Check out our June newsletter!
LYN’S LEDGER
Lyndon Thomas Insurance Agency
We Help You With Medicare Plans.
SNOWBOARDING AND MEDICARE — A GREAT COMBINATION! June 2024
Before we get too far off into the hot summer, I’m up for a little winter reminiscing. But first, Lyn’s Ledger has forced me to be more autobiographical in print. Face-to-face? I’ll swap personal stories with you for hours. But writing about it and putting it in print is less natural. With 20 years in the business, the Newsletter Pro’s proven pattern is that each issue’s cover article be more personal in nature, so clients have a sense of who they are working with and buying from. It works. Thank you to the many, many of you who do read what I write(!) and let me know you enjoy it. Longer-term readers are aware I’ve had the original parts of both knees replaced with titanium. “Just call me ‘Titanium Man!’” is my new byline. Straight legs and no pain are a blessing beyond description. I am grateful for the common grace of medical technology, specifically the expertise of Dr. Thomas Golden, Zimmer Biomet body parts, and the staff and facilities of Ojai Valley and Community Memorial Hospitals. More than 10 years had passed since I was able to do anything other than sedentary walking around. The pain was just too much. Many of my readers can relate! While I will never return
to city-league basketball or cross-country running, it was during my May 2023 second knee, final post-op rehab visit with Dr. Golden that I stated my goal to “go snowboarding with my sons next winter.” He said, “Okay.” So, I did. We did. Four times! The knees are great. I recommend titanium. No pain in the knees at all. The rest of this 64-year-old body, however, paid a price — a price happily paid to be carving turns on the slopes again. The legs got stronger. But the body stayed sore because the boarding was so great. For those readers familiar with any of the few Southern California snow resorts, including Mountain High, you know you usually spend as much time in the lift line as you do on the chair lift and on the slope. This was our experience in February. One lift-line conversation was long enough; I nearly had enough time to make a sale. April, however, was unbelievable. Yes, you read that correctly. Snowboarding in Southern California — in April — was amazing. Throughout the day on April 5, we boarded while 6 inches of snow fell. So. Cal. powder in April! Unbelievable! I had to chain up to get out of the parking lot that evening. A week later, most of the snow was still there, slushy but boardable. Still great. The most amazing thing about those two days was — no lift lines. It was April, and the rest of Los Angeles had moved on to other things. We virtually had the place to ourselves. Chandler’s phone app tracked at least 25 runs each of those days. We were sore and exhausted, but what a joy! We are already making plans for next winter! After more than 20 years of talking with people about Medicare, it was a bit surreal last week to see my name on the Medicare card and plan applications. Whee! My older brother says I’m in the big time now. Kathy and I are August “Age Ins.” As the Steve Miller Band sang just a couple of years ago, “Time keeps on slippin’, slippin’, slippin’, into the future …” We are blessed and grateful.
www.LT-ins.com –Lyn Thomas
1
Published by Newsletter Pro • www.NewsletterPro.com
Lyndon Thomas Insurance
BEND, STRETCH, THRIVE
How Yoga Can Keep You Balanced and Resilient After 50
As you begin the stretch to your golden years, a little extra stretching might help you more than you think. Yoga has long provided people of all ages with many mental and physical health benefits. From increased strength to better flexibility and balance, this holistic and accessible form of exercise has been proven to help people lead healthier lives. So, it’s never too early to add some easy poses into your daily routine.
benefits, but incorporating yoga into your routine can help you shed pounds.
BETTER BALANCE We will all lose some flexibility with age, but yoga’s slow, focused movements can drastically improve your balance. Many yoga poses are designed to strengthen muscles and make you more limber. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, falls are the leading cause of injuries for older adults. So, building better balance and confidence now will help you in the future. Unlocking the secrets of vitality, clarity, and joy as we age is as simple as rolling out a yoga mat. From enhanced flexibility to a moment of peace, yoga is a timeless resource for living well at all stages
Let’s explore three of the transformative effects of practicing yoga as we age and its ability to keep us feeling young.
STRONGER BONES Osteoporosis is a disease that weakens the bones, making them fragile and susceptible to injuries. People typically begin to experience the onset of this condition at age 50 or older. Gentle, low-impact forms of yoga, like restorative or hatha, have been shown to slow bone thinning. Aim to do non-strenuous yoga for at least 15 minutes daily to protect your bones from fractures. HEALTHY WEIGHT Maintaining a healthy weight for your age and body type is crucial to many elements of your well-being. By doing yoga for just an hour every day, a person can burn more than 2,000 calories a week. You don’t have to namaste much to enjoy the weight management
of life. Embrace this journey, savor each stretch, and build a practice of yoga that will keep your mind and body healthy.
RESPONDING TO PRESSURE
Let’s jump right in. LTIA clients are in 22 states across the nation, and everyone is feeling the pressure. It is a fact that in the past three years, our nation has absorbed within our borders a population greater than the state of Ohio. While there are differing political and even moral perspectives on this matter, what is inevitable and is touching every reader of Lyn’s Ledger is the pressure this brings to our health care system. Medical services are generally provided through emergency services and hospitals, primary care and specialty care. The major health care payment systems in the U.S. are private insurance, Medicaid (Medi-Cal in California) for low income, and Medicare for those 65-plus. By law, hospitals must receive and treat all medical emergencies, regardless of the legal status of the injured or ill individual. For those without means of payment, the emergency room is where health care is accessed, putting financial pressure on already strapped hospital budgets. CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 ...
2 1211 Maricopa Hwy, Ste 222, Ojai, CA 93023
CA# 0D96309
We Help You With Medicare.
... CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2
Make the most of the limited time you do have with the doctor. Bring a list of questions so you remember everything you need to discuss. Maximize those precious 10 minutes you have with your doctor. It doesn’t help to remember that important question as you are getting into your car after your appointment.
Here in California, more than three-quarters of a million recent arrivals have been added to the Medi-Cal system. This adds pressure to the already too few Medi-Cal-contracted primary and specialty care providers and facilities. Some providers contract with both Medi-Cal and Medicare, so pressure moves into the system as a whole. We hear of three- and four-month waits for medical appointments now. These wait times are not going down. Everyone has their perspective on this matter, and mine is to help our clients navigate the system as effectively as possible. Here are a few tips. Don’t wait. Get that appointment
Use electronic communication if you are able . Confirm your appointments via text, and use your patient online portal to communicate more efficiently. For those in an HMO Advantage plan , call Member Services at your medical group to verify appointment pre-authorizations. Then call the specialist to set your appointment. The approval letter will come in the mail later. Please share your tips, strategies, and experiences with me. I’ll pass them along in another Ledger.
on the calendar. Don’t put off scheduling checkups or getting started on a medical need. Do it now. Ask to be placed on the Cancellation List, to receive a call for an immediate appointment
SUDOKU when someone ahead of you cancels. Please be patient with your medical office staff. They are in the pressure cooker, too.
SHEET PAN SHRIMP FAJITAS
Ingredients
Topping Options • Sliced avocado • Salsa • Sour cream •
•
2 lbs shrimp, peeled and deveined 2 bell peppers, sliced
• • • •
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika 1 tsp garlic powder
• • • •
1 onion, sliced 3 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Chopped cilantro
2 tsp chili powder
•
Tortillas
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 2. In a small bowl, combine chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. 3. Place bell pepper and onion on the baking sheet. 4. Drizzle evenly with 2 tbsp of olive oil and sprinkle with the chili powder mixture; reserve some for shrimp. Bake for 12 minutes. 5. Remove sheet pan from oven and push veggies to one side. Add shrimp to the empty side. Drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil and spices. Return sheet pan to oven and
bake for another 6 minutes, until shrimp are pink. 6. Serve on warm tortillas with desired toppings.
3 www.LT-ins.com
Inspired by DamnDelicious.net
Published by Newsletter Pro • www.NewsletterPro.com
Lyndon Thomas Insurance Agency
P.O. Box 207 Ojai, CA 93024
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
We Help You With Medicare Plans.
INSIDE
CA# 0D96309 | www.LT-ins.com | 805-646-6409
2 1
Snowboarding and Medicare — a Great Combination!
A Fountain of Youth for Your Bones and Balance
Responding to Pressure
3 4
Sheet Pan Shrimp Fajitas
The Appeal and Evolution of Scrabble
We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options.
plurals, he included only four “S” tiles in each box and assigned the letter a measly 1 point. Butts was eager to share his idea with the world, but the world was not as eager to receive it. He pitched the game to several publishers and retailers, but all rejected it. Butts had to retail it on a small scale, and the game did not become the surefire hit he expected it to be. It wasn’t until fellow New Yorker James Brunot discovered the game that things changed for the better. Brunot offered to mass-produce the game and, in exchange, would provide Butts with a portion of the profits, which Butts happily agreed to. BRUNOT’S BARGAIN As soon as Brunot secured the rights to the game, he began making significant changes to it. These included redesigning the board, its color, players’ starting position, and the location of various score multiplier tiles. But his most important contribution was changing its name to Scrabble! The owner of Macy’s then discovered the game and offered to carry it in his stores. Brunot went from creating 12 copies of the game an hour when he first acquired the rights to 2,000 sets per week by 1952. By 1954, millions of copies were sold. Today, the game has been translated into over 20 languages and has sold over 100 million copies. People play the game worldwide, in tournaments and living rooms alike, and it has allowed millions to share in the joy initially envisioned by a down-on-his-luck architect in a time when hope was a distant prospect.
In 1931, the Great Depression — the worst economic crisis in American history — had thoroughly dampened the country’s spirit. Amidst the crisis, Alfred M. Butts, an out-of-work New York architect, decided to create a game to take his mind off the economy. Aspiring to develop a classic to join the ranks of other timeless card and board games, Butts came up with the idea for a board-and-tile game he non-committedly named “Criss Cross,” which we now know as Scrabble. THE ARCHITECT’S PLAN At its core, Scrabble was inspired by crossword puzzles and always featured the iconic lettered tiles, each with separate quantities and point values. Butts determined the point values by surfing through his collection of local newspapers and counting how often each letter appeared. To prevent players from creating too many cheap Exploring the Rich History of Scrabble MY WORD!
4
1211 Maricopa Hwy, Ste 222, Ojai, CA 93023
Published by Newsletter Pro • www.NewsletterPro.com
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator