Check out our March newsletter!
LYN’S LEDGER
Lyndon Thomas Insurance
March 2024
We Help You With Medicare.
Now It’s My Turn!
I’ve been hearing about it for years, but now it’s happening to me. The phone calls, the endless phone calls, and the fourth- class mail. I hit the big 6-5 this August; I’m an August “age-in” to Medicare. Now it’s my turn. Most readers of Lyn’s Ledger are all too familiar with the marketing calls and are probably smiling as you know what I’m going through now. The baby boomer generation is in its last five years (those born 1945 to 1964) of entering Medicare and continues to turn 65 at the rate of 10,000 per day. Some estimates are as high as 12,000 per day. So, the market continues to grow and become more competitive. There are more Supplement plans and Medicare Advantage plans available than in past years, but interestingly, slightly fewer stand-alone Prescription Drug Programs. Calls from telephone numbers I don’t recognize are usually ignored, but in a weak moment just this morning, somebody got lucky and I answered the call. The fast-talking guy on the other end immediately asked if I wanted to know about all the extra benefits that could go along with my Medicare. Extra benefits. Extra benefits! This so-and-so was cold-calling me to market a Medicare Advantage plan! Extra benefits go with Medicare Advantage plans! For any licensed insurance agent to sell a Medicare Advantage plan or a Part D Prescription Drug program, the completion of an annual federal certification and an accompanying annual certification is required for every company whose plans they represent. Here at LTI, this translates to 13 certifications for each of us, each one including a Marketing Guidelines module stating many times unequivocally that outbound telephone calls and texts (cold-calling!) to Medicare beneficiaries for marketing Advantage plans are expressly forbidden. This certification requirement applies not only to agents selling in direct contact with Medicare beneficiaries but also to the managers and principals in marketing agencies. Everyone knows the marketing rules. Now, two or three other times when I’ve challenged the telemarketer on their non-compliant marketing, they’ve hung up on me. The fast-talking guy this morning had the gall to start
arguing with me! So, I told him to read his Medicare marketing guidelines and
hung up on him. I was heading out the door to a local event where I would be talking with Medicare beneficiaries face-to-face, not cold-calling them on the telephone!
The governing legislation for telemarketing continues to be the 1992 Telecommunications Act, which could not have envisioned voice-over-internet-protocol technology. Many of these calls come into the U.S. over the internet, so they are largely unregulated. Significant action to limit such non-compliant calling is unlikely any time soon as Medicare looks at the Federal Communications Commission, which looks at the Commerce Department, and nothing gets done. However, the Federal Trade Commission is currently working on some rules that may bring some changes to telemarketing as a whole. We’ll see. We grew up using the lowly dial-tone telephone for personal and business calls that we controlled. And we mailed in our order to the Sears catalog. The answering machine introduced the beauty of call screening. Today, technology has transformed the telephone into a multibillion-dollar highway to our pocketbooks. The voice mail function on our cellphones is a great call-screening tool. I just need to delete old voicemails once in a while. Here at LTI, we market our services using mail, website, and social media. But we don’t make cold calls. We don’t need to. Word of mouth is our most effective marketing strategy. We take care of you, and you take care of us. That’s a little bit of “old-fashioned” we believe is still in style.
For those of us here at Lyndon Thomas Insurance, thank you for the opportunity to assist you with your Medicare plan needs.
We are blessed!
–Lyn Thomas
1
www.LT-ins.com
Published by Newsletter Pro • www.NewsletterPro.com
Lyndon Thomas Insurance
UNLOCKING THE SECRETS OF NATURAL REST TUNE IN TO YOUR BODY’S CLOCK
When we lie down and settle into sleep, our brain starts descending from the conscious realm into the soothing arms of slumber. As you drift off, your brain activity decelerates, your body temperature dips, and muscles relax. This phase, known as light sleep, makes up about half of our total sleep time. As the night progresses, we enter the deep sleep stage. Here, our body’s muscle tone and heartbeat find their calmest rhythm while the brain’s activity shifts to delta waves. It’s like a restorative elixir flowing through you, bolstering your immune system and mending the day’s wear and tear. Deep sleep is pivotal in cementing memories and contributes to creativity and insightful thinking. Then, we enter the famous REM sleep, when our brain activity escalates. It is the stage responsible for our most vivid dreams and a fountain of learning and creativity. To enter REM sleep, we must be asleep for at least 90 minutes to cycle through light to deep sleep. Once we are in it, REM can last for about 90 minutes. If we wake up naturally from the light sleep stage, we feel refreshed and rejuvenated. A clock alarm, though, doesn’t know which sleep stage we are in, so it may wake us when we are in the deep sleep stage. Being abruptly awoken in this state leaves us disoriented and groggy. It creates sleep inertia, an uncomfortable stage that can put us in a bad mood when we first wake up.
