LYN’S LEDGER
Lyndon Thomas Insurance
OCT 2018
We Help You With Medicare.
THE MEDICARE PROCESS IS DAUNTING
BUT IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE SCARY
I was speaking with a client the other day who is about to turn 65. She had done many hours of research but still couldn’t come to a clear decision regarding what the best option was for her. By the time she came to us, she was nervous about the process and bewildered by her options. I relate this story because I have clients who feel this way all the time. The Medicare process can be frightening due to its complexity. Many of my clients don’t know what to do, and their biggest fear is making the wrong choice. There are so many options, and it’s difficult to tell which one will be best for the future. Luckily, Medicare enrollment is a well-known process that millions complete every year. It may be confusing, but it’s not out to get you. Having a guide help you navigate the process can serve like a torch illuminating the dark and showing you the way. Providing clients with clarity is among the most valuable services I can offer, and I do that by having frank conversations. Helping clients decide on the plan that will best meet their needs involves discussion and strategy. Medicare, by its very nature, provides people the option to pay for what they need and not what they don’t. Would it be easier if it were a one-size-fits-all plan? Yes, but it would also probably be more expensive and less valuable. That’s
why it’s so important to have as much clarity as you can, whether you’re enrolling for the first time or re-enrolling.
As with many fears, the Medicare enrollment process is scariest when you let it take over your mind. Once the doubt sets in, you’re never going to feel like you’ve made the right choice. To help allay these worries, I’m happy to speak with you about your situation and the care plan that will meet your needs. There’s no getting around it; signing up for Medicare is a potentially scary process. However, the best thing you can do to eliminate that sense of trepidation is to work with an experienced agent who has your best interest at heart. Because as frightening as enrollment may seem, it’s nothing compared to the feeling you’ll have when you don’t have the coverage you need for a major surgery or necessary medication. The prospect of facing health challenges without proper coverage is scarier than any werewolf, goblin, or witch. You don’t have to face these fears alone. Let me clear the fog and bring peace of mind to your Medicare enrollment process.
–Lyn Thomas
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www.LT-ins.com
Published by The Newsletter Pro • www.NewsletterPro.com
Published by The NewsletterPro • www.NewsletterPro.com
Lyndon Thomas Insurance
HOWTO REWIND LIFE’S CLOCKUSING SOCIAL MEDIA
Medicare and its related insurance types aren’t easy to understand. The Annual Enrollment Period can be confusing for many people. I’ve been in this business for nearly 16 years, so I am able to walk people through not only their Initial Enrollment Period, but the Annual Enrollment Period as well. It is a real joy for me to wrap up an appointment or call and hear the words, “Now I understand!” I have learned that if I help people understand their health care coverage first, they have a much better experience, and the commissions take care of themselves later. If I’ve gained favor as your agent, please don’t keep me a secret this Annual Enrollment Period. Your friends and neighbors may have questions about their Medicare options. Call 805-646-6409 or visit our downtown Ojai office at 216-B E. Matilija Street (across from Rainbow Bridge). I am also available for in-home appointments. Visit our website, LT-ins.com, for a list of Annual Enrollment Sales meetings. Please Don’t Keep Me a Secret!
There’s an App for That?
MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLAN SEMINARS
One of the hardest challenges of aging isn’t coping with the physical changes or new limitations associated with getting older; it’s finding new groups of people with similar interests, especially for empty nesters. Many adults build their peer networks around their children, making them the focal point of conversations with other parents in similar situations. But as children grow older and eventually leave home, parents are forced to adjust to their dwindling social lives. While some adults thrive in meeting new people, many struggle to find ways to connect with their peers. Fortunately, there are apps for that. EASY FACEBOOK FOR SENIORS The mother ship of social media can sometimes be more of a maze than a way to connect with others. Facebook took notice of this and created a simplified version of the app specifically designed for those who want to avoid all the distractions. Ease of use makes the opportunity to connect with others who have similar interests simpler than ever. OURTIME Dating in your 50s can be tricky, especially when many singles are looking for specific requirements in a partner. Some are seeking casual relationships, while others are looking for someone to grow old with. OurTime is a dating app that allows seniors to find partners with similar values, priorities, and passions. It’s a great way to find new people to share the golden years with. SKYPE You don’t have to wait for the holidays for your next group gathering; Skype allows you the opportunity to have video chats with anyone who has a smartphone. Maybe your conversation about the football game got cut short at church, or maybe you never finished your discussion at book club. Whatever the occasion, Skype gives you the option to connect with the people around you, even when you don’t feel like leaving the comfort of your house.
PLAN
LOCATION
TIME
DAY
DATE
SCAN
Evergreen Wellness, 214 E. Matilija St., Ojai. Ojai Valley Wesleyan Church, 105 E. Topa Topa St., Ojai. Ojai Valley Wesleyan Church, 105 E. Topa Topa St., Ojai. Evergreen Wellness, 214 E. Matilija St., Ojai.
12:30 p.m.
Wed
Oct. 24
Humana
10 a.m.
Fri
Nov. 2
ARP/ United
1 p.m.
Mon
Nov. 5
Anthem
12:30 p.m.
Mon
Nov. 26
Humana
Lyndon Thomas Insurance, 216 E. Matilija St., Ojai. Lyndon Thomas Insurance, 216 E. Matilija St., Ojai.
1 p.m.
Fri
Nov. 30
SCAN
10 a.m.
Sat
Dec. 1
Humana
Evergreen Wellness, 214 E. Matilija St., Ojai.
12:30 p.m.
Mon
Dec. 3
Anthem
Ojai Valley Wesleyan Church, 105 E. Topa Topa St., Ojai.
1 p.m.
Thu
Dec. 6
Medicare Supplement plans are subject to different enrollment period guidelines. For more information on Supplements and Stand Alone Prescription Drug Programs, VISIT OUR NEWWEBSITE AT LT-INS.COM or call the office at 805-646-1586.
2 216-B E. Matilija St., Ojai, CA 93023 www.LT-ins.com CA# 0D96309
We Help You With Medicare.
CHANGE ONLY IF YOU WANT TO
1. File your ANOC and Evidence of Coverage in a safe place for reference. 2. Keep your eyes peeled for your member ID card for the New Year. 3. Move all that AEP fourth-class junk mail straight to the recycle bin. However, if the ANOC reveals changes to your current plan that inspire you to take a look at other plans available to you, then as your full-service Medicare agent, I am here to answer questions about your coverage options with other plans and to help determine your best plan for 2019. I contract with five Medicare Advantage health plans and many prescription drug programs, so I’m here to help! 4. Start getting ready for the holidays.
Oh my! 2019 is coming on fast! As the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) gets into full swing, you’ve noticed your mailbox filling up again with fourth-class mail from health insurance companies. While it may seem a bit overwhelming, there is one item of mail you really should be looking for. It’s the Annual Notice of Change from the Medicare Advantage Plan or Stand Alone Prescription Drug Program of which you are currently a member. Affectionately known as the “Ay-nok,” the ANOC notifies members of changes to their current plans for the coming year. All changes, such as the raising or lowering of premiums, co- pays, coverages, or other contract modifications, are lifted out and printed in the ANOC. Aspects of the plan not included in the ANOC remain the same for the next year. As you review the ANOC for your plan, if you decide the changes identified are manageable and you are happy to continue with the plan you’re on, then there’s nothing you need to do for your plan to continue next year. However, there are four things you may want to do.
You can reach me with questions by cell at 805-798-3245 or email at Lyn@LT-ins.com.
SUDOKU
BRUSSELS SPROUT AND KALE SALAD
Ingredients
• • •
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
• •
1 pound Brussels sprouts
1 bunch kale, destemmed and finely chopped 2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
•
Instructions
kale and Brussels sprouts and toss to coat with dressing. 4. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
1. Trim stalks off of Brussels sprouts. 2. Using a mandoline, food processor, or very sharp knife, shred Brussels sprouts very finely. 3. In a large bowl, whisk together mustard, olive oil, and lemon juice. Add
Inspired by Saveur magazine
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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
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Medicare Enrollment Fears
Turn Back Time With Social Media
Please Don’t Keep Me a Secret!
Change Only If You Want To
Brussels Sprout and Kale Salad
The Surprising Origins of Trick-or-Treating
that Samuin marked an overlapping of the realms of the living and the dead. To trick the spirits leaking into our world, young men donned flowing white costumes and black masks — a great disguise when ghosts were about. The Catholic Church was never a big fan of these pagan traditions, so they renamed it “All Saints’ Day” and gussied it up in religious garb. By the 11th century, people were dressing up as saints, angels, and the occasional demon instead of spirits. Eventually, costumed children started tearing through town begging for food and money and singing a song or prayer in return — a practice called “souling.” But when did they start dressing up as Minions? Starting in the 19th century, souling turned to “guising,” which gave way to trick-or-treating in mid-20th-century America, and the costumes diversified. So put on some clown makeup and a big smile, scoop up a handful of sweets, and scare the living daylights out of ‘em — ‘tis the season! ASKING FOR CANDY THE HISTORY OF TRICK-OR-TREATING WHY THERE ARE KIDS ON YOUR PORCH
As Halloween looms and you load up your grocery cart with candy, you may ask yourself, “Why do I provide these spooky gremlins with a sugar high every Oct. 31, anyway?” Well, when your doorbell starts ringing around 6 p.m. this All Hallows’ Eve, you can thank the Celts for this tradition of candy and costumes. Halloween itself is a kind of mishmash of four different cultural festivals of old: two Roman fêtes, which commemorated the dead and the goddess of fruit and trees (not at the same time); the Celtic Samuin or Samhain, a new year’s party thrown at the end of our summer; and the Catholic All Saint’s Day, designed to replace Samuin and divorce it from its pagan origins.
Long before there were young’uns on your porch dressed as Thanos with candy-filled pillowcases in hand, the Celts believed
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216-B E. Matilija St., Ojai, CA 93023
Published by The Newsletter Pro • www.NewsletterPro.com
Published by The NewsletterPro •www.NewsletterPro.com
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