Last year began as I was sworn into my second and last term as your Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner. I am always grateful for your continued trust and the unique opportunity it is to serve my fellow Oklahomans. Last year was also an eventful year from an insurance standpoint. From severe weather to changes in the insurance market, the Oklahoma Insurance Department (OID) was here with you through all of it. I want to highlight some of our work from 2023 and discuss what’s in store for this year.
We were here to help.
As we state in our vision, OID’s top priority is to protect Oklahoma consumers. Last year, our Consumer Assistance division assisted with 13,157 phone calls and 2,784 complaints, resulting in 327 external reviews and $8,295,011 recovered for consumers. Our Anti-Fraud division also assisted with 1,414 complaints. With the Life Insurance Policy Locator, we matched Oklahoma beneficiaries with $49 million in life insurance benefits…that they didn’t know they had! Additionally, through all the winter weather, wildfires, hail and tornadoes, we were ready to provide assistance and answer your insurance questions. We help Oklahomans in their time of need, and I want to reiterate that if you need assistance or would like to file a complaint, please contact us at 800-522-0071 or visit oid.ok.gov.
We met with those we serve.
My team and I love getting out in the communities we serve and meeting consumers and insurance industry professionals. We arranged Coffee with the Commissioner and attended Mix and Mingle events across the state, where we met with chambers of commerce, licensed agents, Rotary Club chapters and other organizations to learn ways we can better serve the community. In September, we set up a booth at the Oklahoma State Fair to inform thousands of consumers about our services while having fun in the process. In addition to these events, our Medicare Assistance Program (MAP) was active, giving 303 community presentations and engaging in 19,254 one-on-one client contacts, leading to 27,164 people reached. If you’d like to host an event with us, visit http://www.oid.ok.gov/speaker or call our office at 800-522-0071.
We informed and advocated for Oklahomans.
In 2023, we looked for new ways to reach consumers and licensed producers. We launched campaigns like Here to Help, Ask OID and Winter Weather to give guidance on what Oklahomans should know about insurance. We brought you 13 new episodes of the Mulready Minutes podcast, where we featured informative guests to share perspectives and information on topics such as Medicare Open Enrollment, captive insurance and the different divisions at OID. Our team also produced six episodes of the Medicare Monday webinar, and we hosted our first Insurance Day, where we connected with 125 industry professionals on issues affecting the insurance industry in Oklahoma and across the country. As a reminder, you can keep up with the latest news and events with us by following us on social media and subscribing to email news updates at https://oid.ok.gov/subscribe.
We’re looking forward to 2024.
Before looking ahead, I’d like to thank the OID team, who are dedicated state employees who make all of this possible. We expect 2024 to come with unique challenges and opportunities, but our commitment to serving Oklahomans will not change. We will keep you informed by bringing you new podcast episodes, webinars, campaigns and events in your own community. Check out our 2023 Annual Report for more information on all the work we do at OID. Here’s to a successful 2024!

Agnes Baker

(Right) 100 years old. In Stroud today, having lived her life in Lincoln County. In her century, she recalls helping her parents pick cotton; riding to school in a covered wagon; marrying her husband; becoming a mother; leaving her home to move into assisted living and the Covid shutdown.

Marci D. (Pruitt) Coppedge

(Left) 100 years old. She is blessed with two children, 5 grandchildren, seven great grandchildren & a host of extended family & friends. Her words of wisdom for younger people: “Live your life the best you have at the time; when things change, adjust & go on!”

Gilbert Mike “Choc” Charleston

(Right) 100 years old. He is a full-blooded Choctaw & his heritage permeates his life. He & his wife of 79 years, Billie, owned & operated Choctaw Trading Post providing authentic Indian artifacts attracting visitors from around the world. This is a man who put his heritage & service to his country & to others first. He was a spokesperson for the OK Department of Tourism.

Bill Stoddard

(Right) 100 years old. Originally of Connecticut, now lives in Owasso. He celebrated his 100th birthday today with his family. He is a military veteran having served four years during WWII and in Korea with the Army and Air Force. Bill’s words of wisdom for us today are: Don’t Drink or Smoke. Thank you for your service.

