Omaha Insurance Solutions May 2022

Omaha Insurance Solutions May 2022

Club MED

May 2022

No Medicare for Pets

MY DOG NEEDS SURGERY

I am switching CRM systems in the office. A CRM is a client relationship

didn't know there was such a thing. The cost of the surgery is the same as a small used car.

I remember when I used to make fun of people who spent enormous sums on their pets. Now I guess I'm one of them. After a long teary-eyed weekend imagining putting down my limping buddy, I've decided to try surgery. I'm shopping for a surgeon. Even if Max gets fixed, there is no guarantee the surgery will hold. He could end up completely immobilized, and you can't put a 120-pound dog in a doggy wheelchair to go to the bathroom.

management software. As I do that, I am going through hundreds of clients. I read the notes we have kept over time. The CRM annotates lots of good memories of

when we met and other interactions.

I am reminded that many of you have pets. One client had a couple of Pekingese dogs and I believe a Shiba Inu from Japan. I was thinking of them because that couple had pet insurance!

I'm surprised how emotional this whole

thing has been. I didn't think a pet could get me so upset. Perhaps it's a latent feeling about my deceased parent. I don't know, but I'm praying — I've never prayed for a dog before — Max

I laughed at the time. I thought, “Who would buy insurance for their pet?” Man, I wish I had bought pet insurance when I got Max, my American bulldog.

will get well soon. I want to take my doggy for a walk.

It turns out Max tore both of his ACL ligaments on his hind legs — one entirely and the other partially. He can still walk, but just barely. He needs surgery. I've taken Max to an orthopedic vet; I

–Christopher J. Grimmond

Medicare Insurance Made Easy

402-614-3389 • 1

BEWARE OF THE FLIPPERS During annual election period from Oct. 15–Dec. 7, I received many phone calls from you about “extra benefits” and “getting the most out of your Medicare.” You saw the Joe Namath and Jimmy “JJ” Walker commercials that were playing around the clock on television, trying to coax people into calling the 800 number.

As I related to many of you, the commercials were not entirely accurate. The “extra benefits” — free this and free that — were for people who qualified for state Medicaid. The point of the advertisement was to entice you to call in, even though they knew most people would not qualify. Once you call, the insurance agent could go through the charade of seeing whether you qualify for these “extra benefits.” If not, “There is another plan with almost as many benefits. Let me enroll you in that plan.” As I explained to those who called, there are 26 Medicare Advantage plans in Nebraska and 24 in Iowa. I am familiar with all the different benefits. I am happy to go through them, and if the plan makes sense and it is an improvement over what you currently have, I am more than happy to switch you. The plan, however, that we selected at the time we enrolled you was, we believed, the best option at the time. Medicare Advantage plans usually do not change drastically from year to year, so the chance that some magically new innovation or “benefit” has popped up that I’m unaware of is very unlikely. And, in those times when there was a drastic change in the past, I called clients who were affected and moved them to better plans.

Once you are offloaded to whatever insurance carrier they flip you to, they are done with you. You will never hear from that person again. And, knowing how many of these call centers work, that person may not even be in the insurance industry after the annual election period. Many people are very transactional. They pick up their product or service, pay for it, then they are done. That is fine. I am that way with many things. Those are not my kind of clients. I actively discourage those kinds of people when they call me. My kind of client wants an unbiased broker that presents all options evenly and has no cozy relationships with particular insurance companies. They want an honest broker to provide the available insurance products. My kind of client wants an agent knowledgeable about Medicare’s rules and regulations. That agent needs to be professional in taking care of the paperwork and other details surrounding the task. They must follow up to make sure everything is working well. And they must stay in contact and be easily accessible when

The point of the commercials and the whole dynamic is simply to flip you to another plan. The only way they get paid is to flip. You can say, “Well, you want us to stay as your clients, so YOU get paid.” Yes, of course. I’m an insurance agent running an insurance agency/business. My purpose is

to keep you happy in terms of your Medicare insurance. Otherwise, you will leave, and I will not get paid. That’s the relationship. Part of being happy is that you are convinced you have the best possible Medicare insurance you can have, and I am an honest broker providing that coverage.

needed. These are the qualities for which we strive.

The flippers are not offering any Medicare product I am not already offering you. Not to mention, you will not have any relationship with that person or agency.

As for my competition, either local or national — knowing quite a few of them — I am confident they fall short on many if not all of these qualities.

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Testimonial

3 VITAMINS AND SUPPLEMENTS FOR HEALTHY AGING Enjoy the Later Years in Life

“I had so much Medicare junk mail. Chris made it simple. He put all the different plans up on the big screen. He made it understandable and easy to select.” –Kent C.