Our bodies are not designed to wake up during deep sleep. Cortisol, our natural
energy hormone, is like a slow-release pill crafted by nature. Levels decrease as we get ready to go to bed and rise when it is time to wake up. If the alarm disrupts the natural sleep cycle, waking us before the cortisol surge, we feel out of sorts.
Our brains and bodies are designed to balance our well-being. When we respect its natural rhythms, we enhance our mood, boost our cognitive abilities, and nurture our overall health. Each night is a new opportunity to reconnect with your body’s innate wisdom and wake up to a more vibrant and harmonious life. So tonight, when you lay your head on the pillow, listen to the whisper of your internal clock and embrace your natural sleep patterns. Sweet dreams and sweeter morning awakenings are ahead if you do.
Keeping Costs Down — An Annual Reminder
If you have Medicare and have an ambulance ride, while you may receive an invoice for the full amount, never pay the full amount billed! In the event of a medical emergency transport, the EMT staff might not get a copy of your insurance cards. Their job is to get your broken leg or heart attack to the hospital ASAP! Taking the time to get your insurance information may be a dangerous delay. So, they take your name and address and send you a bill for the full amount. Here is the important part: Even though the bill may be for the full amount, several thousand dollars, you are responsible ONLY for a portion of that cost based on how you are using Medicare. Here’s the breakdown:
•
Medicare Only: You are responsible for 20% of the bill after you pay the annual Part B deductible ($240 in 2024). Action to Take: Give the provider your Medicare number and pay the 20% to the provider. Medicare Plus a Supplement Plan: Supplement F pays the annual deductible and the 20%; you pay nothing. Supplements G and N pay the full balance of the ambulance bill after you pay the annual Part B deductible. Action to Take : Send your Medicare and supplement plan information to the ambulance company. They will send the claim to Medicare, which also sends the claim to the supplement company. Send no money unless you have not paid the Part B deductible for the year.
•
Medicare Advantage Plan: You pay only the emergency transportation/ ambulance copay for the plan of which you are a member. Action to Take: Pay the copay to the provider, then call the health plan member service number on your ID card and ask them to take care of it from there. Most Advantage plan ambulance copays are less than $300.
•
Having to take a ride in an ambulance is bad enough! Don’t pay more than you need to! As explained here, the out-of-pocket amount with Medicare and a plan range from $0 to less than $300, not several thousand! If you have questions about this or other Medicare-related questions, don’t hesitate to contact us.
2 1211 Maricopa Hwy, Ste 222, Ojai, CA 93023
CA# 0D96309
We Help You With Medicare.
KNOW YOUR OPTIONS TO HELP PROTECT BENEFICIARIES ASSET DISTRIBUTION DONE RIGHT
Discussions about inheritances are often delicate. However, the goal is to consider the unique circumstances of your children or other beneficiaries. You want to provide for loved ones without offending anyone in the process, yet some are more responsible with money than others, and you want to help them make the most of their inheritance. Here are a few suggestions to set your family up for success after you pass. No-Contest Clauses Employing a no-contest clause in your will can eliminate any potential in-fighting or contention to break away from your wishes. It automatically disinherits any contentious family members. If you know your kids enjoy bickering, then adding this no-contest clause puts them on notice to leave their bickering aside, especially in court. Preventing a long, drawn-out court mess is a surefire way to take care of your family. It’s an easily added clause; you just have to choose to include it. A Living Trust Establishing a living trust is one way to delineate how you want your assets to be distributed after you pass, and you can revoke or change it at any time while you’re still around. You can set up a few different ways for the successor trustee to distribute assets
from the trust, depending on your family circumstances: outright distributions, staggered, or discretionary. An outright distribution means beneficiaries receive assets without any protections — but an irresponsible recipient might squander the inheritance very quickly. The staggered distribution allows you to set the rules about how and when funds will be distributed or if any triggering events will play a role (turning 18, marriage, etc.). The last option is to give your successor trustee discretionary power to distribute assets — they will decide when and what a beneficiary will receive. Choosing the Right Trustee Whichever distribution option you choose, selecting the right person or entity to be your trustee (an individual, a private fiduciary, or a bank) is crucial. They should be trustworthy and fair, especially if you grant them discretionary power. They’ll be in charge of making sure your assets are distributed according to your wishes — and their best judgment. Being firm in your care for others won’t make you the villain. Thankfully, you can share your legacy and assets according to your best judgment and discretion. You have several options and tools — just remember, you know your children best.
ST. PADDY’S IRISH SODA BREAD
Inspired by Epicurious.com
Ingredients
Directions
•
Nonstick vegetable oil spray 2 cups all-purpose flour, extra for dusting 5 tbsp sugar, divided 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp kosher salt 3/4 tsp baking soda 3 tbsp chilled unsalted butter, cubed
1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Coat an 8-inch round cake pan with nonstick spray. 2. In a bowl, whisk together flour, 4 tbsp sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Cut butter into the mixture with your fingers or a pastry knife until crumbly. Make a well in the center and pour in buttermilk. Gradually mix until dough comes together. Mix in raisins. 3. Using floured hands, form dough into a ball and transfer to pan. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tbsp sugar. 4. Bake bread for about 40–45 minutes or until golden brown and a tester stick comes out clean. Let bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then enjoy!
•
• •
• • •
SUDOKU
• •
1 cup buttermilk 2/3 cup raisins
3 www.LT-ins.com
Published by Newsletter Pro • www.NewsletterPro.com
Lyndon Thomas Insurance
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
P.O. Box 207 Ojai, CA 93024
INSIDE
CA# 0D96309 | www.LT-ins.com | 805-646-6409
2 1 3 4
Now It’s My Turn!
Ensure Your Assets Are Distributed Wisely Keeping Costs Down — An Annual Reminder
Embrace Your Sleep Cycle St. Paddy’s Irish Soda Bread
Bring Color and Joy to Your Garden
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.
GROW YOUR GREEN THUMB THIS SPRING
Spring is in the air; the chirping birds and warm air call you outdoors. It’s the perfect time to start your garden. Even as a beginning gardener, you can find plants and flowers to bring you joy throughout the summer. Carrots and radishes are quick, easy, and grow well in most areas. Carrots are versatile veggies great for snacking and cooking; even your dogs will love them! They need to be planted early, though, as they take about three months to germinate. Radishes are cool-season vegetables you can start indoors and plant outside after the last frost. Other vegetables can also be started from seed indoors in late February to early March. Try cabbage, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, onions, leeks, endive, and lettuce. Later, in mid to late March, you can start peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, Swiss chard, and tomatillos indoors. Wait to plant your seeds and seedlings in the ground until two weeks after the last frost. Some early cold-tolerant vegetables, like cabbage, broccoli, and head lettuce, can go in the ground early to mid-March. Heat-loving plants like peppers, okra, and eggplant that grow slowly can also be planted in March. Tomatoes are the stars of many gardens. It is best to wait until early April to plant them, though. They are like Goldilocks and prefer everything just right — not too cold or hot.
We can’t talk about gardening without giving a few helpful tips for adding color. Plant hydrangea, aster, pansy, sweet peas, garden mums, and Oriental lilies in the spring to invite pollinators and provide blooming color throughout the summer. Spring bulbs, like crocus and daffodils, are the first to bloom. Sometimes, they will even bloom when there is a bit of snow on the ground. But it is best to plant bulbs in the fall so they have time to settle in their roots.
A gardener’s best friend is the USDA Hardiness Zone Map. Since most states include three different growing zones, it is a handy resource to choose the best plants for your area. The website at PlantHardiness.ars.usda.gov has a wealth of information, including tips for easy maintenance. So, grab your gloves, get your seeds, and enjoy watching your garden grow!
4
1211 Maricopa Hwy, Ste 222, Ojai, CA 93023
Published by Newsletter Pro • www.NewsletterPro.com
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator