Check out our December newsletter!
LYN’S LEDGER
Lyndon Thomas Insurance
December 2022
We Help You With Medicare.
YES, I’M A WIMP ON THE WEATHER
I comment on the weather, but I never complain about the weather in California
The Christmas season snuck up on me again. Time is passing fast enough as it is, but in the Medicare business, the Annual Enrollment Period sprint begins Oct. 15, and the next thing I know, it’s the middle of December. I just heard the old song, “I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas,” and thought to myself, “No, I’m not! I’d just settle for a wet Christmas!” We’d love a wet Christmas here in Ojai. For those readers in other states, southern California continues its decade-long drought. Brush fires are a year-round danger with the fall and winter winds intensifying the potential. So far, here in Ventura County we are grateful to be without a major brushfire, in part because the extended drought has slowed the hillside regrowth after our major fires. While I’m forever grateful for being born and raised in South Dakota, I do not miss winter there one single bit. Perhaps you’ve heard me say of Ojai, “Winter is my favorite season here because I’m not there! ” It is difficult to describe minus 45 F to a southern California native for whom “winter” might include a skiff of frost on the windshield a few mornings a year. A California 75 mph Santa Ana wind at 55 degrees F is nasty, for sure. A South Dakota 75 mph wind at minus 45 degrees F is a special (deadly) kind of cold! South Dakota summer daytime highs can reach 110 degrees! That’s a 155-degree temperature swing in just five months! Nowadays, the newer, smarter media weather people call a prolonged subzero cold spell a “polar vortex.” Ha! 40 years ago, we just called it “#*$% cold!” After 35 years away from true winter, a midwestern friend sneered that I’ve “wimped out”, as if I’m somehow not the man I used to be. No argument from me! I’m a wimp! Just down the street from our office, at our local Rexall Drug store, I regularly purchase an item or two. Dutch, the pharmacist-owner decided to retire. His 50% off of everything sale had pretty well cleared the shelves by the time I went by
to see if there were any of my items left. All gone, but I did find a few other things — at 50% off — that got me started on my Christmas shopping. Now I’m debating with myself if I’m being cheap by buying Christmas presents on sale. I believe, however, the “getting a good deal on Christmas presents is a good thing” side is winning out. If this were an online blog, I’d open a survey where you could vote. Don, a representative from the Tri-Counties Better Business Bureau, left a voice message earlier today “regarding an inquiry.” Now, I’ve never been called by the BBB before, so I wasn’t sure if this was a good thing or not. Did someone call them and file a complaint? Thinking the worst, that’s how our minds work, right? I called him back. Au contraire! Don said that in the last 2–3 months, they had received 11 inquiries regarding this Medicare insurance agent in Ojai. Nine of the 11 inquiries were generated from magazines (Thank You, Ojai Magazine, published by the Ojai Valley News). I guess that enough inbound calls to the BBB results in an outbound call to that business from the BBB rep. After Don asked several questions about our business, guess what happened? I joined the Tri- County Better Business Bureau! Which brings me around to the great gift that many of you have given to me. You’ve referred a friend or family member to LTI for help with their Medicare insurance needs. We are so grateful. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We wish you a Merry Christmas! –Lyn, Beth, Susan, and Rod (and Aaron, our IT guy!)
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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
GRANDMA BABS IS TAKING TIKTOK BY STORM!
Barbara Costello, deemed TikTok’s favorite grandma, has taken the world by storm with her cooking and lifestyle advice on the popular platform. Like most viral TikTok users, Costello “blew up” during the COVID-19 quarantine by showing users how to make easy meals at home and giving advice for making everyday living a little easier. Grandma Babs began her journey in April 2020. Her daughter, Liz Ariola, already had an established TikTok platform when she recruited her mother to start her own account. She was hesitant initially, but Grandma Babs lives by the mantra, “You’re never too old to try something new!” There was a future beyond entertainment, and Babs realized her show could also be used as a teaching tool. Grandma Babs’ first video — demonstrating how to cook a sheet-pan chicken recipe — received more than 130,000 views! The recipes she has collected throughout the decades from family, friends, magazines, and even newspapers have benefited many people. But since her recipe box can’t supply TikTok content forever, she began expanding her repertoire. Cooking Up Food for the Soul
She has posted many simple life-hack videos along with some wise grandmotherly advice. Grandma Babs’ fanbase ranges between 20–40-year-olds, and fans have found comfort in her presence as many couldn’t see their relatives during the quarantines of the past two years. She continues to use her TikTok platform to help people, but now she is on TV, too — like “Good Morning America” and “Access Hollywood.” TikTok has taken Grandma Babs to a celebrity status that has transitioned well from the phone screen to the television screen. Her most popular post to date has been an overnight breakfast casserole that caught the attention of Drew Barrymore, who then invited Costello to her show! So, what’s in store for Grandma Babs? She may be 72 years old, but her trajectory on the popular platform suggests she may host her own cooking show someday! But, she’s in no rush and would prefer her career to evolve naturally. She still enjoys her time on TikTok and plans to stay on as long as her content continues to help others.
By now, you’ve likely received news from Medicare or other sources that the Medicare Part B premium is actually going down next year! Now, this is unusual if not unprecedented. Don’t the Medicare numbers (Part B premium, Part B Annual Deductible, Part A Hospital Deductible) go up every year? So, what happened? Especially in this time of crunching inflation, why would Medicare lower the Part B premium and Part B Annual Deductible? Here’s what happened. In 2021, Medicare gave preliminary approval to cover an emerging Alzheimer’s drug called Aduhelm from Biogen to be covered by Part B at a projected cost of $56,000 per person per year, with program costs projections of $100 billion to as high as $400 billion. Before the Aduhelm approval decision, the 2022 Part B premium had been set at $158.50. Then in November 2021, in anticipation of those increased costs, the Medicare Trustees raised the 2022 Part B premium to $170.10 to jack up cash flow. WELL, HOW ABOUT THAT!
Then in mid-2022, Medicare decided NOT to cover Aduhelm. Even though Biogen cut the cost to $28,000, it simply didn’t prove to be effective. In the nearest thing to “oops!” you will ever see, or a government agency admitting they made a mistake, the 2023 Part B premium was reset down to $164.90, which is right where the 2023 premium would have been if they hadn’t messed with 2022. And you know you’re not getting any of the extra 2022 premium back! Social Security beneficiaries will, however, enjoy their 8.7% Cost of Living Allowance increase! Happy New Year!
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CA# 0D96309
1211 Maricopa Hwy, Ste 222, Ojai, CA 93023
www.LT-ins.com
We Help You With Medicare.
THE MEDICARE NUMBERS FOR 2023 You may have already seen the 2023 updates, but we’d like to make sure you have them. The adjoining article covers the reason for the Part B premium decrease.
ORIGINAL MEDICARE Part A Hospital Deductible, days 1-60 Part A Hospital copay, days 61-90 Part A Hospital copay, days 91-150 Part A Skilled Nursing (Inpatient) Coinsurance Other Part A benefits, In-Home Skilled Nursing and Hospice Part B Premium Part B Annual Deductible Part B Coinsurance for
2022 $1,556
2023 $1,600
$389 per day $778 per day
$400 per day $800 per day $0 days 1-20 $200 days 21-100 $0
For those with MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT POLICIES (and the accompanying age-related premium increases), these out-of-pocket costs or “gaps” are nearly or completely eliminated, depending on the Supplement plan owned. The Part D Prescription Drug Program is a separate purchase. For those with MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLANS (with premiums as low as $0 per month), these Medicare amounts are replaced with the copays offered by each plan for that year. In most cases, these copays are less than the Original Medicare amounts listed here, even as low as $0. Network pre-authorizations are usually required. Further, Advantage plans have an out-of-pocket maximum limit, which Original Medicare does not have. The Part D Prescription Drug Program is usually a “build-in” part of the Advantage plan. That’s 2023 in a nutshell. Never hesitate to call Lyndon Thomas Insurance with any questions about Medicare or your plan.
$0 days 1-20 $194.50 days 21-100 $0
$170.10 $233 20%
$164.90 $226 20%
other physician and out-patient services
SUDOKU
NO-BAKE PEANUT BUTTER SNOWBALLS
Ingredients
• •
1 cup powdered sugar
• •
3 tbsp softened butter
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 lb white chocolate candy coating
1. Line a cookie sheet with parchment or wax paper. 2. In a medium bowl, combine powdered sugar, peanut butter, and softened butter. Mix until evenly combined. 3. Shape the mixture into 1-inch balls and place them on the lined cookie sheet. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or until firm. 4. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt white chocolate candy coating in increments of 30 seconds, stirring occasionally until smooth. 5. In the same bowl, use skewers to dip peanut butter balls into the chocolate before placing them on a lined cookie sheet so they can harden. 6. Chill until ready and then serve! Directions
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CA# 0D96309
805-646-6409
Inspired by TheFoodieAffair.com
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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I Know What Nasty Weather Is
TikTok’s Grandma Babs’ Advice and Recipes Bring Comfort
Well, How About That!
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The Medicare Numbers for 2023
No-Bake Peanut Butter Snowballs These Bugs Love Takeout Containers
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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.
THESE ‘SUPERWORMS’ COULD SAVE OUR PLANET
MEET THE BUGS WITH A TASTE FOR PLASTIC
Hundreds of years after you die and decompose, the Styrofoam takeout containers you used for last night’s Thai food will still linger in the landfill. Scientists estimate it takes thousands of years for Styrofoam (aka polystyrene) to break down when buried under other trash. Even in direct sunlight, the process takes decades! This is a huge pollution problem — but a tiny bug may be able to solve it. On the other side of the globe, at the University of Queensland in Australia, researchers are keeping a tank full of pets that may save us all from our plastic waste: Zophobas morio , aka the “giant mealworm” or “superworm.” In the wild, superworms are scavengers that will munch on anything from animals to apples. But in captivity, researchers have found another food they love: Styrofoam.
Science Daily. “The breakdown products from this reaction can then be used by other microbes to create high-value compounds such as bioplastics.” Not only did the worms in the Queensland study eat the Styrofoam, but they actually gained weight from a healthy diet of takeout containers. Their ability to digest plastic is likely thanks to the gut bacteria Dr. Rinke mentioned. If we can grow and control these bacteria, we may be able to set it loose in landfills and turn our trash into something more useful. Superworms haven’t saved us yet — in fact, we usually use the 2-inch brown bugs as food for pet lizards and birds — but it’s about time we put their true potential to work. Fortunately, scientists like Dr. Rinke are on the case. “Our team is very excited to push the science to make it happen,” he said.
“Superworms are like mini recycling plants, shredding the polystyrene with their mouths and then feeding it
To see the superworms in action, head to YouTube.com and search “superworm plastic.”
to the bacteria in their gut,” Dr. Chris Rinke, the leader of the superworm experiment at the University of Queensland, told
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1211 Maricopa Hwy, Ste 222, Ojai, CA 93023
Published by The Newsletter Pro • www.NewsletterPro.com
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