One-Pan Baked Salmon and Veggies

Growing old is an inevitable part of our lives. There isn’t a magic potion to drink or secret spell to cast that will turn back time, but we can do things to slow the effects of aging. Our life expectancy is longer than it used to be, so it makes sense that you would want to enjoy those extra years. While staying active and eating well play a huge role in healthy aging, there are also some anti-aging supplements and vitamins that will help your body stay strong.

If you’re looking to try some anti-aging supplements but don’t know where to begin, give these a try.

Inspired by BBCGoodFood.com

Resveratrol Resveratrol is a class of micronutrients that plants make to survive drought or attacks from disease. It has fantastic antioxidant and anti- inflammatory properties, so it’s great at protecting you from diseases like cancer, diabetes, and even Alzheimer’s. Additionally, it can be used as a strong remedy for arthritis and skin inflammation. You can increase your intake of resveratrol by drinking red wine or by eating more peanuts, berries, and grapes. Curcumin For years, the spice known as turmeric has been used as a nutritional supplement with great benefits for your mind and body. As science has progressed, they’ve found that turmeric does contain compounds with medicinal properties with the most important being curcumin. Curcumin has great anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties but is also believed to improve memory issues and lower your risk for heart disease. Using more turmeric in your dishes will increase your intake of curcumin. Vitamin C Vitamin C is an incredibly beneficial vitamin for people of all ages but becomes even more useful for those over the age of 50. A study by Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience found that older adults with higher blood levels of vitamin C performed better on tasks involving focus, attention, recall, and recognition. Additionally, vitamin C can also help with skin health and can even improve immune function in older adults. There are various things you can try to slow down the aging process, but if you’re unsure where to turn, give these vitamins and supplements a shot.

It’s asparagus season! Celebrate with this easy one-pan salmon dish for two.

Ingredients

• 1 lb spring potatoes, halved • 2 tbsp olive oil (divided) • 8 asparagus spears, trimmed and halved

• 2 handfuls cherry tomatoes • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar • 2 5-oz salmon fillets • 1 handful fresh basil

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F.

2. In an oven-proof dish, combine the potatoes and 1 tbsp olive oil. Roast for 20 minutes. 3. Remove the dish from the oven and add the asparagus. Toss, and bake for 15 more minutes. 4. Remove the dish from the oven and add the cherry tomatoes. Toss. Drizzle with balsamic, then nestle the salmon fillets into the vegetables. Drizzle with the remaining oil, and bake for 10–15 minutes. 5. Remove the dish from the oven, garnish with basil, leaves, and serve!

402-614-3389 • 3

PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

11414 W. Center Rd., Suite 250 Omaha, NE 68144 402-614-3389 OmahaInsuranceSolutions.com

Code 54552_032522_MK

INSIDE This Issue

No Medicare for Pets

1

2

Beware of the Flippers

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3 of the Best Anti-Aging Supplements

3

Testimonial

3

One-Pan Baked Salmon and Veggies

4

Remembering the Space Race

America’s Journey to Orbit Earth

The First American in Space On May 5, 1961, Alan B. Shepard became the first American to enter space on a Mercury capsule named Freedom 7. It was an incredibly momentous event, but what all had to occur for it to even happen? Let’s take a look at what led up to Shepard’s launch into space. During the 1960s, the U.S. and the Soviet Union found themselves in a space race. The United States first began their space mission in 1958 with Project Mercury. Project Mercury had three goals in mind: orbiting a crewed spacecraft, investigating the ability to function in space, and safely recovering the spacecraft and the crew. Before the first American took flight, the U.S. conducted several test launches to see what they needed to adjust and modify to be safely launched into space. The first successful launch of Mercury without an astronaut occurred in December 1960. But before they attempted to launch an American into space, NASA tested the Mercury capsule in January 1961 with a chimpanzee named Ham, who took a route that was similar to the one Shepard would eventually take.

After going through numerous simulations, NASA decided that Shepard would be making the first flight. He began his mission on May 5 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, and over half a million Americans watched the launch on nearby beaches. Shepard took his orbit around the Earth and made a successful

return. He then received NASA’s highest reward, the Distinguished Service Medal, from President John F. Kennedy on May 8, 1961.

Although the Soviet Union sent the first human into orbit in April 1961, this didn’t stop the U.S. from pushing forward. Instead, the bravery of these men inspired the U.S. to go to new heights and have the first man on the moon in 1969.

There are still ongoing debates about whether the U.S. or the USSR won the space race. Either way, this race allowed the world to conduct more research on our galaxy. As a whole, this event led to tremendous efforts to push the limits of human capabilities, create new technology to explore outer space, and see what our universe holds.

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