Medicare Insurance Archives

What you need to know about Medicare and travel

May this note find you in good health with your Medicare Insurance working properly. Today, I will discuss what you need to know about Medicare and travel. But first …

Here in Chang Mai, Thailand, no one has accused Quantz of being a “Momster,” yet, but this crocodile statue in front of the temple took a special liking to my wife!

For those of you who have been reading this Medicare newsletter for a while, you already know that Q is much more adventurous than me when we travel.

I tend hang back and observe before jumping into a new activity. That’s just the way I’m wired.

This sense of caution aligns with my mission to help clients avoid irreversible health insurance issues.

While chatting with a client in Ohio this week, I received the following question:

How will my Medicare coverage work when I travel away from home in the US or overseas?

The answer is… it depends.

Regardless of the type of plan you have, emergency care is typically covered as in network anywhere in the United States.

Emergency care is often covered overseas, if you haven’t been out of the US for more than 60 consecutive days.

If you are travelling outside the US, sometimes it makes sense to purchase additional travel insurance that may include medical evacuation, just in case.

The bottom line: every situation is different, so if you have travel coming up, feel free to shoot me an email or just book a time on my calendar.

Please remember the reason for this newsletter is to make sure your Medicare coverage is working the way you expect it to be working.

If you are having problems or just have questions, email my admin Gray, Gray@thebig65.com, or just book a time on my calendar.

Let me know what’s going on your life and remember, referrals are the lifeblood of my business!

Karl Bruns-Kyler
(877) 850-0211
Book a time on my calendar here

As a novice to navigating the Medicare system, I cannot recommend the services of Karl enough. His knowledge has saved my wife and I a lot of money, both on the Medicare supplement insurance and the drug coverage. Costs you nothing to listen and has saved up thousands of dollars over time.
– Robert B

Happy with my Service? Click Here to Leave a Review.

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.

Why Not Volunteer?

May this blog post find you in good health with your Medicare Coverage working properly.

After visiting the largest Buddha in Bangkok, Q and I couldn’t resist walking past the monk and receiving good wishes.

We’ve been sending this newsletter for five years now, pretty much every Saturday.

Whether at home or working from the road, I feel incredibly fortunate to be able to help clients from all over the States make sure their Medicare coverage is working properly.

We had a long trip to visit the bridge over the river Kwai (remember that movie?) and to learn about all of the Allied POW’s who died building the Thai Burma railway during the Japanese occupation.

My great uncle was a Dutch POW and he was forced to help build the railroad.

My takeaway from his horrific experience (he wrote the history for the family) is that he survived because he banded together and worked with other POWs to survive and to help each other.

In our world today, I think we survive and thrive by staying connected to others. At least that’s what many clients tell me on a regular basis when we catch up on calls.

Click on the picture below to learn one activity that seems to make life better.

Volunteering has many benefits that go both ways, for the volunteer and the recipient.

Engagement, a sense of purpose, connection and perhaps better health could be a few of the benefits of doing something new and developing new relationships.

Here is a link to the benefits, and also a link to the organisation where we dropped in to teach English for a morning.

Volunteering seems to be one of the secret sauces that brings joy to life.

For years my mother volunteered by driving community members to doctor appointments and also working in an animal shelter.

While in Laos, we connected with my cousin Arjan and his family, including my Aunt Nureen. Do you think she enjoyed the time with her grandchildren?

They were volunteering at Big Brother Maus, a drop in English Class center that also publishes books and improves local schools. It was a really nice way to connect and do something small that may help others.

I only see Arjan every 5-10 years so when we do see each other, it is meaningful to catch up.

We thought this was a pretty cool way for the Lao people to take something painful and turn it around, turning bomb metal into souvenirs for the night market.

Our daughter Sus tells us it’s super cold back home in Colorado, so we are appreciating the warmth here.

While returning from a visit to the bridge over the river Kwai, we stopped at a roadside gas stop and sampled these delicious sticky rice treats, filled with banana, sweet potato and other surprises. Ten Thai Baht each, 31 cents, so they were fun and inexpensive to sample.

Please remember the reason for this newsletter is to make sure your Medicare coverage is working the way you expected it to be working.

So if you’re having issues, reach out to Gray, my right hand man, Gray@thebig65.com, and we’ll make sure things get taken care of.

And if you or someone you know has any questions about Medicare insurance, visit theBig65.com. There are plenty of slots on my calendar.

