Take a look at our newsletter this month!
LYN’S LEDGER
Lyndon Thomas Insurance
Feb 2018
We Help You With Medicare.
The Journey to Independence
W e’ve just wrapped up another Medicare Annual Enrollment Period, and I’d like to take a moment to reflect on my journey as a Medicare insurance agent. Three rapidly growing, very hungry boys led me to get my insurance license in 2003, and a lot has happened since then. It’s been quite a ride, and I’m delighted you’ve become a part of it. When I was a newly minted agent, I was eager to gain experience and knowledge. Along with life and other health insurances, I sold a few Medicare Supplement policies. Then, in 2008, my friend Steve Lehman, who worked for the Medicare Advantage Plan, SCAN Healthplan, introduced me to the Sales Management Team there. They hired me to open up the Ojai Valley for them. It was fantastic! There was only one competitor. I was a consistent top producer during the first four years. That’s when I met many of you for the first time. SCAN was and continues as a great company for their members, but by 2013, instead of just one other competitor in the Ojai Valley, there were four! As the market saturated, instead of gaining 6–10 enrollments by driving 50 miles a day in the Ojai Valley and West Ventura County, my route included the San Fernando Valley, with a good day getting two or three enrollments. Some days I made more money on mileage reimbursement than on commission! Two salary checks each month were really attractive, but the idea of going independent started growing in the back of my mind. While SCAN had a great program, with only that one tool in my toolbox, I was now regularly walking away from clients who needed a different program. During the Annual Enrollment Period of 2014, events conspired to “kick me out of the nest.” So, in the middle of AEP on Nov. 11, I became an independent agent,
representing all types of Medicare insurance coverage through contracting with over 15 companies.
Anytime you leave the safety of the familiar and venture into the opportunity of the unknown, the risks are real and the mistakes are painful, if not costly. I have zero regrets. I delight in the relationships I’m able to have with my clients now. You see, company-employed sales representatives have no incentive to keep in touch with their members. They are paid for new enrollments, not customer service! We mean it when we post our motto: “We help you with Medicare.” Not just for the enrollment, but all along the way. You will likely have questions about your health care coverage from time to time. I’m pretty sure you’d rather talk to your own agent than a telephone representative in another state. Many friends become clients and many clients become friends. My experience is that the commissions take care of themselves if I take care of my friends and clients. Since 2014, my agency has grown a good deal. My wife, Kathy, has thought better of trying to work here, so we’ve hired staff and are proud to serve clients in five California counties and multiple states. It’s been a whirlwind, but after the fires and mudslides, this particular whirlwind is more cause for celebration than concern. The people at SCAN gave me the foundational knowledge and experience that my agency is built on today. I’m forever grateful as well for the support of my beautiful wife through each of the risks we took. Above all, I’m grateful for God’s call that led us to the Ojai Valley. And to each of my clients, thank you for trusting me to help you with Medicare and with this ever-so-important part of your life: your health care. If you ever need anything, even if it doesn’t have to do with Medicare, my phone is always on.
– Lyn Thomas
1
www.LT-ins.com
Published by The NewsletterPro • www.NewsletterPro.com
Published by The NewsletterPro • www.NewsletterPro.com
L yndon Thomas Insurance
INVEST INYOUR GRANDCHILD’S EDUCATION
Are 529 Plans Right for You?
After a fulfilling career of teaching first and second grade, Mom decided it was time to retire when she saw the grandchildren of her first students coming into kindergarten. Dad taught high school English, government, and biology for several years before getting kicked upstairs, where he spent the remainder of his career as principal. Through the years, they both had daily commutes of 35 miles or more and volunteered extensively in their community. So, I was surprised when they observed that they were busier than they had ever been in retirement. The nice thing about that busyness was that they were doing more of what they liked to do, part of which was to travel. Shortly after their retirement, for their 50th wedding anniversary, my brother and I gave them a choice of trips to take. They chose a European church history tour, visiting the Luther, Calvin, and Wesley sites in several countries of Europe. Boy, that really got them going! After that, there was a family history trip to Ireland and cruises to Alaska and through the Panama Canal. They really liked the New England fall color cruise. And all of that’s not including their many driving tours around the United Sates. Mom said in jest, “We’re spending your inheritance!” Maybe she was serious! Medicare does not pay for medical expenses outside of the U.S. Don’t leave the country without international emergency medical coverage. Medicare Advantage plans and Medicare Supplements have reimbursement coverage, but most have limits — some as low as $10,000. Cruises and group travel most likely have foreign emergency medical coverage available for purchase. If such a policy is offered by the organizer of the trip, take it. However, if you are planning travel yourself, why not let Lyndon Thomas Insurance provide you with excellent international medical travel insurance for just a few dollars a day? Add us to your trip preparation checklist. Bon voyage! Are You Prepared for International Travel Medical Expenses?
There are many strategies out there for folks who want to invest in their grandchildren’s education. Different options may be more attractive than others depending on your income bracket and the needs of your family. Traditional strategies, like life insurance policies or paying for your grandchild’s schooling directly, only work if you have the capital. Furthermore, those methods can often negatively affect how much financial aid your grandchild qualifies for. Before you commit yourself to one of these paths, it’s worth exploring a third option: 529 saving plans. 529 plans are income tax-free savings plans specially designed to help you invest in a child’s higher education. In general, these are treated favorably by financial aid assessors, meaning you won’t hurt your grandchild’s chances of receiving government grants. There are two broad types of 529 plans: college savings plans and prepaid tuition plans. SAVINGS PLANS College savings plans use one or more investment portfolios to grow your grandchild’s tuition fund. Each portfolio contains a diversified mix of investments curated by the plan’s money manager. Most plans allow you to select from a menu of portfolio options that best fit your goals and risk tolerance. Many college savings plans start aggressive and then become more conservative as your beneficiary approaches college age. The downside with these sorts of plans is that there will always be risk involved; there’s no guarantee on investment returns. PREPAID TUITION PLANS States and some private institutions have 529 plans available that let you pay for your grandchild’s tuition up front, well before they are ready to head off to college. Some plans guarantee to cover a set amount of future tuition expenses in exchange for a lump sum or payment plan. Other plans allow you to buy “units” or “credits,” which translate to a fixed percentage of an institution’s tuition. Essentially, you pay the cost of tuition today rather than what it will cost by the time your grandchild goes to college. Prepaid plans are far less risky than savings plans, but they aren’t as flexible. They often limit options to state schools or select institutions, though most plans offer some form of reimbursement option if your beneficiary decides to attend another school. College just isn’t as affordable as it used to be. Knowing your options and finding a savings strategy early in your grandchild’s life can help ensure the avenues of higher education stay open for them.
2 216-B E. Matilija St, Ojai, CA 93023 www.LT-ins.com CA# 0D96309
We Help You With Medicare.
I FORGOTMYMEDS
NO PROBLEM!
on a monthlong trip when he realized he had forgotten his blood pressure medication. They stopped in the next city at the chain outlet of their home pharmacy. Even then, it took the pharmacy almost three hours to get the proper verifications. But he got his medication, and they continued happily on their vacation!
We are all human. From time to time, things happen. Oops! I forgot to bring a medication with me on vacation. Is it possible to get a prescription filled while on vacation? Yes! Once a year, most Medicare Part D insurance providers allow a vacation override to be used. A vacation override is an exemption that will allow the plan to be billed twice within a certain period of time for the requested medications. The override can be used for multiple medications, if necessary. However, this exemption can be used only once per year. Any further medication fills beyond normal monthly refills would be paid out of pocket. Keep in mind that if you need to use the override, the pharmacy you use will be new to you, and you will be a first-time customer there. The pharmacy you use will have to verify your coverage, which could take some time.
Here’s how to use your vacation override:
1. Don’t panic, but be prepared to be patient.
2. Contact your Part D Plan Customer Service number on your ID card. Explain your situation and request guidance on receiving your vacation override. If possible, have the information in hand for the pharmacy you would like to use. 3. On the day you get your override fill, plan on your day’s schedule being slightly disrupted. After that, enjoy your vacation!
I first learned of the Part D vacation override several years ago from my father. He and my mother were 400 miles from home
SUDOKU
BACON-WRAPPED TATER TOT BOMBS
Sure, your showoff pal can wrap a tater tot with a piece of bacon and call it “The Daniel,” but you can take it a step further. Prepare a couple batches of these savory snacks for your Super Bowl party or the next family get-together. Snag a few for yourself before they disappear!
Ingredients
• • •
4 slices bacon, quartered
• •
2 cups frozen tater tots, defrosted 1 ounce sharp cheddar, cut into 1/4-inch squares
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Instructions
3. Place tots seam side down on baking sheet. Bake for 20–25 minutes, using metal tongs to turn halfway through. 4. Garnish with parsley, if desired, and serve immediately.
1. Heat oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. 2. Press a cheese square into each tot,
then wrap with a piece of bacon. Dredge each tot in brown sugar.
Solution
Recipe inspired by ThisGrandmaIsFun.com
3
CA# 0D96309
805-646-6409
Lyndon Thomas Insurance
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
PO Box 207 Ojai, CA 93024
INSIDE
CA# 0D96309 | www.LT-ins.com | 805-646-6409
2 1
My Career FromThen Till Now
Protect Your Grandchild’s Future Are You Prepared for International Travel Medical Expenses? What to DoWhen You Forget Your Meds Bring These to the Super Bowl Party
3
4
Are You Committing a Facebook Faux Pas?
BE SOCIAL MEDIA SAVVY AND STAY CONNECTED
IT’S OKAY TO HIT UNFRIEND Likewise, if you find yourself sick of Judy’s moment-by-moment updates of her dog’s kidney stone, feel free to cut ties. That might entail unfollowing (you remain friends, but no longer see their posts in your feed), unfriending, or blocking a person entirely. There’s no reason to keep in touch with someone whose very profile picture makes you angry. CHECK A SOURCE BEFORE SHARING Just because something is online, that doesn’t make it true. It’s just as easy for someone to post a lie about a celebrity or politician as it is for Judy to post about her dog. If you read a news story that gets a rise out of you, double check the facts before you hit share. Googling the article’s claims and main points will bring up similar articles — if those claims are true. This will help you determine if it’s breaking news or a big hoax. Just 10 years ago, snail mail and expensive long-distance calls were the only way to keep in touch with the people we couldn’t see every day. Thanks to social media, we can stay connected to our loved ones around the world. Now that’s something that deserves a like.
It’s time to break the bad news to your grandkids: Social media isn’t just for them. A study from the Pew Research Center found that 47 percent of baby boomers are using social media. Facebook in particular proves to be an excellent resource for adults moving through
the later stages of life. This social media platform helps keep you in touch with friends, family members who live far away, and workplace acquaintances who you don’t see during retirement. Social media can help you gather the people you want to keep in contact with in one centralized location. Here are a few things to remember for keeping your digital friendships enjoyable. SOCIAL MEDIA ISN’T A DIARY No one wants to see a feed clogged with posts from the same person. Your friends might like reading about exciting vacations or days with the grandkids, but they don’t need updates about your wait in line at the grocery store. Sharing TMI (too much information) will put you on the fast track to losing friends.
4
216-B E. Matilija St, Ojai, CA 93023
Published by The NewsletterPro • www.NewsletterPro.com
Published by The NewsletterPro •www.NewsletterPro.com
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker