Omaha Insurance Solutions - July 2021

Omaha Insurance Solutions - July 2021

Club MED

July 2021

How a Job at Perkins Changed My Life

J uly, finally! Am I right? After losing most of last summer’s activities to the pandemic, getting out in the sun and doing something is excellent. The hot summers also remind me of another time in my life: summer jobs. Now, if you’ve been working with me and reading my newsletters, you’ve probably gotten used to my candid energy and might’ve wondered at some point how I entered the seminary and became a priest. I can tell you my summer job in 1977 had a significant effect. My brothers and I were go-getters. We liked working —though not for our parents — and we liked making money and spending it. When I was finally old enough to work more than delivering newspapers, I started applying for jobs. At the time, Perkins was building a restaurant at 72nd & Grover — down the street from my home. (It has since been knocked down and replaced with a Buckey’s.) At 16 years old, Perkins hired me as a short-order cook. At that time in life, my cooking skills consisted of cold milk and dry cereal. Perkins put a bunch of other teenagers and me through their training program — same with the waitresses and other staff. We were all the same age. I loved it. I was constantly around the most fantastic guys in the back kitchen, simultaneously with the cutest girls waitressing. When the managers weren’t looking, I was downing a pancake or sausage. At 16, my metabolism was like a thermonuclear core. I ate constantly but never gained an ounce. Oh, how things have changed. I will never forget it was the best job in the world. I enjoyed working because I got constant positive reinforcement. When I did a good job, coworkers, bosses, customers told me. On payday, I got affirmed again. I was learning a skill — cooking — and I got better and faster every day. I could compare myself to the other cooks and see I was improving, getting faster and better each day. I was the heavy hitter they called in for the graveyard shift on Friday and Saturday nights. At 1 a.m., the bars emptied

out, and the 24-hour restaurants filled up. The order wheel was spinning with tickets, the cooks yelling, and waitresses running. It was a blast! When I first met Bev, she was surprised when I could crack four eggs simultaneously in a pan — a leftover Perkins skill. I also learned how to space and time every movement for maximum effect, which is a skill that has made me very successful in many things. Working was so much fun that I would work a 40-hour week, even during high school. Since it was a 24-hour diner, I’d usually show up at Perkins on Fridays after school at 4:30 p.m. and work until 7 a.m. the following day. I didn’t mind — the midnight “drunks rush” got chaotic, but it was fun with the right people. Then I would turn around — because some cooks didn’t show up to work— work from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., sleep for a few hours, and be back at 10 p.m. for the graveyard rush again. While working in the kitchen, I became close friends with a coworker, Herb Woltz. Herb was one of the funniest people I have ever known. He and I went

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Medicare Insurance Made Easy

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through Perkin’s training together. We would always try to schedule so we worked together on the weekends. Herb was also in the jazz band at Bryan. He played trumpet. I was in the jazz band at South. I played saxophone. Herb also had a colossal motorcycle — a Yamaha 750. At the time, that was a powerful bike. One day, Herb showed up at my house with the Yamaha to take me for a ride. I can’t remember why, but I was grounded so that I couldn’t go with him. He said we would do it another time, and he rode off.

Herb ended up head-on with an oncoming car. The car killed the passenger instantly, but Herb lingered into the night, dying in the morning.

Herb always joked about not wearing a helmet.

I remember standing near our phone in stunned silence after I hung up. I didn’t know what to do or say. I don’t think I told my parents until it was time to go to the funeral. I was in such shock. In an instant, my naive teenage bubble was instantly burst. Life wasn’t all gumballs and girls anymore. My mind couldn’t help but propel me towards thoughts about the shortness and seriousness of life. Herb was 18 when he died. I’m 59 now, and he still has a presence in my life. I started asking myself in a severe way about the next life and my readiness for it. It was one of many steps that moved me in the direction of God, faith, and sacred things. Years later, as a priest when I buried a teenager, I knew precisely the dazed stare of kids around their friends’ graves. Life is a gift. I try and remember that and live it each day.

The next day, Roxanne, a redhead I was trying to date, called me and said, “Herb is dead.”

I didn’t believe her. I got angry. “This isn’t funny,” I replied before hanging up.

After a while, I called Herb’s house to find out what was happening. Herb’s mother picked up. I asked to speak with Herb. There was a long pause, and she told me the story of what happened. Herb had left my place and picked up another friend. They went riding. He was racing with a car down a four- lane street. The street went from four to two lanes, and

HOW IS MY PROVIDER GETTING COMPENSATED IN 2021? THE FINAL PART OF THE ‘MEDICARE CHANGES IN 2021’ SERIES

We’ve discussed how the Medicare changes in 2021 will affect plans, available coverage options, and even budgeting for the past several editions. Today, let’s talk briefly about provider compensation — in other words, how will your care providers qualify for Medicare compensation? This can affect your options in the future. Provider Compensation Congress made significant changes to the billing process behind Medicare in the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA). MACRA changes how Medicare rewards providers for quality — instead of quantity or volume — inpatient care. It streamlines provider reimbursements through the Merit-Based Incentive Payments System (MIPS) and even grants bonuses for participation in alternative payment models (APMs). This is huge, but the change that gets the most attention is eliminating Plan F and C in the Medigap lineup. The plans completely covered the Part A deductibles and Part B co-

insurance, so beneficiaries did not have to pay anything aside from their monthly premiums.

Congress found the lack of co-pays and deductibles was an incentive for waste and abuse of the Medicare system. Starting in 2021, you can no longer purchase Plan F or C when you turn 65. Those who turned 65 before that period were grandfathered into Plan F and C. Your New Medicare Number By the time you read this, it’s likely no secret that the most noticeable change is that your Medicare number is no longer your Social Security number but a unique 11-digit number combining letters and numbers. Although everyone’s card should have been replaced by the end of 2019, I still have some clients who have their old numbers and card. If you aren’t sure how to update your number, it is a simple matter of calling Medicare for a replacement card (800-633- 4227 24/7). Please reach out to us with any questions.

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Testimonial

Brand-Name vs. Generic Drug

WHAT MEDICARE BENEFICIARIES NEED TO KNOW

All 54 million people on Medicare have access to the Medicare drug benefit available through private plans approved by the federal government. Individuals can get drug coverage through a stand-alone Medicare Prescription Drug plan or a Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug plan.

“I was recommended to Chris through an acquaintance. He had been very happy with all Chris had done for him. I was apprehensive about how to enroll in Medicare and possibly getting it wrong, but I met with Chris, and he was terrific. He was so knowledgeable and honest and made the process very easy. I’m pleased with the results. I would highly recommend letting Chris help you with setting up your Medicare. The staff is very helpful and professional in all areas. I’m very happy I chose Chris to navigate this for me.” –Dan C.

Medicare beneficiaries who take a generic drug instead of a brand-name medication could save hundreds of dollars in drug costs. The generic drug industry has saved consumers and payers over $1.2 trillion in prescription drugs in the last decade. Why are brand names more expensive? Generic drugs are typically 40% of the cost of their brand counterparts. Brand- name drugs are generally more expensive because of the higher initial costs of developing, marketing, and selling a brand-new drug. However, not everyone can take generic alternatives, as it may not be available, but it may not be medically necessary to take the brand-name drug. You are speaking with a doctor about what medications would work best for your condition, and a generic alternative is recommended. Also, be sure to always talk with your provider before beginning a new medication or switching drugs. If you need to take a brand-name drug, you may have to pay higher out-of-pocket costs, depending on your drug plan’s payment structure. Medicare prescription drug plans often place drugs into different payment “tiers” with different costs for each tier. Higher tiers usually have higher copayment and/or coinsurance costs, and every prescription drug plan categorizes its covered drugs differently. Omaha Insurance specialists can look at the plans with you and see how they treat brand-name and generic drugs to clearly understand what it will mean if you need to take a specific brand-name drug. The plan that’s right for you will depend on which prescription drugs you take and the cost structure involved.

Plant-Based Blueberry Muffins

Inspired by MyDarlingVegan.com

It’s blueberry season! Whip up this simple muffin recipe to celebrate in style.

Ingredients

• 1 cup soy milk • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar • 2 cups flour • 2 1/2 tsp baking powder • 1/4 tsp baking soda • 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar • 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp canola oil • 1 tsp vanilla extract • Zest of 1 lemon • 2 cups fresh blueberries

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease a muffin tin and set aside. 2. In a bowl, combine soy milk and apple cider vinegar. Set aside. 3. In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. 4. In a third bowl, combine sugar, oil, vanilla extract, and lemon zest. Add milk mixture and stir, then add flour mixture. Stir to combine until well-incorporated but not smooth. Fold in the blueberries. 5. Spoon batter into muffin tin, filling each well 3/4 full. Bake 20–25 minutes, cool, and enjoy!

Coco Update

My cat, Coco, is a Ragdoll cat. Ragdolls are like Persians.

They are long-haired. While Coco does an excellent job of keeping her coat nice, she still needs a little help. However, she is a good sport when I bathed her.

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INSIDE This Issue

1

How a Job at Perkins Led Me to the Priesthood

2

An Olympic Medal — For Arts

2

How Is My Provider Getting Compensated in 2021?

Medicare and Generic Drugs

3

3

Coco Update

3

Plant-Based Blueberry Muffins

4

The Miraculous Mountain Cat

The Meow at 10,000 Feet

High on the slopes of Bristen, a mountain in the Glarus Alps in central Switzerland, a pair of skiers discovered something unexpected. At 4:30 a.m., the skiers climbed toward the summit of Bristen when they realized they weren’t alone. They were being followed by a cat — not a lynx or a wildcat, but a little mewling house cat. How does a house cat end up on the slopes of a snow-covered, 10,000- foot mountain? This was an answer the skiers wouldn’t get. They weren’t even sure what to do with a cat in general. It’s likely that it simply wandered away from one of the nearby towns or villages near the base of the mountain, but even for a human, that’s a major undertaking.

and her paws began to bleed from the hard snow,” Cyril noted. “We picked her up and carried her when she was too exhausted to walk uphill anymore. We were definitely confused. I felt really sorry for the cat. She was really exhausted on the ridge underneath the summit.” The cat stayed with them for some time before they met up with another group of hikers who were headed down the mountain. The cat joined them for what would hopefully be a journey back home. And it was! Remarkably, the cat’s owners were found. They revealed that their cat had vanished four days earlier and apparently followed yet another group of hikers up Bristen. “Animals do weird things. And they are way tougher than humans. They’ll never give up. Even though they are hurting really, really bad,” Cyril said of his feline hiking companion. Hopefully, that will be the little feline’s last trip up for some time!

Lost, the cat followed the only sign of civilization it could find: the skiers, Cyril and Erik Rohrer. “She started to shiver,

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