The Oklahoma Hospital Association (OHA) presented Excellence in Quality awards to four hospitals during its recent annual conference. This award recognizes exceptional efforts to improve outcomes in clinical quality performance practices, capabilities, and results, and represents the highest level of professional acknowledgement from the OHA Council on Quality & Patient Safety.
Award applications from OHA hospitals across the state were scored based on their story of a clinical project specific to improving patient safety within the hospital, creating innovative interventions that incorporate evidence-based best practices, demonstrating measurable and quantifiable results, sustaining/spreading the success within the hospital, and stimulating learning for others. Four award categories based on number of beds were recognized.
“The goals of the awards are to recognize outcomes in clinical quality performance practices, capabilities, and results, share best clinical practices, challenges, and successes among Oklahoma hospitals, and stimulate innovation, knowledge and learning in achieving clinical quality and safety in health care among member hospitals,” said Patrice Greenawalt, OHA vice president of quality & clinical initiatives.

2023 awardees for Excellence in Quality are:

Critical Access Hospital and Under 25 beds: Rural Wellness Anadarko. Project Title: Reduction of Falls for Patient Safety. Submitted by: Rachel Stephens, chief nursing officer

26-100 beds: Select Specialty Hospital Oklahoma City. Project Title: Reducing Central Line-Associated Blood Stream Infections. Submitted by: Tami Kirk, director of quality management

101-300 beds: Comanche County Memorial Hospital, Lawton. Project Title: Reduction of Hospital-Acquired Clostridioides difficile. Submitted by: Melissa Alvillar, RN, chief nursing officer

More than 300 beds: Norman Regional Health System. Project Title: Hip Fracture Morbidity and Mortality. Submitted by: Cathy Snapp, orthopedic program administrator

By Marise Boehs

I’ve been an avid trail bike rider for a number of years. I’ve ridden long miles over multiple days on trails across the US. In April of this year I retired from my daily newspaper job so I could ride as much and whenever I wanted.

Over Labor Day Weekend I went to a Kansas trail with some of my younger cousins to ride. About 15 miles in on the first day I got severe cramps and light headedness – so bad I had to call the EMTs to come get me off the trail. Two bags of IV fluids and a couple of hours in the ER and I was up and going again. Fortunately I did not damage myself physically.

This was a wakeup call for sure. I was about to have my 75th birthday. I was 30 pounds overweight and not very strong. I knew I had to change or give up riding trails and long distances.

When I got home, I hired a personal trainer and got to work. Four months later, I am two thirds to my weight goal and much stronger. I’ve learned new nutrition habits, how to stand up straight and breathe and how to rest and recover.

It’s an ongoing journey I’d like to share.

Back Story

I have struggled with weight loss and gain most of my adult life. Through 30 years of alcohol abuse and drug addiction my body has been sickly thin at times and bloated beyond comfort at others. In May of 1988, after two treatment centers and years of AA meetings, I decided to give sobriety a chance. What followed was emotional and economic stability leading to steady weight gain.

In the fall of 1997, at 180 pounds I was the heaviest I’d ever been. I tried Weight Watchers, and within a couple of years, reached my lifetime goal of 135. Having achieved the goal, I was tired of counting points and tracking steps, consequently over the next couple of years my weight crept up 20 pounds. Then I discovered the joy of trail riding on a Road Scholar trip to the Katy Trail in Missouri.

Sadly, I was too heavy to do the 30-50 mile days in the program, but they had a SAG wagon. When I couldn’t ride any further, I could get in the van. I came from that trip absolutely in love with trail riding.

I knew I was too heavy to successfully ride the miles scheduled on any trip I looked at. So once again I began to diet and exercise. This time I ate a keto diet and rode my bike for training. This worked, and I was fairly quickly back to my weight goal. In September of 2017, I flew to Pittsburg and met a Road Scholar group again. We rode from Pittsburg to Washington D.C. on the GAP and C&O Canal. Up on over the Continental Divide. A ride of a lifetime!

