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LYN’S LEDGER
Lyndon Thomas Insurance Agency
We Help You With Medicare Plans.
April 2024
Cautiously Hopeful
All. Day. Long. Readers of Lyn’s Ledger receive many Medicare insurance-related phone calls every day. In our March Ledger, I recounted that now, as a 64-year-old nearing my entry to Medicare, I get 5–10 marketing calls a day. In self-defense, I just don’t answer my cellphone anymore. Some of these incoming calls to my business cellphone spoof our local area code, 805, and even our local landline exchange, 646. So, if you call my cellphone, I probably won’t answer. Leave a message and I’ll call back. (Better yet, call our office at 805-646-6409). Your experience may be similar. Some Medicare-aged people get hundreds of calls a month. But help may be just around the corner! Medicare just issued its 2025 Final Rule last week. Let’s define a few terms before I explain what may actually be a pleasant surprise for Medicare beneficiaries. • “CMS” is the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which is the Medicare Administration. • “FCC” is the Federal Communication Commission, the agency regulating the telephone industry. • “FTC” is the Federal Trade Commission, the agency that protects consumers. • “TPMOs” are Third-Party Marketing Organizations. They are companies that buy and sell consumer contact information for marketing purposes, which results in your getting all those phone calls. A bit more background first. Medicare covers a portion, but not all medical expenses, hence the need for private insurance to protect a retiree’s financial well-being. There are now over 64 million people in Medicare, so this is one of the largest market demographics in the country. Getting in touch with people is a big deal! Telephone calls and emails are the most cost-effective means for insurance companies and brokerages marketing private plans to contact people. TPMOs turn telephone calls into leads that are sold to insurance companies and brokers. Hence, all the telephone calls, even to the point of offensive nuisance. Troutman Amin, LLP is a law firm working in this area, and their website, TCPAworld.com, states:
“CMS issued its 2025 Medicare Advantage and Part D Final Rule, which, among other new rules, includes heightened marketing rules that align with the FCC’s Second Report and Order requiring ‘one-to-one’ prior express written consent to transfer consumer personal data to marketing partners . “As a result, CMS is requiring TPMOs to obtain prior express written consent from the Medicare enrollee and is implementing a ‘one-to-one consent structure where TPMOs must obtain prior express written consent through a clear and conspicuous disclosure for each TPMO that will be receiving the beneficiary’s data.’ CMS points to the FTC’s guidance of ‘clear and conspicuous’ and encourages TPMOs to rely on the FTC’s numerous examples and guides. These new provisions are designed to address the complaints received by CMS from beneficiaries regarding unwanted phone and email solicitations, the CMS rule states. “Importantly, CMS also further heightens its new final rule by requiring TPMOs to obtain prior express written consent EVEN when dialing manually: “In addition, this rule will prevent the sharing of personal beneficiary data with another TPMO unless
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Lyndon Thomas Insurance
4 MEANINGFUL PURSUITS TO EXPLORE AFTER RETIREMENT
Retirement is the end goal after decades spent working and saving. Once reached, a common question retirees ask is, “Now what?” There’s a massive gap in your schedule now, and there are countless things you can fill the time with. So, here are four big ideas you can use to take advantage of your newfound freedom.
highly discounted rates. Some colleges allow seniors to audit their courses at little to no cost with a tuition waiver. Lifelong learning also helps reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia. So, if you worry about these diseases, continuous learning is one of the best
defenses you can have. No. 3 Help and Advocate
Many retirees find purpose through volunteering. Many organizations need a hand, like food banks, soup kitchens, and animal shelters. Giving them some of your time allows you to support your community, further a cause, and even save lives. Volunteer work also connects you with like-minded people, ensuring you make friends with people who share your values. No. 4 Retire a Little Less Some retirees miss the purpose that work gives (as well as the income). Many jobs also keep you on your feet and active. If you count yourself among them, consider picking up a part-time job. Roles like delivery driver, substitute teacher, and dog walker allow you to line your pockets while meeting people. Retirement is not just the end of work — it’s the start of leisure. You can do and experience many things, from seeing the Mona Lisa to volunteering at an animal shelter. It’s time to take advantage of retirement and seize every opportunity. “Prior express written consent” will likely include clicking a link on a website, and “a clear and conspicuous disclosure” will hopefully be clear and conspicuous enough to be seen. I am unsure what, if any, effect this rule will have on email marketing, but it may result in MORE email! Lyndon Thomas Insurance is a local insurance agency working in Ventura County. We do not cold call. We do not buy leads. We have no contact with TPMOs that make telephone calls. We work in our local community and rely on referrals, local print advertising, and some online marketing. Our clients in 17 other states are current clients or referrals. We rely on and greatly value referrals. If we have earned your business and trust, please tell others about us. Just this week, for the first time in 25 years, our local reservoir, Lake Casitas, filled to 100% capacity and crested the spillway. So, maybe we can have hope for fewer marketing calls! –Lyn Thomas
No. 1 See the World The world is a vast and beautiful place, and now that you don’t have obligations tying you down, you can finally get out there and see everything on your bucket list. If you ever wanted to experience the breathtaking size of the Grand Canyon or dreamt of dining at French cafes by the Seine River in Paris, then retirement is the perfect opportunity to go on those adventures. No. 2 Never Stop Learning Be a lifelong learner. If you’ve always wanted to explore your interests through education but couldn’t fit it into your schedule, now you can. There are courses available online and in person. Many classes specialize in educating seniors, while others offer
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expressly authorized by the beneficiary, which means beneficiaries will not be called by TPMOs with whom they have not given permission to be called, even when the new FCC rule does not apply (i.e., a manually dialed phone call).” A few comments from Lyn. We welcome this new rule. Not only do we hope you receive fewer unwanted calls, but we also hope the large, nationwide brokerages will take better care of the Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in the plans they sold to them. Most of the Medicare plan marketing phone calls originate from outside the U.S. and come ashore over the internet, using Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP). I am unsure if the new FCC-aligned CMS regulation will hinder these foreign-originated calls. However, if CMS enforces the new rule and, for example, takes the next step of requiring that the “prior express written consent from the Medicare enrollee” be attached to each beneficiary’s Medicare plan enrollment, with penalties for not documenting such “prior express written consent,” then progress may be made. I am hopeful.
2 1211 Maricopa Hwy, Ste 222, Ojai, CA 93023
CA# 0D96309
We Help You With Medicare.
Haven’t set up a Living Trust? Now is your opportunity. We know that 50% of all seniors who need a Trust don’t have one! CONSIDER A LIVING TRUST In last month’s Ledger, our article, Asset Distribution Done Right, touched on, among other topics, setting up a Living Trust. A Living Trust is a personalized private legal document that fulfills your wishes beyond your passing. Without one, your family will have Probate Court to contend with. Including the home in a $1 million open-to-the-public probate in California will currently cost your family $23,000 in probate fees. It is a vital and generous gift for your family to own a Living Trust. The good news is that you’ll never step into an attorney’s office and pay exorbitant fees. Give us a call at 805-646-6409. Our agency has the experience and resources to help with this challenge. Our experienced and trusted partner, John Roberts, can provide the needed information to assist you with getting a Living Trust in place. Give us a call today. Your kids will thank you!
SUDOKU
GRILLED STEAK WITH CHIMICHURRI SAUCE
Ingredients
For the chimichurri sauce: •
• • •
Juice of 1 lemon 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp red pepper flakes Salt and pepper, to taste
•
2 lbs steak (flank, sirloin, or skirt steak)
1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• •
2 tbsp olive oil Salt and pepper, to taste
•
•
2 cloves garlic, minced
Directions
1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. 2. Rub the steak with the olive oil, salt, and pepper.
3. Grill the steak for 4–5 minutes per side or until it reaches desired doneness. 4. Meanwhile, make the chimichurri sauce: In a small bowl, mix together the parsley, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper. 5. Let the steak rest for 5 minutes before slicing. 6. Serve the steak with the chimichurri sauce and enjoy!
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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
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Cautiously Hopeful
How to Flourish in Your Retirement Years
Consider a Living Trust Grilled Steak With Chimichurri Sauce
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Tackle Spring-Cleaning With a Week-by-Week Plan
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.
YOUR 4-WEEK SPRING-CLEANING CALENDAR
Spring-cleaning can be overwhelming. From the kitchen counter to the ceiling fan, there’s a lot of ground to cover. But there’s a trick to make it easier: Breaking down the work into quick, doable tasks spread over four weeks. First Week: The Living Room
countertops and the cabinets. Clean out the microwave and wipe down any other countertop appliances. Congratulations, week two is over! Third Week: The Bathroom
You’ll want to begin by removing the grime from the showerhead and sanitizing the curtain. The curtain can be scrubbed and air-dried in the sun. For the toilets, get under the rim with a toilet brush and give the much-ignored back some love, too. Now that the toilet’s shining, it is the perfect opportunity to get the floor. Take a little extra time to get the baseboards. Fourth Week: The Bedroom Clean the bedrooms from top to bottom. Now is a good time to wash your pillows and air-dry them. Bedroom ceiling fans can build up a lot of gunk over the winter. An easy way to clean them is by pulling
The start of every journey begins with a single step, and that step is acquiring and prepping supplies. Wash out buckets, empty vacuum bags, throw microfiber cloths in the wash, clean mops, and shake out brooms. Next, it’s time to clean the light fixtures. Use a microfiber cloth to wipe away dust and debris. Then dunk the cloth in soapy water, wring it out, and scrub the light fixture covering the bulb until it shines — just make sure you turn the lights off first. Once you’ve finished the lights, head to the
bookshelves. Dust the tops and wipe down the sides. Make sure to wipe down any pictures or framed art on the wall. Lastly, move the furniture and vacuum underneath. Second Week: The Kitchen Clean the dishwasher filter first. Devote the next two days to getting the stove to sparkle, including ridding the vent of grease. Wipe down the
a pillowcase around the blades and pulling them back. Next, polish any wood furniture. Thoroughly clean the windows with glass cleaner or a homemade mixture of vinegar and water, and remember to clean the window tracks. Lastly, test the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
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1211 Maricopa Hwy, Ste 222, Ojai, CA 93023
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