Gotcha. I think it goes without saying that combined miles/etc won't count for status until the programs are combined. I've theorized that the 2015 program year would be a good time to integrate the two programs - everyone starts at the same place on the 1st of the year anyway - but that's just speculation. I do think combining programs at the start of a year is the best time, but that could be 2016 instead of 2015.
Whenever the combination happens, I see no reason not to combine miles/segs/etc for combined status purposes. So what if a few people get a higher status than deserved? That's better than a lot more people losing out on status that they should have.
Jim