Karl Bruns-Kyler
(877) 850-0211
Book a time on my calendar here

Happy with my Service? Click Here to Leave a Review.

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:

Paperwork That Matters

May this blog post find you in good health with your Medicare Coverage working properly. Today, I want to discuss paperwork that matters. But first …

Aren’t these kids cute? I’m a sucker for dinosaur jammies, must be the grandpa instinct kicking in, eh?

Many of you tell me about the joy you receive from your grandvarmints and how important they are to you (at least till they start being teenagers).

Some clients hope to leave something to the next generation. Others say their plan is to spend it all and enjoy life to the fullest.

Either way, most of us hope we will never be a burden to our spouses, our children, or our grandchildren. And yet…

I speak with clients REGULARLY who may be leaving their loved ones in a tight spot if they don’t get this right. Click on the picture below to make sure this isn’t you.

If we live long enough, we are going to die. Therefore, it is essential to have these documents in place long before we need them:

1. Last Will & Testament
2. Trust (if necessary)
3. Power of Attorney
4. Healthcare Power of Attorney
5. Living Will
6. HIPAA Release
7. Letter Of Intent

Not having these documents in place can cause terrible difficulties for your family, so take the time to leave them in a good situation.

If you already have them in place, make sure they are up to date. If you haven’t done them, look for an Eldercare Attorney or consider these forms as a starting point. This is paperwork that matters to everyone.

While travelling in Cambodia, we met and made friends with Tim and Kate, a father/daughter duo from South Carolina exploring the world together.

Tim is and his wife are retired and Kate is engaged and plans to start working when they return from their adventure. What a great way to build a lifelong memory.

When I’m not working, Q always makes sure we visit places of historical interest. In Cambodia, we visited the killing fields where millions were killed by Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge. It was such a sobering experience and an important reminder of how things can go wrong in the world.

In the capital, Phnom Penh, we had the privilege of meeting Chum Mey, a typewriter repairman, and one of only seven (out of 20,000) who survived Pol Pot’s murderous prison, S-21. The reason the the seven were kept alive is they had specific skills the Khmer needed. What a miracle to have survived. Chum is such an inspirational person and so kind despite the darkness he lived through. What a lesson for us all.

We have so enjoyed getting out of the cities and seeing the countryside.

Asia is graying faster than almost any other part of the world. People are working longer and also staying active, which is a good thing. This farmer showed us the small crabs she gathered from the dry rice paddy on her farm.

While visiting some caves near Luang Prabang, we met a group of children illegally selling wildlife to tourists. Buying this owl, we named him Oliver, was probably the wrong thing to do, he cost three dollars, but we did it anyway.

We brought him back to the hotel and uncaged him on the balcony (of course he bit Quantz, because no good deed goes unpunished.)

Oliver stayed till night fall and then disappeared. Of course it won’t change the world, but it made us feel better.

That’s it for now. The reason I’m here is to make sure your coverage is working the way you expected it to be working.

So if you’re having issues, and you’ve already called your insurance carrier, reach out to Gray, my right hand man, Gray@thebig65.com, and we’ll make sure things get taken care of.

PLEASE forward this newsletter to anyone you know who needs help with their Medicare coverage.

Karl Bruns-Kyler
(877) 850-0211
Book a time on my calendar here

Happy with my Service? Click Here to Leave a Review.

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:

“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.”

The Annual Election Period ended December 7th but …

May this blog post/newsletter find you in good health with your Medicare coverage working properly.

The Annual Election Period ended December 7th and Plato is ready to dance!

It was a pleasure to catch up with so many of you all over the country and I am excited to have a little down time.

Even though most of my teams are out of the World Cup, I’m having fun seeing some of the games now.

The Annual Election Period ended December 7th but … just remember, if you meant to book a time but didn’t, we can still review your coverage and put an action plan together for next year.

Don’t be like Georgia and hold it in (Georgia dug up and swallowed a mole). If you are having issues, please reach out.

The end of the year is always a perfect time to look back and consider opportunities to make small changes that can improve our lives and the lives of everyone we touch.

This article captures some of the bigger ways to live well but this quote below says it all:

We get smarter as we age, but if we are not careful, we get crankier. Our logical minds focus on everything that isn’t working well instead of the things that are working well.

I could get angry and blame the Air Force for cancelling our son’s vacation or…

I could give thanks that one of our former exchange students surprised us with a visit from Mexico. Santiago just finished his fall semester at the University of Puebla studying business.

Having him around has been great fun: playing ping pong (now he beats me), hiking and maybe skiing next week. I’m doing my best to keep up and Q is making sure Santi eats like a king (which means the house is filled with good stuff she would only get to spoil our kids.)

The static wall sit is the only thing I’ve beat him at so far!

The purpose of this newsletter is to helps us stay in touch and to inspire each of you to live your own best life. You don’t need to read it every week, just know it’s here so you can get a hold of me when you need me.

I’m constantly inspired by my brother Robert. He severed his spinal cord four years ago, but instead of defining him, this event has been a catalyst for growth. I will not minimize how challenging it has been, but Robert still practices medicine and is more connected to his patients and life as a result of this experience. He continues to push himself mentally, physically and spiritually.

He is my role model. This is him on the beach of Lake Erie over Thanksgiving.

As we continue into the holidays, look for joy and adventure in every encounter. It’s not what happens to us but… how we choose to respond.

Have a great week, be safe, 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:

Medicare Supplement or Medicare Advantage Plans – Which Are Better?

May this blog post/newsletter find you in good health with your Medicare insurance working properly.

Thank goodness, less than two weeks left in the Annual Election Period.

Most of the promises are bogus, but if you do have questions, feel free to book a time on my calendar.

In the meantime, Dan and Sam hope everyone had a…

Today, I’ll touch on the question: Medicare Supplement or Advantage Plans – Which Are Better? But first …

In reviewing plans with clients all over the country, it has been fun to hear how different folks celebrated the holiday.

You can tell by the smiles that Jack, Adrienne and her Mamma lived large and enjoyed the day. What a handsome family.

One of the questions I get every day is:

Medicare Supplement or Advantage Plans – Which Are Better?

Honestly, it’s kind of like asking which is better, being Catholic or being Protestant?

My job is to present the good, the bad, and the ugly of each type of plan. Much depends on how you use healthcare services.

I love the simplicity of Medicare Supplements, but I dislike that the premiums continue to rise.

I love the value based model of Medicare Advantage plans, but I dislike how hard it can sometimes be to navigate the networks.

Each person’s situation is different so the important thing is to draw your own conclusions. If you want to go deep, here’s an interesting article.

Thanksgiving in our house was pretty quiet. Florence, our exchange student, was out of town, Sus, our daughter traveled on Thanksgiving, so we ate ham and postponed the dinner till after my busy season.

Sus did stop by the evening before Thanksgiving and crushed me in board games. Remember when you used to let them win? The tide has shifted :).

Perhaps you know the value I place on trying new things, keeping your brain active, living a life of service? Well, I’ve started a new hobby, tutoring English.

Every Sunday morning, I share a screen with my French faux grandchildren (the sons of our first exchange student from twenty years ago) and we practice English. It is exhausting and fun. What are you doing to improve the lives and the brains of your grandvarmints?

If you don’t have grandkids, there are plenty of local programs desperate for volunteers. Okay, I’ll say it again (Q says I’m a nag) but, the secret to living well is living for others.

Now we move on to Christmas. Client Karen in Michigan sent this picture of her frog tree. Years ago, one of her bosses got it into his head that she was crazy about frogs (she wasn’t) and somehow everyone around her glommed onto the idea and started giving her frogs and voila! Ain’t life funny? Please send pictures of what’s going on in your life and…

Feel free to forward this newsletter to friends and family with Medicare questions! Referrals are the lifeblood of my business.

Have a great week, be safe, 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:

How My Neighbor Made the World a Better Place

May this blog post/newsletter find you in good health with your Medicare insurance working properly.

Only three weeks left in the Annual Election Period! Keep your head down and ignore the noise.

Remember: If anyone calls you and asks for your Medicare information or Social Security number…. HANG UP THE PHONE, DANGER, DANGER, DANGER!

Most of the promises you hear on TV are only for low income individuals, but if you do have questions, feel free to book a time on my calendar.

The title of this blog post is “How My Neighbor Made the World a Better Place” …

Plato was sorry to see we shrink wrapped this ham and sent it off to our Air Force son in Britain.

Yours truly has been catching up with so many of you all of over the country and everyone seems to be excited about Thanksgiving, a normal Thanksgiving.

Our neighbor Sally is one of those people you can always count on if you need a smile or some perspective on life (she’s an author and a public speaker). We usually catch up on the way to the mailbox and recently we shared words on the loss of a close neighbor.

John had died after a long battle with cancer.

I’ve never seen a tougher person on this planet than John. 98% of us would have given up years and year before, but John was a tough and crusty bastard (like Job) … and he would do anything for a friend. Very few people are capable of enduring the type of pain that John pushed through daily, for almost 14 years.

John had a purpose and that kept him going: taking care of his family and providing his young children a solid foundation in Christianity.

We had been away for most of the weekend when he died, but that Sunday afternoon, when we got home, a hearse was in front of his house taking John away, draped in the flag of a US Veteran. I couldn’t believe that he had died. This was the strongest man that I had ever met.

John had died at home, with his family, on his own terms.

Of course there was a service, tearful goodbyes, fond memories. I knew that John would live on through the legacy of his children, Austin and Ashlyn. I thought that was all John had left us, until…

On Sunday, his wife, Nylda, texted this letter she had received.

Not only was John a loving father, husband and provider, but he was also an organ donor.

Even though his body had been ravaged by cancer, John was able to make a gift after death that changed the life another family.

Even in the darkest moments, if we seek to live a life of service, everything can change. And yes, this was another way my neighbor made the world a better place ….

Despite the great political discord that is amplified every day and fractures our joy, remember:

We share more in common than we do in differences.

Regardless of beliefs, Americans are the kindest, most giving people I have met anywhere on the planet.

Currently, there are over 100,000 people in the U.S. waiting for an organ transplant.

There is only us, so, consider being an organ donor.

This Thanksgiving, reconnect with those you love, forgive grudges, let go of the past. Life is short, give thanks, eat, laugh, dance, help others.

You may never know how your good intentions can help others.

Feel free to forward this to friends and family! Referrals are the lifeblood of my business.

Have a great week, be safe, 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:

Cognitive Decline And Aging In Place

One thing for certain, if we live long enough…

We’re gonna get older. And if we do get old enough…

Cognitive decline still seems inevitable.

The good news, if resources and living circumstances permit, aging in place is possible.

And that’s what most people hope to do.

So even though my dear friend is 94, he is able to stay at home and receive non skilled, non medical care given by family and paid caregivers.

Everyday, Fridus reads the paper, plays chess online, watches television and connects with the people around him.

What’s your long term care plan?

If you have questions about Medicare or Long Term Care, book a time on my calendar here.

What About My Medicare Meds?

Greetings Medicare Insurance Seeker!

It’s that time of year when everyone is being bombarded with false promises of Medicare gold!

If you are taking prescriptions, it’s a good idea to review your options.

1. Look at your Annual Notice of Changes. If the drugs have switched tiers, beware of higher costs.

2. Before filling your prescription, make sure the pharmacy you are going to is a preferred pharmacy in the Part D network.

3. Before filling your prescription, ask the pharmacist the “cash price” for the medication. Sometimes the price your pharmacy can offer is LESS than the discount you receive through your Part D drug plan.

4. Finally, before filling your prescription, check the price using a discounting online app like Goodrx.com. Sometimes this app can really save you money.

Finally, the Annual Election Period is from October 15th through December 7th.

If you have questions about your Medicare Supplement, your Medicare Advantage Plan or your Part D drug coverage…

Book a time on my calendar here and we’ll see if we can reduce your costs and improve your benefits.

Have a great week and call me if you need me!

Do I Need To Review My Medicare Insurance Coverage?

I hope you are having a great week as the weather starts to turn cooler :).

The Medicare Annual Election Period begins in October.

In September, your current carrier should be sending you a copy of the Annual Notice of Changes.

Here, you will be able to read how your plan will be changing for 2022.

If you are not happy with the changes, or you are just unsure if your Medicare Insurance plan is still appropriate for you…

Book a time on my calendar here

Here is a link to the Medicare & You 2022 Handbook

Beware Of Medical Scams!

As I speak with Medicare Insurance Clients around the country and read about breakthrough medical technologies, it amazes me how rapidly medical technology has progressed.

Medical breakthroughs have improved the quality and the length of our lives.

But not all medical break throughs have been validated.

Stem Cells may one day provide remarkable regenerative therapies but to date, THEY HAVE NOT BEEN VERIFIED by peer reviewed independent third party studies.

Before you invest thousands of dollars in unproven medical processes, do your research.

Here’s a great article on Stem Cell Therapy.

And if you have questions about Medicare Insurance and whether you have the right insurance mix, book a time on my calendar here.

And if you get a chance, definitely visit Iceland!