Omaha Insurance Solutions - February 2021

Omaha Insurance Solutions - February 2021

Club MED

February 2021

THE TRUE ORIGINS OF VALENTINE’S DAY Hey there, friends! Wow, Valentine’s Day is already around the corner. I celebrate it with my wife, Bev, the same way many couples do: by putting on cologne and going out to dinner. Though, I think we can all agree that it’s just an excuse to spend time with our partner. Love has a lot more to do with everyday actions than anything else. Still, I think this Hallmark holiday could interest cynics who are history buffs. Valentine’s Day is a very neat time capsule of the history of Roman civilization and the spread of the Catholic faith. As a priest in my past life, I learned a lot about the Catholic faith, and, in particular, its relationship to pagan religions such as religio romana , or literally “the Roman religion.” But to spread Christianity, we had to adapt many pagan holidays to become more widely accepted. One of the holidays we adapted was Lupercalia, a Roman fertility festival on Feb. 15. It was far from romantic — with animal sacrifices and random matchmaking, it created more of a bloody, violent, and sexually charged atmosphere. This is very strange to us, of course, but fertility was integral to stability back then. People having a lot of babies is one reason the Roman empire was so successful. Whenever Romans conquered new land, they’d offer those in the new territory some level of citizenship, preservation of their culture, and benefits when Rome won battles — if they gave military soldiers in exchange. Caesar Augustus even gave tax breaks to people who had more children. Producing more babies was a win-win scenario for everyone. As you can imagine, during the times of the Roman empire, not having a February fertility celebration would be strange. Imagine agreeing to sit out on a holiday that’s been important to your society your whole life! When in Rome …

That’s why the Catholic church chose to celebrate St. Valentinus, a martyr, on Feb. 14. According to legend, Emperor Claudius II outlawed married soldiers because he believed that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and children. However, priest St. Valentinus married couples in secret anyway. He was beheaded by the emperor for it. Some say that St. Valentinus fell in love with a visitor — perhaps the jailer’s daughter — and signed a letter, “From your Valentine,” before he was executed. This expression is still used today. Nearly 25 years ago, I actually visited the Roman Catacombs, including where the church kept martyrs. As you can imagine, the real estate in Rome is tight like New York, so in the old days, they continued building their city underground. The catacombs were at least 5 miles long and filled with tunnels and tens of thousands of tombs. The martyrs were marked with symbols that showed their cause of death, like being eaten by lions. I wonder if they knew that’d be part of their legacy … Anyway, it seems like every culture chooses to promote something different in February. Maybe it’s unfortunate that our culture chooses to focus on selling flowers, chocolate, and other gifts on Valentine’s Day. But I honestly don’t think it’s bad either. You choose the gifts that express love in your relationship; there’s nothing wrong with going with or against the holiday norms. And when I look at Bev’s big beautiful green eyes, especially after she’s supported me through all my recent health issues, I know that she loves me. That’s the best gift she’s given me since the start.

“Valentine’s Day is a very neat time capsule of the history of Roman civilization and the spread of the Catholic faith.”

–Christopher J. Grimmond

Medicare Insurance Made Easy

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Money Scams Are Skyrocketing Here Are 3 Ways to Protect Yourself Right Now

1. Shut them down. If you get a call from a scammer, hang up immediately (better yet, don’t answer unknown callers at all). At the same time, delete scam texts or emails the second you see them. If you get a call, text, or email from someone claiming to be with the government or a government agency, it’s a scammer. No one from any federal agency will ever call you out of the blue. Anyone claiming to have a cure or pretending to be in desperate need of money is also trying to scam you. Never say a word back to them. Cut them off and go about your day. 2. Sign up for Informed Delivery by USPS. This free service is a great way to monitor your incoming mail. Every morning, USPS sends you an email with scanned images of the day’s mail (this doesn’t usually include larger parcels). When you pick up your

For the past year, scammers have been working full time to fleece people. As a result of COVID-19, federal financial relief efforts, and state-level relief efforts, scammers have found a new way to get into their victims’ pockets. Now, they’re using COVID-19 again, this time with the “vaccine scam.” Through this scam, they’ll sign you up for the COVID-19 vaccine in exchange for a fee. They are also using variations of the grandparent scam, in which scammers pretend to be a family member in trouble (this time, they have COVID-19 or have lost their job) and they need money. Scammers make phone calls, send text messages, and craft phishing emails, hoping you’ll take the bait. How can you protect yourself from these financial scams and more? Try these three different ways!

mail later in the day, you can verify if anything is missing. Scammers may prefer phone calls, but mail thieves are still very much on the prowl. 3. Sign up for an identity protection and fraud detection service. You never know who might end up with your personal information, but you can take steps to keep it safe. There are several services, like LifeLock, Identity Guard, and Intelius Identity Project, that offer comprehensive identify protection. They monitor credit cards, addresses, phone numbers, bank accounts, and more with the purpose of scoping out unusual or fraudulent behavior. Many services can be customized to fit your specific needs.

Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period Did you know that if you’re unhappy

but the insurance company will determine if you are eligible.

with your Medicare Advantage Plan (Medicare Part C), you have options? Each year, there’s a Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period from Jan. 1–March 31 . During this time, if you’re in a Medicare Advantage Plan and want to change your health plan, you have two options: 1. You can switch from one Medicare Advantage Plan to another plan. You get just one switch, though, and you need to remain in that plan for the rest of the year.

Whichever choice you make, your new coverage will start the first day of the month after your new plan gets your request for coverage. Keep in mind that if you go back to original Medicare now, you may not be able to buy a Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) policy. Prospective clients who are not happy with their Medicare plans are already calling me to switch them during this Annual Election Period (AEP), which is Oct. 15–Dec. 7. Many of you have referred friends and family members who are not happy with their current agent or Medicare plan. I am in the process of switching them to a plan that better fits their needs. Correcting your plan choice can be especially important if your current medications are not covered or covered at a much higher cost .

2. You can drop your Medicare

Advantage/Part C plan and go back to original Medicare, which is just Part A and Part B. You can also pick up a Part D prescription drug plan at that time, but you are NOT guaranteed enrollment into a Medicare supplement. You may apply for a supplement and answer the health questions,

2 • OmahaInsuranceSolutions.com

Spending Valentine’s Day With Kids? 5 Activities to Make Sweet Memories If you’re a parent or a grandparent, there’s a chance that you’ll be spending this Valentine’s Day with your kids or grandkids, which is great! Valentine’s Day provides a unique opportunity to do cute activities with your little ones while giving future insight on how to express gratitude and care for people they love. Here are five activities to get started! No. 1: Make hot chocolate. No need to purely stick to the powdered stuff. Some of the best hot chocolate is made with a mixture of melted chocolate and different cocoa powders! Add some pink marshmallows if you want. Either way, it’s easy to teach kids how to melt chocolate or measure powder. You can get as fancy or be as minimal as you like. This will be a delicious Valentine’s Day treat anyone can appreciate. No. 2: Do a STEM activity kit together. There are so many science activity kits for kids on the market now! Think about topics that may interest your kids or that they’ve talked about before. For example, if they like collecting rocks, try a geology kit. Pick up a kit and do it with them. (It might even be better with a cup of hot chocolate by your side.) No. 3: Volunteer. One of the best ways to cultivate love for your community is to get to know it by volunteering time to help other residents. Why not get your kids started young? Helping others may inspire them to lead their lives with a little more gratitude and excitement to do the right thing for themselves and others. No. 4: Do an activity they love. Nothing says “I love you” more than participating in your kids’ favorite activities and passions, even if you don’t necessarily share their passion. Join them for a video game when they’re looking for friends to play with or watch a show they love with them.

Testimonial

“Chris makes Medicare super easy!” –Ed S.

