FOR MEDICALLY NECESSARY CRITERIA, A GOOD EXAMPLE WOULD BE A HIP REPLACEMENT.

TED: YES.

>> THERE'S DEGENERATIVE TISSUE IN THE BONE, YOU NEED A HIP REPLACEMENT, YOU MEET CERTAIN CRITERIA, YOU GET SCHEDULED FOR THE HIP REPLACEMENT.

PERHAPS THERE IS REHABILITATION THAT TAKES PLACE AFTERWARDS IN A REHABILITATION HOSPITAL TO MAKE SURE THE PATIENT CAN FUNCTION AT A HIGHER STATUS AND AMBULATE IN THEIR HOME, THEY ARE ABLE TO GET REHAB SERVICES AND THEY ARE DISCHARGED.

IT'S A STREAMLINED PROCESS FOR TRADITIONAL MEDICARE.

TED: NO PRIOR AUTHORIZATION, NO WAITING AROUND, IT'S TAKEN CARE OF?

>> THERE MIGHT BE A WAIT IN TERMS OF SCHEDULING A SURGERY, ET CETERA.

TED: MEDICARE, WHAT ABOUT PRESCRIPTIONS?

WHAT ABOUT ROUTINE EYECARE, DENTAL CARE?

>> NOT A PART OF TRADITIONAL MEDICARE.

DENTAL AND VISION, NOT NECESSARILY.

CERTAIN THINGS MAY BE, BUT I THINK MEDICARE ADVANTAGE WRAPS IN A LOT OF DENTAL, VISION, INCLUDES PART A AND PART B AND THAT'S MANAGED BY PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE.

>> I WANT TO GET TO ADVANTAGE IN A SECOND.

I'M STILL STUCK ON MEDICARE, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT MEDICARE.

AS FAR AS PRESCRIPTIONS, THOUGH, THAT'S MEDICARE PART D?

>> YES.

TED: WE GOT A, B AND D, DID WE GET C IN THERE?

NO, MEDICARE ADVANTAGE.

IT SOUNDS A LITTLE CONFUSING, EVEN FROM THE GET-GO.

>> IT IS CONFUSING, AND I THINK IT'S HARD WHEN PEOPLE ARE TURNING 65 TO NAVIGATE THAT, TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE BEST OPTION IS FOR THEM?

IS IT TRADITIONAL MEDICARE?

MEDICARE ADVANTAGE?

IT IS COMPLEX.

AND WITH MEDICARE ADVANTAGE THERE ARE PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANIES THAT HAVE DIFFERENT PLANS, WITH DIFFERENT COVERAGES AND DIFFERENT COPAYS, IT'S A LOT TO NAVIGATE.

TED: MEDICARE ADVANTAGE, WHAT IS THAT?

>> MEDICARE ADVANTAGE IS WHERE A PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANY IS MANAGING MEDICARE FOR AN INDIVIDUAL, SO YOU'RE NO LONGER USING PART A AND, B, YOU'RE USING A MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLAN THROUGH A PRIVATE COMPANY MANAGING YOUR CARE.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO MEET THE MEDICARE CRITERIA THAT A TRADITIONAL MEDICARE BENEFICIARY WOULD.

THE CRITERIA COULD INCLUDE PRIOR AUTHORIZATION PROCESSES.

IT COULD INCLUDE PEER-TO-PEER REVIEW IN TERMS OF PHYSICIANS.

THERE CAN BE MORE ADMINISTRATIVE HURTLES TO GET THE MEDICALLY NECESSARY CARE THAT YOUR PHYSICIAN IS INDICATING IS APPROPRIATE.

TED: BUT IT INCLUDES VISION AND DENTAL CARE?

>> SOME PLANS DO.

NOT ALL.

TED: NOT ALL?

>> NOT ALL.

MANY PLANS DO.

TED: PRESCRIPTIONSES?

>> AND PRESCRIPTIONS.

TED: TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE BENEFIT OF MEDICARE ADVANTAGE, AND THERE ARE BENEFITS.

>> FROM CONSUMER PERSPECTIVE, IT APPEARS TO BE MORE STREAMLINED, WHERE YOU'RE COMBINING ALL OF THE DIFFERENT SERVICES INTO ONE PACKAGE.

TED: THESE ARE HMOs AND PPOs?

>> YES.

TED: WHAT ARE THOSE?

>> YOU CAN HAVE A BROADER NETWORK THROUGH PPO AND NARROW NETWORK IN HMOs.

THE HMOs ARE DIFFERENT.

FOR TRADITIONAL MEDICARE, THAT IS ONE OF THE BROADEST NETWORKS, ALMOST EVERY HOSPITAL, MANY PHYSICIAN OFFICES ARE PART OF -- TAKE MEDICARE.

IN MEDICARE ADVANTAGE, THE NETWORKS ARE MUCH MORE NARROW, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT IF PEOPLE ARE CONSIDERING MEDICARE ADVANTAGE TO TALK WITH THEIR PHYSICIAN AND MAKE SURE THEIR PHYSICIAN IS PART OF THAT NETWORK.

IT'S MORE CHALLENGING IF YOU LIVE IN RURAL PARTS OF ARIZONA WHERE THE NETWORKS ARE MORE NARROW.

TO MAKE SURE YOU CAN GO TO YOUR FAVORITE PHYSICIAN, YOUR FAVORITE HOSPITAL, AS YOU HAVE THROUGH THE YEARS.

TED: IN TERMS OF COSTS, ARE THEY SIMILAR?

EVERYTHING SEEMS TO DEPEND ON THE PLAN WITH MEDICARE ADVANTAGE, DOESN'T IT?

>> IT DOES.

IT DOES.

THERE'S VERY DIFFERENT PREMWRUMS THROUGHOUT DIFFERENT TYPES OF MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLANS.

YOU HAVE TO BE BUYER BEWARE AS YOU ARE EVALUATING THIS, AND I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF BROKERS OUT THERE MAKING MONEY FROM SELLING CERTAIN INSURANCE PRODUCTS THROUGH MEDICARE ADVANTAGE, AND YOU NEED TO GO TO -- HAVE A TRUSTED FAMILY PARTNER AND MAKE SURE THEY'RE HELPING YOU NAVIGATE THIS.

THERE IS ALSO STATE RESOURCES LIKE THE ARIZONA STATE HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM, AZSHIP.ORG.

THEY ARE A NEUTRAL PARTY AND CAN LOOK AT NETWORKS AND LOOK AT BENEFITS AND TRY TO HELP YOU IN AN UNBIASED WAY, FIND THE PLAN THAT IS BEST FOR YOU.

>> IF YOU HAVE A COUPLE OF DOCTORS THAT SIMPLY WILL NOT APPLY TO CERTAIN PROGRAMS ON MEDICARE ADVANTAGE, MEDICARE MIGHT BE BETTER, BUT AGAIN, MEDICARE ADVANTAGE MIGHT BE BETTER BECAUSE YOU CAN GET CERTAIN PRICE BREAKS AND VISION AND DENTAL CARE.

>> RIGHT.

TED: THEY WILL BE ABLE TO LOOK AT YOUR PLAN, YOUR PHYSICIANS AND SAY WE THINK THIS MIGHT BE BETTER FOR YOU?

>> EXACTLY.

TED: ARE THE HOSPITALS SEEING PATIENTS COME IN WHO HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA WHAT'S COVERED?

>> I THINK THAT'S VERY FREQUENT, ABSOLUTELY.

HEALTH CARE IS INCREDIBLY COMPLICATED, FROM MEDICARE TO MEDICAID TO COMMERCIAL INSURANCE PLANS.

I THINK PATIENTS ARE OFTEN CONFUSED, AND I THINK THERE'S A LOT WE NEED TO DO TO STREAMLINE THE SYSTEM AND MAKE IT MORE PATIENT CENTERED AND PATIENT FRIENDLY AND AFFORDABLE.

>> YOU MENTIONED WITH MEDICARE YOU CAN GET SUPPLEMENTAL, THAT'S AGAIN THROUGH A PRIVATE INSURER.

MEDICARE ADVANTAGE IS THROUGH A PRIVATE INSURER FROM THE BEGINNING.

CAN YOU GET THE SUPPLEMENTAL THERE OR IS MEDICARE ADVANTAGE IS?

>> MEDICARE ADVANTAGE IS IT, IT WOULD NOT REQUIRE A SUPPLEMENTAL PLAN.

TED: FOR VIEWERS WATCHING, AND THE LAST QUESTION, I HOPE I MADE SENSE OF ALL THIS.

WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO KNOW?

IS IT TO KNOW YOUR DOCTORS, KNOW WHAT YOU NEED AND JUST COMPARE AND CONTRAST?

>> I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO DO YOUR HOMEWORK AND REALLY FOR BUYER TO BEWARE THAT MEDICARE ADVANTAGE MAY SEEM MORE STREAMLINED, AND IF YOU'RE A HEALTHY 65-YEAR-OLD AND YOU FEEL LIKE YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR MEDICAL CONDITIONS ARE, THAT'S GREAT.

AS WE ALL KNOW, THINGS HAPPEN.

TRAUMATIC INJURIES HAPPEN, STROKES, HEART ATTACK, IF YOU'RE IN THE HOSPITAL AND YOU'RE WANTING TO HAVE A TRANSFER TO A REHABILITATION HOSPITAL THAT IS A HIGHER LEVEL OF CARE, IF YOU'RE IN A MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLAN, THEY DENY THOSE TRANSFERS MORE FREQUENTLY.

SO YOU'RE AT RISK OF NOT BEING ABLE TO GET THE CARE THAT YOUR PHYSICIAN IS SAYING IS MEDICALLY NECESSARY.

SO I THINK IT'S REALLY COMPLICATED, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO BE EDUCATED AND WEIGH THOSE ISSUES.

TED: I HOPE WE HELPED THEM TONIGHT.

>> I HOPE SO.

TED: ARIZONA HOSPITAL AND HEALTH ASSOCIATION, GREAT INFORMATION.

GREAT TO SEE YOU.

>> GOOD TO SEE YOU.

.

TED: IT USUALLY MEANS WARMER AND DRIER CONDITIONS FOR THE STATE AND THE REGION, BUT THAT'S NOT LOCKED IN STONE.

INDEED, IT'S POSSIBLE THAT LA NINA COULD BRING MORE RAIN THAN NORMAL IN THE COMING MONTHS.

POSSIBLE, BUT NOT LIKELY.

HERE TO EXPLAIN IS ASU CLIMATOLOGIST RANDY CERVENY.

GLAD YOU COULD JOIN US.

>> ALWAYS GOOD TO BE HERE.

TED: I'M HEARING IT'S A WEAK LA NINA BUT STILL A LA NINA, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

>> IT IS A COOLING OF THE CENTRAL PACIFIC OCEAN.

WHEN YOU HAVE THAT KIND OF A SITUATION, IT CHANGES THE JET STREAM, IT CHANGES THE PATH OF STORMS, SO DURING LA NINA, THE STORMS TEND TO HEAD UP TO OREGON AND WASHINGTON.

TED: THEY VEER NORTH?

>> THEY VEER NORTH.

TED: THAT MEANS WARMER AND DRIER FOR US?

>> EXACTLY.

>> I THINK WE HAVE A CHART OR A MAP THAT WILL SHOW BASICALLY WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AS FAR AS THE FORECAST IS CONCERNED, FOR US DURING THE WINTER MONTHS HERE AND FOR THE WINTER MONTHS, THERE YOU GO.

IT SAYS WARMER AND IT SAYS DRIER.

>> THOSE ARE THE KEY WORDS, AND WHAT HAPPENS UNDER THIS CIRCUMSTANCE IS PLACES LIKE SEATTLE AND PORTLAND GET IT JEWEL -- ALL.

TED: CAN WE GO BACK TO THE MAP.

IT SHOWS HOW THE SOUTHERN AREAS -- THERE WE GO.

THE SOUTHERN AREAS ARE WARMER.

LOOK UP A NORTH.

>> YEAH, YEAH.

THEY GET COLD AIR FROM SIBERIA AND NORTHERN CANADA THAT PLUNGES INTO THE CENTRAL PARTS OF THE COUNTRY.

TED: CHICAGO, MILWAUKEE AND THE MIDWEST ARE IN FOR IT.

>> UNDER NORMAL LA NINA.

IT'S NOT WRITTEN IN STONE.

TED: HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT KIND OF A LA NINA WE'RE GOING TO HAVE?

>> WE DON'T.

THAT'S THE TROUBLE.

WE'RE LEARNING ALL THIS.

BASICALLY THIS PATTERN SETS UP ABOUT 66% OF THE TIME.

ABOUT TWO-THIRDS OF THE TIME WHEN WE HAVE LA NINA, WE HAVE.

THIS THE OTHER THIRD, WE CAN HAVE A RANDOM DICE THROW, AND IF YOU REMEMBER A FEW YEARS BACK, WE HAD A LA NINA WHERE WE GOT DUMPED ON DURING THE WINTERTIME.

THIS IS THE LIKELIHOOD, BUT NOT SET IN STONE.

TED: AGAIN, WHAT TIME OF THE YEAR ARE LA NINAS AND EL NINOS DETERMINED?

IS IT THE SUMMERTIME?

NOW?

WHEN?

>> WE CAN NOW FORECAST THESE THINGS ABOUT SIX MONTHS AHEAD OF TIME.

SO WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT -- THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE WE WILL HAVE LA NINA INTO THE WINTERTIME.

>> THE OTHER CHART WE SAW, WHAT WAS THAT ALL ABOUT?

>> THAT WAS SHOWING YOU OUR FORECAST IDEAS FOR THE NEXT SIX MONTHS.

YOU CAN SEE AS WE GET INTO OCTOBER, DECEMBER, THE MONTHS ARE DOWN AT THE BOTTOM THERE, THERE'S A GREATER LIKELIHOOD THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE MOVING INTO THE LOWER PART OF THE CHART AND THE LOWER PART OF THE CHART IS LA NINA.

IF WE GET INTO THE HIGHER PARTS OF THE CHART THAT'S EL NINO AND WE TEND TO GET WET SUMMERS -- WET WINTERS.

THERE IS NO LINES IN THE UPPER PART OF THE CHART.

TED: DOES IT EVER CHANGE?

IS IT EVER LIKE, YOU LOOK AT CHART AND THEN IT ACTUALLY FLIP-FLOPS AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE TEMPERATURE IN THE PACIFIC CHANGES?

>> NOT THAT QUICKLY.

I'M AFRAID NOT.

THIS IS PRETTY, AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE IS UNCERTAINTY ABOUT IT, AND HOW LONG THE LA NINA IS GOING TO BE IS UNCERTAIN DEPENDING WHAT COMPUTER MODEL WE RUN, BUT ALL THE MODELS ARE SUGGESTING THAT, YES, THE PACIFIC OCEAN IS COLDER THAN NORMAL.

TED: REAL QUICKLY BEFORE WE GET TO THE HURRICANE THAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.

WE HAD A COUPLE HURRICANES COME UP THE BAJA COAST, AND BOY, WE GOT THE LAST ONE, PRISCILLA?

>> YEP, AND RAYMOND.

TED: I GOT A NAME FOR PRISCILLA.

LOT OF DAMAGE, LOT OF RAIN.

DID LA NINA OR THOSE WEATHER PATTERNS IMPACT THOSE STORMS AND WHERE THEY WENT AND WHAT THEY DID?

>> WELL, THE IDEA IS ACTUALLY THAT THAT WAS MONSOONAL.

TRADITIONALLY MONSOON ENDS AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER.

WE WERE GETTING THAT STILL SOUTHERLY FLOW IT, IT HAPPENED WE HAD TWO HURRICANES THAT WERE DOWN THERE, THAT SOUTHERLY FLOW PICKED UP THE MOISTURE AND DREW IT RIGHT UP INTO ARIZONA.

THE MICROBURST THAT HAPPENED OVER TEMPE IS NOT RELATED TO EL NINO OR LA NINA, THE ATMOSPHERE WAS POISED AND UNFORTUNATELY DICE ROLL HAPPENED RIGHT OVER TEMPE.

TED: IT SURE DID.

IT REALLY DID.

LAST QUESTION AS FAR AS THIS IS CONCERNED.

DOES THE LA NINA END AT A CERTAIN TIME?

THE WARMING TEMPERATURES, SUMMER, HOW LONG DO THEY GO?

HOW LONG DO YOU MONITOR?

>> WE HAD WEIRD SITUATIONS WHERE THEY'VE LASTED AS MANY AS FOUR YEARS, IN THE 90s, WE HAD FOUR CONSECUTIVE YEARS OF EL NINO.

SO IT'S WEIRD.

NORMALLY LA NINA OR EL NINO LASTS A YEAR AND WE FLIP-FLOP AND GO TO THE ALTERNATIVE, BUT MOTHER NATURE LIKES TO THROW A WEIRD TURN EVERY SO OFTEN.

WE'LL HAVE TO SEE EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENS WITH THIS ONE.

TED: EVERYBODY IS WAITING TO SEE HURRICANE MELISSA.

A CATEGORY 5 STORM, HOLY SMOKES.

THAT'S ABOUT AS BIG AS IT GETS, ISN'T IT?

>> YEAH.

THIS IS A PICTURE OF IT THIS MORNING.

NOTICE HOW SMALL THE EYE IS.

THAT IS INCREDIBLY, WELL-DEFINED EYE.

I WAS TALKING WITH ONE OF THE HURRICANE HUNTERS FLYING THROUGH IT.

THEY SAW BIRDS IN THE EYE.

THIS IS WHAT THE EYE OF MELISSA ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE.

WE GET THE STADIUM EFFECT WHERE WE HAVE A RING OF THUNDERSTORMS THAT ARE COMPLETELY SURROUNDING THE EYE, AND THE EYE IS A FAIRLY CALM PLACE.

BIRDS HAVE CONGREGATED IN THE EYE, AND THE PLANE HAS TO BE CAREFUL NOT TO RUN INTO THEM BECAUSE THE ENGINE -- TED: THEY GOT TO GET OUT OF THE EYE SOMEHOW, HUH?

>> PROBABLY NOT GOING TO SURVIVE IT BECAUSE THEY WILL GET TOO TIRED AND FALL DOWN TO THE OCEAN.

TED: CAN WE GO BACK TO THE SATELLITE PHOTO OF THE EYE.

I WANT TO SEE THAT AGAIN.

THAT LOOKS TO ME LIKE A PERFECTLY FORMED STORM.

>> YES, AND THE BIGGER THE HURRICANE, USUALLY THE BETTER DEFINED IT ACTUALLY IS.

AND UNFORTUNATELY, AS YOU CAN SEE, JUST NORTH OF MELISSA THIS MORNING IS THAT ISLAND OF JAMAICA, AND THAT IS GOING TO BE WHERE TOMORROW MORNING, WE'RE GOING TO BE HEARING LOTS OF DAMAGE.

TED: ONE OF THE BIGGEST STORMS IN RECORDED HISTORY A CATEGORY 5.

>> INDEED.

AS FAR AS I KNOW, THEY HAVE NOT BEEN HIT BY A CATEGORY 5 HURRICANE ANYWHERE IN THE RECENT PAST.

THIS BY THE WAY IS THE THIRD CATEGORY 5 HURRICANE WE'VE HAD THIS SEASON.

MAY SEEM LIKE IT'S NOT THAT BIG OF A HURRICANE SEASON, THEY'VE ALL STAYED OUT TO SHORE.

WE'VE HAD THREE CATEGORY 5 STORMS, AND ONE OTHER THING I WANT TO POINT OUT.

TED: REAL QUICK, GO AHEAD.

>> THE PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING ALL THIS WORK, THE HURRICANE HUNTERS AND THE PEOPLE ARE WORKING WITHOUT PAY RIGHT NOW.

TED: YEAH.

>> PLEASE GIVE THEM YOUR THANKS AND APPRECIATION.

THEY ARE GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY.

TED: RANDY CERVENY, WE THANK YOU AS ALWAYS FOR YOUR ASU CLIMATOLOGICAL EXPERTISE.

.

TED: PROJECT UMBRELLA IS A NONPROFIT THAT DISTRIBUTES MEALS AND CARE PACKAGES TO THE HOMELESS IN PHOENIX.

VOLUNTEERS LOOK TO CREATE CONNECTIONS WITH THOSE LIVING ON THE STREETS HOPING TO DESTIGMATIZE HOMELESSNESS.

WE LEARN MORE FROM THE CO-FOUNDER OF PROJECT UMBRELLA RAMI SIBAI.

GOOD TO YOU HAVE ON "ARIZONA HORIZON."

WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON."

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

TED: PROJECT UMBRELLA.

WHAT DO WE HAVE HERE?

>> A 501(C)(3) NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION STARTED IN NEW YORK CITY AND SLOWLY EXPANDED TO THE CITIES OF SEATTLE, PHOENIX AND AUSTIN, TEXAS THIS PAST YEAR, AND THE ESSENCE OF THE ORGANIZATION IS TO USE CARE PACKAGES AS AN ICE BREAKER TO START CONVERSATION WITH THE MOST VULNERABLE IN OUR COMMUNITIES, THE UNHOUSED, AND THROUGH THE YEARS ESPECIALLY THROUGH THE COVID-19 CRISIS, WE'VE SEEN A RISE IN THOSE POPULATIONS AND TRY TO BE THERE FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE AND NOT JUST IN GIVING THEM SOMETHING, BUT ALSO BEING A LISTENING EAR, AND WE REALIZE THAT GOES A LONG WAY.

>> I WANT TO GET TO THE LISTENING PART IN A SECOND, THAT IS IMPORTANT.

THE CARE PACKAGES, WHAT IS INSIDE THE CARE PACKAGE?

>> HYGIENE KITS AND ALONG WITH THE HYGIENE KITS, YOU HAVE SHAMPOO, DEODE -- DEODORIENT, AND NAIL FILES AND SEASONAL ESSENTIALS.

DEPENDING ON THE SEASON AND THE CITY, SO FOR EXAMPLE, IN SEATTLE IN THE WINTER MONTHS, IT GETS RAINY, UMBRELLAS, PONCHOS, BLANKETS, GLOVES, SOCKS AND IN PHOENIX, THE SUMMERTIME, IT GETS HOT AND THE SUN IS BRUTAL, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS SAFE, AND WE MAKE SURE TO FEED A LOT OF HYDRATION, IV PACKETS, WATER AND SUNSCREEN.

IT VARIES ON THE SEASON AND THE CITY.

ALSO INCLUDES SOCKS ALSO.

>> THE VOLUNTEERS LISTEN AND SHARE STORIES WITH SOME OF THESE FOLKS.

HOW IMPORTANT IS JUST LISTENING?

>> YES, LIKE I SAID, THE ESSENCE OF OUR ORGANIZATION IS TO CREATE THE CONVERSATION BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'RE LOOKING TO DESTIGMATIZE THE IDEA OF THE UNHOUSED COMMUNITIES.

WE WANT TO BRING SENSE OF REHUMANIZATION BACK TO THE PEOPLE, BECAUSE THE PEOPLE FEEL FORGOTTEN AND PEOPLE WALK PAST THEM ON THE STREETS AND DON'T NOTICE OR ACKNOWLEDGE THEM ANYMORE.

SOMETIMES THAT CONVERSATION IS SO INCREDIBLE AND SO LASTING FOR THEM.

SO IT'S A FOCAL POINT OF WHAT WE DO.

TED: WHAT ARE SOME OF THE STORIES YOU'VE HEARD?

>> WE'VE HEARD SO MANY INCREDIBLE STORIES.

PEOPLE HAD DEGREES, NOT JUST ONE BUT FURTHER, MASTERS DEGREES, PHDs.

HAD A COUPLE BAD MONTHS AND UNFORTUNATELY ENDED UP ON THE STREET.

