LYN’S LEDGER
Lyndon Thomas Insurance
May 2019
We Help You With Medicare.
WORDS TO LIVE BY
REMEMBERINGMYMOTHER
• Consider how hard it is to change yourself, and you will understand what little chance you have of trying to change anyone else. • Walk your dog twice a day — whether or not you have a dog. • Christ did not come to do away with suffering, nor did He come to explain it. He came to simply fill it with His presence. • Listening, not imitation, may be the sincerest form of flattery. • No one can help another without helping themselves. • Life is all about how you handle Plan B. • Begin the day with prayer; end the day with praise. • A brook would lose its song if the rocks were removed. • Even if I have pains, I don’t need to be one. • Unexpected kindness is the most powerful, least costly, and most underrated agent of human change. One entry she included twice, which was an essential fact and a basic practice of her life, was this: “Christ is the center of our moral and spiritual universe. We must take time daily to reorient ourselves to Him.” Mom is deeply missed by everyone who knew her. She leaves a legacy of love and faith. She gave much more than she received to everyone she knew.
After battling Parkinson’s Disease for nearly six years, my mother passed away on March 30, one month shy of her 91st birthday. But battle this dreaded disease she did, with her trademark faith and good cheer. Her deep faith in God and a strong support network sustained her, even as her physical strength — and eventually her cognition — failed. My mother also drew from the wisdom and insight of others. She kept a small notebook of wise sayings that she reviewed often to instruct herself and feed her mind, heart, and soul. As simple words, these proverbs supported a spiritual and emotional operating system that helped her keep perspective as the years passed and as Parkinson’s continued its long, slow robbery. • Inside of an old person is a young person wondering what happened! • As soon as you feel too old to do something, do it. • Give a compliment as soon as you think of it. • While one cannot choose their own circumstances, they are free to choose in those circumstances. • We secure our friends not by accepting favors, but by doing them. • Holding a grudge is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. • If “if’s,” “and’s,” and “but’s” were candy and nuts, we’d all have a Merry Christmas! • Either we control our attitudes or our attitudes control us. I’ll let her speak for the next few moments: • Everything takes longer than it does.
Many of my readers have walked the road of loss ahead of me. I am grateful for your thoughts and prayers.
–Lyn Thomas www.LT-ins.com
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Lyndon Thomas Insurance
CLUBS: NOT JUST FOR HIGH SCHOOL The Best Way to Stay Active in Retirement
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While it’s great not having your nose to the grindstone nine- to-five, leaving work also means leaving behind a lot of daily activities and social interaction. Eventually, having nothing but free time goes from relaxing to isolating, and that can be dangerous to your physical and mental health. When planning for retirement, it’s important to plan ways to stay active and engaged. Joining a new organization or club can be a huge benefit. Here are a few suggestions to help you stay active in retirement. ENJOY YOUR HOBBIES Did you spend years dreaming about hitting the golf course every day? While it can be nice to spend some time alone on the green, consider joining a golfers club if you want to mix things up. Enjoy scrapbooking? Check for get-togethers at the craft shop. If you’ve always wanted to try pottery, look for a class at the rec center. It’s easy to find groups dedicated to just about any activity. GET INVOLVED Think of the causes you’re passionate about and get involved! Animal shelters and soup kitchens are always looking for volunteer help. Book lovers of all ages can join their local Friends of Libraries chapter. To make a difference through politics, help with fundraisers or join an active campaign. If you want to stay closer to home, check out your local homeowners association. There are plenty of ways to engage with like-minded people while making a difference. TRY SOMETHING NEW Don’t know where to start when looking for a group to join? Start online! Try searching “groups for retirees” and see what comes up. You might discover a travel group and start planning your trip to Asia. Or maybe you’ll have more fun mentoring young people in your professional field. Don’t be afraid to spend your retirement doing something new! There’s nothing wrong with enjoying your alone time, but don’t let your alone time turn into a lonely retirement. Joining a group can help you broaden your social circle, stay active, and maybe even learn something new about yourself.
NEWSLETTER FEEDBACK
SEND US YOUR MEDICARE QUESTIONS.
Send us your Medicare questions. If you have a Medicare or Medicare coverage question you would like Lyn to answer, let us know! Email or text us your questions, and we’ll answer them in an upcoming edition. LYN’S LEDGER IS ALSO AVAILABLE THROUGH EMAIL IN HTML FORMAT. If you would prefer to receive Lyn’s Ledger in this way, text “Electronic” to 805-798-3245 or email Lyn@LT-ins.com with your name and “Electronic” in the subject line.
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN OJAI VALLEY? The Ojai Community Chorus recently presented their Spring Concert, to the immense enjoyment of everyone who was there. The OCC is always open to new members. Now is a great time to join. If you’d like to exercise your pipes and help make some beautiful music, the Holiday Concert will be in early December, with rehearsals beginning in September. Why not give it a go?!
Visit OjaiChorus.wordpress.com for more information.
2 216-B E. Matilija St., Ojai, CA 93023 www.LT-ins.com CA# 0D96309
We Help You With Medicare.
MEDICARE POLICY PREMIUMS
MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT CORNER: SUPPLEMENT PLAN PREMIUM INCREASES
MEDICARE ADVANTAGE CORNER: EMERGENCY ROOM CHARGES
While Medicare Advantage plan premiums are the same for everyone and may change once a year, there are three ways that Medicare Supplement premiums may increase each year. 1. Premium Discounts Expire For example, a Supplement plan may offer a “new to Medicare” premium discount, which expires after the first year.
In an earlier issue of Lyn’s Ledger, we discussed why a Medicare beneficiary who receives emergency ground transportation or ambulance services should never pay — and is not responsible for — the full ambulance bill. In a similar fashion, anyone who is a Medicare Advantage plan member should only pay the emergency room copay for the plan they are on, not any other charges they may receive. In some hospitals, the ER physicians provide services and bill through a separate contracting agency, and sometimes a bill is sent directly to the patient for their services. This is confusing and unnecessary. Medicare Advantage members who receive emergency room services and then return home are responsible only for the plan- specific ER copay, which generally runs between $50–$90, depending on the plan. If ER services are received, followed by a hospital admission, the ER services are then considered part of the in-patient hospital stay, with no separate billing.
2. Age Ratings On the policyholder’s birthday or policy anniversary date, there may be an increase in premium.
3. General Rates Increase Subject to approval by the state Department of Insurance, the premium for everyone of all ages on a specific Supplement plan may be increased. Some companies’ premiums are better by comparison for those in their 60s, but for those in their 70s, other plans’ premiums may be more favorable. Contact Lyndon Thomas Insurance for a no-cost Supplement plan review if premium increases are starting to get to your pocketbook or if you have questions about your Medicare Supplement policy.
SUDOKU
SHRIMP SAUSAGE SKEWERS
1. Heat your grill to medium-high. 2. In a bowl, combine all ingredients for creole seasoning. 3. In a large bowl, combine the shrimp, zucchini pieces, and sausage pieces, and cover them with the olive oil. 4. Add creole seasoning and mix well until all ingredients are covered. 5. Load up skewers with alternating pieces of shrimp, sausage, and zucchini until they’re full. 6. Grill skewers until shrimp are well-cooked (6–8 minutes). Instructions
Ingredients
•
1/2 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 pound cooked sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces • 2 zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch cubes • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil • Wooden skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes Creole Seasoning Ingredients • 2 tablespoons paprika • 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder • 1/2 tablespoon onion powder • 1/2 tablespoon cayenne or chili powder • 1/4 tablespoon dried oregano • 1/4 tablespoon dried thyme
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CA# 0D96309
805-646-6409
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Lyndon Thomas Insurance
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
PO Box 207 Ojai, CA 93024
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Remembering My Mother
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Medicare Policy Premiums
Shrimp Sausage Skewers
Genealogy Sites Provide Breakthroughs in Cold Cases
THE REVOLUTION IN FORENSIC SCIENCE CONTINUES TO CAPTIVATE THE MASSES GENEALOGY SITES AND THE WARMING OF COLD CASES
offenders. The most famous recent case is the successful apprehension of Joseph James DeAngelo, otherwise known as the Golden State Killer. After 13 murders and dozens of assaults, he was finally brought to justice after investigators matched his DNA to the evidence found at the crime scenes. They gained access to his DNA from the personal genomics site GEDmatch. Although access to the data of popular sites like 23andMe and Ancestry.com is restricted to its customers, law enforcement agencies successfully subpoenaed the companies to hand over the requested data. With the ability to theoretically solve any crime with preserved DNA, law enforcement and websleuths alike are foaming at the mouth at the possibilities genealogy testing has to offer. If only we’d preserved some of Jack the Ripper’s DNA!
We’ve come a long way in the field of forensic science since 1986, when DNA was first used to convict someone in court. In 2019, criminals who would have gotten away with their crimes in the past are now put behind bars where they belong. The advent of genealogy testing has been thrust into the spotlight with high- profile cases that were solved by sequestering information from sites like 23andMe and Ancestry.com. With this revolution in DNA testing on the rise, there’s really no end to the impossible- to-solve cold cases that can finally be put to rest. Whatever the motivation was behind genealogy sites in the beginning, they’re now some of the most sought-after databases in the world and are worth billions for their collection of the most personal consumer data in existence. Using these websites’ data, investigators can make DNA matches with potential
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216-B E. Matilija St., Ojai, CA 93023
Published by The Newsletter Pro • www.NewsletterPro.com
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