Holiday greetings to you and your family. Things are quieting down in the Bruns-Kyler house, but that doesn’t mean we’ve stopped dressing Plato in absurd holiday costumes.
Fortunately, Plato will do pretty much anything for pretzels! He is a chow hound.
As it’s almost the end of the year, I’ve been getting a ton of calls about dental. If you want my honest opinion about why most senior dental insurance stinks, click on this link or the pic below.
In talking with dentists and clients, the reality is, most of the dental plans don’t offer remarkable value. Most plans are slow to pay and hard to use, though some are ok.
If you are in need of dental, talk to your dentist’s billing person to see which plans they accept. Also ask them if they have an “in house” dental plan. Dentists that offer them will usually charge a consumer $200-$400 a year for cleanings, x-rays and a 20% – 30% discount off the work.
Here’s a link to one of the better plans I work with, Ameritas. If your dentist is in network, this plan is ok (I’ve been using it for a few few years and it works alright).
Better yet, if you need a lot of work, and you are adventurous, consider finding a dentist in Costa Rica. This is NOT AN ENDORSEMENT, just a suggestion.
The bottom line, do your research or give me a shout. Here’s an article from investopedia about plans.
After last week’s newsletter, I was pleased to see that great minds think alike. Clients Joe and Becky took friends to the Festival of Lights and had themselves a grand old time.
Here in Denver it’s been cold as the dickens. We took Plato up to the mountains it was 9 degrees, and it didn’t bother him!
It’s been a pleasure having Santiago, our former exchange student, visiting for the holidays. He was excited to try skiing.
For the past few weeks, he’s been destroying me at ping pong, so I took guilty pleasure in watching him struggle a bit, though he definitely improved.
No doubt, one of the highlights for him was attending the Nuggets game against the Jazz. Of course he enjoyed the game, too ;).
Perhaps you remember Cesar, on the right, below. Our son met Cesar when they worked together in a Cuban restaurant while Nicholas was in high school (before he joined the Air Force.)
One day, our son Nicholas called me from work when I was on the East Coast visiting family and said:
“Hey Dad, I met this really nice kid, Cesar, from Guatemala. He says he’s 22 but I think he’s only 17, will you and Mom teach him English?” Nicholas rarely takes to others quickly so I said “OK.” When I got home from Virginia, Quantz had already invited him to live with us.
Every night, after his work in the kitchen at two different restaurants, Cesar and I would sit at the kitchen table and practice English. It was slow going, Cesar only finished basic school, but over time, he learned our language.
Cesar ended up living with us for four years, always sending money home to his mother, and of course, he became one of our sons. Over that time, he progressed from busboy, to food runner, to a full fledged waiter and now he speaks beautiful English and lives on his own.
My parents were both immigrants from war torn Europe and I give thanks for the privilege of being born here. Clearly, we have an absurd immigration system that desperately needs reform.
Nevertheless, our great nation was built with the blood, sweat, tears, and dreams of immigrants. I will support anyone who is willing to work, who fights to improve the life of his family. I so admire this young man and the life is he building.
Remember, “there is no them, there is only us.”
Thanks to my buddy and client, David L, for sharing this great way to approach life.
One week till Christmas, what will you do to make this world a better place? It can be as simple as a smile to the stressed out cashier, or not flipping off the person who cuts you off in traffic.
Forgive others, expect the unexpected, maintain a joyful heart, laugh as much as you can!
Never underestimate how your actions can change world, even now.
Share this blog post/newsletter with your friends and call me if you need me
Karl Bruns-Kyler
(877) 850-0211
Book a time on my calendar here
Karl Bruns-Kyler is a Medicare insurance broker and independent Medicare agent licensed to help Medicare recipients in twenty-two states around the country, including:
Alabama
Arizona
Colorado
Florida
Georgia
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Louisiana
Maryland
Missouri
New Jersey
New York
North Carolina
Ohio
Oklahoma
Pennsylvania
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Virginia
Wisconsin
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 your options.