Inspired by TheFullHelping.com Balsamic Roasted Vegetable Pasta

Winter is still here, which means it’s time to curl up with a bowl of delicious comfort food. This seasonal vegan pasta dish does the trick!

Ingredients

• 1/2 tbsp grapeseed oil • 2 1/2 lbs mixed vegetables of choice, chopped into 3/4- inch pieces (parsnips, turnips, carrots, butternut squash, Brussels sprouts, etc.) • 1 red onion, chopped

• 1 tbsp olive oil • 1 shallot, thinly sliced • 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced • 8 oz uncooked pasta • 1/2 cup vegetable broth • 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar • 2 handfuls arugula • Salt and pepper, to taste • Nutritional yeast, to taste

Directions

No. 5: Cook together. Cooking is easily one of the most collaborative activities we can enjoy in our everyday lives. Set up ingredients and assign tasks to prepare the kids’ favorite meal, so you and your mini-team can enjoy the final results together!

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. 2. In a large bowl, combine grapeseed oil, root vegetables, and onion. Toss until evenly coated, then spread the mixture across two foil-lined baking sheets. 3. Sprinkle vegetables with salt and pepper, then roast them for 35–40 minutes. While vegetables are roasting, cook pasta according to package directions. 4. When vegetables are done, heat olive oil in a deep skillet over medium heat. Sauté shallots and garlic for 4–5 minutes. 5. Add the root vegetables and onion, pasta, vegetable broth, and vinegar to the pot and stir until warm. Add the arugula and cook until wilted. 6. Serve with salt, pepper, and nutritional yeast.

We hope these ideas helped inspire a few of your own! From

our team at Omaha Insurance Solutions, we wish you a happy Valentine’s Day!

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INSIDE This Issue

1

The True Origins of Valentine’s Day

2

Protect Yourself From COVID-19 Scams!

2

Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period

3

5 Kid-Friendly Valentine’s Day Activities

3

Balsamic Roasted Vegetable Pasta

4

The Deadly Revenge of 17th Century Chocoholics

17TH CENTURY CHOCOHOLICS GET REVENGE The Original Death by Chocolate

Rumor has it that the controversy started in the 1600s in Chiapas, Mexico, when a group of chocoholic churchgoers started bringing their favorite sweet snack to services. This annoyed the bishop, who resorted to banning parishioners from eating chocolate during church. As an article in Indian Country Today tells it, the chocoholics got back at the bishop by poisoning his daily cup of chocolatl , an Aztec chocolate drink. Who knew the ancestor of hot cocoa could be so deadly? Surprisingly, this crazy story isn’t the origin of the “death by chocolate” cake we love today. That dessert was created in 1993 by Chef Marcel Desaulniers, then-owner of The Trellis restaurant in Williamsburg, Virginia. Here’s the restaurant’s mouthwatering description of the seven-layer confection, which takes three days to make:

“The decadence begins with layers of moist chocolate cake, dark chocolate ganache, crunchy chocolate meringue, and an airy chocolate mousse. The cake is then coated in a glaze of dark chocolate and served on a pool of chocolate sauce with house-made milk chocolate ice cream, topped with a hand-rolled white chocolate truffle, and finally dusted with white chocolate powder.” Is your mouth watering yet? The original version of death by chocolate might be a bit complex for the average chef, but if you’re craving a slice, you can find more accessible recipes at Delish.com and SugarGeekShow.com. Just remember that when you pull it out of the oven, we don’t live in the 1600s, so you should probably restrain yourself from poisoning anyone who steals a bite!

How much do you love chocolate? Would you be willing to die for a taste of your favorite candy bar? Would you kill for one? You’ve probably never thought to ask yourself these questions, but if tall tales can be believed, arguments over chocolate have, in fact, turned deadly. National Dark Chocolate Day and National Chocolate Fondue Day both fall this month (on Feb. 1 and Feb. 5, respectively), and in honor of those tasty holidays, we investigated the original “death by chocolate” — an act of legendary revenge.

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