WE MET UP SOMEBODY AT A DISTRIBUTION EVENT, WE HAD EVENTS IN PHOENIX AND AUSTIN, TEXAS, AND MET AN INCREDIBLE GENTLEMAN NAMED MIKE, AND SAT DOWN WITH MIKE FOR ALMOST 30 MINUTES, ALMOST HALF THE DISTRIBUTION TIME, AND WE JUST LISTENED.

HE'S AN EX-MARINE, A VETERAN, 66 YEARS OLD, AND HE'S OUT ON THE STREETS, LIVING ON THE STREETS.

HE EXPLAINED STRUGGLES BUT HE'S VERY GRATEFUL FOR WHAT HE'S HAD, AND ALL THE RESOURCES THAT WE'VE GIVEN THEM, AND SO HE'S VERY INTELLIGENT.

HE TOLD ME HE HAS A QUORA BLOG HE GOES ON.

WE EXCHANGED INFORMATION.

TED: AS FAR AS MEALS ARE CONCERNED, HOW OFTEN ARE THEY INCLUDED IN THE CARE PACKAGES AND WHERE DO THE MEALS GO FROM?

>> OFTENTIMES WHEN WE HAND OUT THE CARE PACKAGE, PEOPLE ASK FOR FOOD.

FROM THAT, WE WERE ABLE TO ADAPT.

LIKE EVERYTHING WE'VE DONE WITH THE ORGANIZATION, WE STARTED WITH A GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATION TO WORKING WITH A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS AND COMPANIES AROUND THE UNITED STATES, SO WE REACH OUT TO LOCAL RESTAURANTS AND BUSINESSES THAT ARE WILLING TO DONATE MEALS AND WE'RE SO GRATEFUL FOR EVERYONE THAT'S DONE IT.

WE WORK WITH A COUPLE RESTAURANTS AROUND THE VALLEY.

WE ALSO WORK WITH ERIC E. AT KYOTO, THEY HELP US GETTING GREAT MEALS.

TED: PROJECT UMBRELLA IS AROUND THE COUNTRY, ARE THERE CHAINS INVOLVED AS WELL?

>> COSTCO, CVS, STARBUCKS, THEY'VE BEEN A GREAT SUPPORT THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, ESPECIALLY COSTCO BEING UP IN SEATTLE.

>> THE GOAL IS TO LEND AN EAR, TO HELP OUT, ALSO TO LISTEN, TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND HAVE A SIMPLE CONVERSATION, BUT IS THERE ALSO A WAY TO HELP GET THESE FOLKS OFF THE STREET?

THAT'S WHAT MOST PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT WHEN THEY HEAR ABOUT FOLKS WHO DON'T HAVE A HOME?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

OUR BIGGEST THING IS TO CREATE AWARENESS.

WHEN WE MEET THE PEOPLE AND HEAR THE INCREDIBLE STORE, WE HAVE FOR PERMISSION IF THEY ARE OPEN TO POSTING THE STORY ON OUR BLOG, AND OFTENTIMES THEY ARE MORE THAN HAPPY TO.

WE'LL TAKE A PHOTO AND WRITE THE STORY AND POST THEM, AND WE HOPE THEY ENGAGE NOT JUST FOR OUR ORGANIZATION BUT GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND LAWMAKERS THAT ARE MAKING THESE DECISIONS AND HAVE THE POWER TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

TED: OKAY, WHERE CAN PEOPLE FIND OUT MORE?

>> FIND ALL OUR INFORMATION, SOCIAL MEDIA, FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, PROJECT UMBRELLA.ORG AND YOU CAN REACH OUT AND DONATE AND DO ALL THE FUN STUFF.

TED: YOU SEE MORE EXPANSION, MORE CITIES?

.

>> THAT'S THE GOAL.

ANYONE THAT IS OPEN TO EXPANDING, LEGITIMATE DRIVE, WE'RE OPEN TO EXPANDING MORE.

TED: RAMI SIBAI, PROJECT UMBRELLA, CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR SUCCESS AND CONTINUED SUCCESS.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

TED: THAT'S IT FOR NOW, I'M TED SIMONS.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.