I’ve since been back to the Katy Trail twice and have ridden the Mickelson Trail in South Dakota and the Flint Hills Nature Trail in Kansas several times as well.

Wake Up Call

Saturday morning, September 2, was a beautiful, bright, sunshiny day with hardly any wind in Ottawa, Kansas. I was waiting for some of my riding family to arrive to ride with me for the day. We had planned this trip for months and were all excited for the day to arrive.

I was fat again and eating low carb food. That morning I ate low carb cereal and drank protein coffee, filled my two water bottles and was ready the ride.

We rode out and enjoyed the trail, stopping every mile or so to marvel at the beauty and sip some water. About 15 miles into the ride, cramps hit both of my legs in the inner thighs. I was in pain and unable to pedal. I got off my bike to ease my legs and nearly passed out. I knew I would need help getting off the trail.

I called 911.  Shortly the EMTs where there in a pickup truck. They sat me in the front seat and carefully backed out of the trail to the ambulance. As soon as I was stabilized, they started IV fluids, and the cramps began to ease.

New Plan

I came home, joined a gym, and hired Blake Mullen as my personal trainer. I was greatly intimidated and really really did not want to do any of it. The first day with him was September 11, and the gym was having a 9-11 Step Climbing Event. He put me on a huge, scary Stairmaster and it was not fun. But I did it and went through the other exercises he had for me. Then I went back in two days to do it again. And again in couple of days. Now I am at the gym 4 days a week.

I track my food on a phone app, trying to eat 900-1200 calories with 50% of those calories coming from protein. I walk at least 10,000 steps a day and burn enough calories to leave a 500 deficit between calories eaten and calories burned. (It takes 3500 calories to burn a pound of fat.) Being mindful each day is the key to success. Today I am 9 pounds from my goal.

What’s Next?

June 2, 2024 I will be back on the Katy Trail for a 6 day, 230 mile ride. All the miles, every day is the goal! I have a blog if you wish to follow my story. (www.mariseboehs.com/blog)

Side note: Thankfully, sobriety has not had the same on again off again scenario as weight loss. I have been clean and sober since May 11, 1988. Blessed and grateful.

Marise Boehs is a freelance writer, photographer and graphic designer. Recently retired from 25+ years in the newspaper arena, she fills her days with walks around her quiet Norman  neighborhood, bike riding, working out at the gym, all the while looking for new and interesting work projects.

How many daily steps do we really need for optimum health? Ten thousand steps seems to be the gold standard in most of what we read to keep diabetes and high blood pressure (as well as several other conditions) at bay. And how do we keep track of all our steps?
Before you decide on a target number of steps per day, call your medical provider and ask how many you should be doing. You might learn that with an otherwise active, healthy life, several thousand steps per day might be enough, rather than the whole 10,000.
How to count those steps is the tricky part. I have several of those little clip-on step counters, and unfortunately, they all come up with different results. I have no way of knowing which are accurate.
There is a popular tracker called Fitbit, a fancy step counter that looks like a watch. Each model has pros and cons, per thousands of online reviews. Some do more than just count steps; they also keep tabs on your location with GPS, your pace and how far you’ve walked, your sleep profile, your heart rate and your stress level. They can be pricey, especially if you want to unlock all the features and sign up for Fitbit Premium to see all your data on the dashboard.
Your best bet is to Google “best step counters for seniors” and wade through a few dozen choices. You’ll find Apple Watch, 3DTriSport Walking 3D Pedometer, Garmin Vivofit 4 activity tracker and so many more. If you have a subscription to Consumer Reports, check their reviews on activity trackers for seniors.
Before you opt for an expensive tracker, visit a store where they are sold and try them out. A watch font might be too tiny to read, or a clip-on might not stay clipped on.
Bonus: Several Medicare Advantage plans provide either free or reduced-cost Fitbit devices.

The National Institutes of Health has awarded the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation $5.8 million to work toward easier diagnosis and better treatment options for Sjögren’s disease, an autoimmune condition.
In Sjögren’s, immune cells attack moisture-producing glands, causing painful dry eyes and mouth. It can result in irreversible tissue damage, neurological problems, lung disease and cancer. There is no known cure, and current treatments address only the symptoms.
OMRF scientists Joel Guthridge, Ph.D., Darise Farris, Ph.D., and Christopher Lessard, Ph.D., received a four-year grant through the Accelerating Medicines Partnership in Autoimmune and Immune-Mediated Diseases Program (AMP AIM). The team’s goal is to develop less invasive clinical tools to diagnose patients more effectively and identify new targets for future treatments.
“This disease is notoriously difficult to diagnose,” said Lessard, who’s been studying Sjögren’s at OMRF since 2007. “It shares features with many autoimmune diseases and lacks effective diagnostic markers, which makes studying it challenging. This grant provides us with technology to analyze the salivary glands of people with Sjögren’s in a way that wasn’t possible previously.”
The researchers will use blood and biopsy tissue samples donated to OMRF by people with Sjögren’s to better understand different patient sub-groups’ genetic and molecular characteristics.
“This knowledge should help clinicians diagnose the disease more easily and determine who may benefit from different potential therapies,” Guthridge said.
Most studies of Sjögren’s have focused on patients who test positive for certain autoantibodies in the blood. However, a significant percentage of people with the disease test negative for those autoantibodies. In those cases, diagnosis requires an invasive biopsy of the salivary glands.
“Of the more than 600 people seen in our research clinic who met the criteria for Sjögren’s, about 40% tested negative for these autoantibodies,” said Farris, the Alvin Chang Chair of Biomedical Research at the OMRF. “This positions us to study the molecular issues unique to that particular Sjögren’s patient group.”
AMP AIM is a nationwide public-private partnership aimed at developing more effective treatments for autoimmune diseases. The partnership involves the NIH, Foundation for the National Institutes of Health, nonprofit disease foundations, biopharmaceutical and life-science companies, and 52 research institutions. OMRF Executive Vice President & Chief Medical Officer Judith James, M.D., Ph.D., is chair of the more than $60 million program.
The AMP AIM Sjögren’s research is funded by grant No. 3UC2 AR081032-02S1 from the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, part of the NIH. Farris and Guthridge received support from the Oklahoma City-based Presbyterian Health Foundation for experiments preceding the NIH grant. Additional support came to Farris from the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science & Technology and to Guthridge from the Oklahoma Center for Adult Stem Cell Research.

For more information about ongoing Sjögren’s research at OMRF, visit https://omrf.org/patient-studies/sjogrens-disease/sjogrens/.

The Oklahoma City Veterans Affairs Heath Care System is currently notifying local Veterans that the North OKC VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic will be closed between 3 to 6 months due to water damage from a broken water riser valve.
The OKC VA hospital is asking patients that had previously scheduled appointments at North OKC Clinic and are unsure of their new transitioned appointment location, please contact the VA scheduling staff at 405-456-1000, select option 2.
During this temporary closure period, Veterans medical needs are a priority and Veterans will be contacted and redirected to alternative clinic locations around the Oklahoma City metropolitan area.
For any questions or concerns about upcoming scheduled appointments, Veterans can call the Oklahoma City VA to ensure every Veteran previously scheduled at North OKC CBOC has a new rescheduled appointment location.
The OKC VA understands this is an inconvenience and wants to assure Veterans that every effort is being made to minimize the impact on their healthcare experience. They are tentatively targeting January 16, 2024, for confirmation of the new appointment locations.
The building owner is currently working diligently with the insurance company, cleaning crews and construction teams to repair the site as soon as possible.
Again, if you are unsure of your new North OKC appointment location, please contact the VA scheduling staff at 405-456-1000, select option 2.

Getting a flu shot protects you, your family and the community from getting sick. The Oklahoma City VA Health Care System provides flu shots and COVID vaccinations for Veterans and they are going one step further. Veterans can also visit participating pharmacies and community care partners and get free vaccinations closer to home. Eligible Veterans can get a no-cost flu shot from a nearby VA clinic or within your community from one of nearly 65,000 in-network pharmacies or urgent care locations.
Keep in mind:
To get a no-cost vaccine, the provider must be part of VA’s community care network.
If you receive a flu shot from a non-network provider, you may be responsible for the cost of the vaccine.
Retail pharmacies include most supermarket and local pharmacies.
Many urgent care locations offer walk-in care.
Call ahead to see if a pharmacy or urgent care site:
participates in the VA flu shot program.
offers the specific flu vaccine that you prefer
To learn more about the program the VA provides fact sheets, language options are available in English or Spanish versions. Flu vaccines are usually available September through April. Use our on-line VA locator to find locations.
And if you would like to get both vaccinations, you now can safely get shots for flu and COVID at the same time – one visit, two vaccines. (Call ahead to make sure COVID vaccine available). Remember, if you go to a local urgent care for your vaccine, the visit must be for vaccination ONLY for it to be covered. If you seek additional treatment on top of receiving the flu or COVID vaccine, you may be responsible for a co-payment.
You are eligible to receive a no-cost flu shot at an in-network retail pharmacy or urgent care location if:
You are enrolled in the VA health care system
You received care from a VA provider or an in-network community care provider within the past 24 months.
How do I know if I am eligible?
Call 800-MyVA411 (800-698-2411) Select option 1 (urgent care information or check urgent care eligibility). The system will verify your eligibility for the community urgent care benefit, which includes the flu vaccination.
Or call the OKC VA at 1-405-456-1000 option 2 or find your local VA facility
Your state may have age and health-related restrictions.
For more information, please visit the below link: https://www.prevention.va.gov/flu/FluShots.asp

Joyce Clark

Campus Director at Saint Ann Assisted and Independent Living in OKC.

Story by Van Mitchell, Staff Writer

Joyce Clark said going to work is not just a job, but a ministry to her.
She was self-employed/CEO of Achievis Senior Living Associates for about 25 years until she took the reins as Campus Director at Saint Ann Assisted and Independent Living at 7501 W. Britton Road in Oklahoma City almost two-and-a-half years ago.
“I’ve always loved my career. I’ve developed seven assisted and memory care communities in Oklahoma and consulted across America. I’ve created and now I’m managing a true community asset, a true blessing to people,” Clark said. “In my decades of work, I’ve tried hard to be a positive impact on the lives I have touched but I have experienced it is also vice versa.”
Clark said she knew at a young age that she wanted to have a career in healthcare.
“As a young teenager I knew I wanted to be in healthcare, and that eventually led to becoming an assisted living administrator, one of the first ones in Oklahoma, early, when it was newer,” she said. “Serving as an administrator married my love of healthcare with development and management and seniors.”
Clark said Saint Ann Assisted and Independent Living is a fun and friendly community that improves people’s lives and offers solutions to their problems, and she is proud to be part of that mission.
“Any home that puts people first will be successful,” she said. “My “people first” philosophy incorporates employees as well as residents and their families. Fun, mutual respect, cooperation, and communication all factor into creating a culture where people want to live and work.”
The Saint Ann campus features 120 independent living and 50 assisted living apartments as well as a convent and chapel.
Also known as Saint Ann Retirement Center, the assisted and independent living campus is owned and operated by The Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, a not-for-profit Catholic organization. People of all faiths are welcome and enjoy living at Saint Ann.
Clark said Saint Ann is an affordable place to live.
“We are affordable. There’s no big buy-in fee like other high-quality homes, and frankly, I feel like we’re at the top of senior living in the United States,” she said. “Saint Ann Assisted and Independent Living is reasonably priced and all-inclusive. We have a 24-hour concierge, outstanding meals, transportation, housekeeping, and much more. Assistance with personal care and medications are available in assisted living or thru third-party providers, one of which offices inside independent living. For anyone looking to move to senior living, she advises them to check out the vibe, check out the culture, and talk to residents. “My residents are my sales staff. When they see somebody touring Saint Ann, our residents are quick to share how happy they are.”
Clark said the daily life of a campus administrator can be strenuous. She said it is important to control the expenses of operations so that an acceptable profit is earned to be successful and financially strong.
“For me, the job’s demands and stress are offset by the joys of blessing others and improving the lives of residents and employees,” she said. “Administrators must be able to lead and manage a diverse group of people. Successful directors have the capability to effectively handle a tremendous variety of responsibilities ranging from resident care, staffing, regulatory compliance, sales, and financial tracking to property maintenance, and operations management. They must be great at communication, shoveling paperwork, conflict resolution, time management, priority setting, and people pleasing. I love the variety of my job and also orchestrating large projects like the remodel currently underway.”
Clark said Saint Ann offers a variety of activities and programs for residents to enjoy.
“We have many different things to do every day” she said. “Saint Ann’s life enrichment calendar is packed with activities. We have exercise, Tai Chi, speakers, crafts. bands, entertainers, llamas, sip and paint, games, volleyball, and much more.”
Clark said Saint Ann residents are also provided transportation to doctor appointments, shopping, and excursions like going to movies, theatre, Braums, seeing Christmas lights, scenic drives, restaurants, and the casino.
“Saint Ann’s life enrichment team work hard to provide a variety of daily activities so folks can choose what they want to do,” she said. “In addition, Saint Ann provides daily Mass and a non-denominational service on Sunday. Residents also enjoy hymn singing, Bible study, and whatever else they ask us to organize.”
Clark said it is a blessing to work at Saint Ann Assisted and Independent Living.
“It’s such a blessing to work here and to be a part of all this. We are an amazing, wonderful team,” she said. “We’re here for each other and we all work very cohesively. The residents are lovely and active in many daily functions and special events. Residents are the focus of everything my staff does. I truly cannot adequately express how precious the culture and people are who live and work here at Saint Ann Assisted and Independent Living.”
For more information call Lisa at (405) 721-0747, Ext. 322 or visit
https://www.saintannretirementcenter.com.

By Marilyn Olson, Executive Director, VillagesOKC

VillagesOKC continues it’s free daylong workshops focused on senior health with “Listen to Your Gut” on February 21. The workshop at the Metro Technology Center, 1900 Springlake Dr. will feature two speakers, a light lunch and resource tables. Presented by VillagesOKC, the lead sponsor is CompleteOK Home Health and Hospice.
Gut health refers to the health of the entire digestive system and the health of the microorganisms living in the digestive tract. This includes the esophagus, stomach, small intestine and large intestine. When you eat food or drink liquid, your body breaks those items down into nutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, etc.) as they travel through your digestive tract.
Debbie Ozment, DDS, MS, will address “Vitality Takes Guts: How Your Microbiome Impacts Health.” Gut microbiome is the collection of all the bacteria that live within the gut. Candace Sturlin, PA-C, will be speaking on “Wellness and Longevity of the Gut.”
Contrary to what many people believe, not all bacteria are threats to health. In fact, the gut microorganisms are critical to many of the body’s processes, and when these bacteria are healthy, they have a huge positive impact on our overall health. However, chronic inflammation can accelerate disease progression.
Dr. Ozment is committed to early diagnosis and intervention of periodontal disease to positively affect not only the mouth, but the entire body. According to Dr. Ozment, gum disease is an early warning of larger disease problems: heart disease, cancer, Type 2 diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis among other afflictions.
She has been a private-practice dentist since 1985. A graduate of Oklahoma University College of Dentistry, she served as adjunct faculty there for seven years. Dr. Ozment completed a Masters’ degree in Metabolic and Nutritional Medicine from the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine and is a Diplomate with the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine. Trained at Mayo Clinic, she is a Nationally Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach.
Sturlin has extensive training and over 21 years of experience in Family Medicine, Anti-Aging, Emergency Medicine, Urology and Sexual Medicine. A graduate of Southern Nazarene University, she earned a Master of Science as a Physician Associate with Distinction from the University of Oklahoma Health Science Center College of Medicine. She joined Total Healthcare Partners and Wellness and Longevity in 2010 working along side Dr. Paul Rothwell to promote individuals living healthier lives through wellness to reduce sickness.
Registration for the free workshop is required on the VillagesOKC events calendar
https://villagesokc.org/calendar or by calling (405) 990-6637.