Medicare Archives

When was the last time you left town? 🚗💨

May this blog find you smiling, in great health, and with your Medicare Insurance packed and ready to go 🏃.

Does anyone you know need help 🤔 with Medicare? Email Gray@TheBig65.com or book a time on my calendar. Referrals truly are the lifeblood of our business. Plus, we’ll send you a Starbucks card for anyone who books an appointment ☕🎁💳.

We saw this little rascal while waiting to board and we’re certain our dog Plato would be jealous. Isn’t he cute 🐕‍🦺 ?

Remember the last trip you took? Life is busier than ever, and filled with so many moving parts so it takes a concerted effort to put everything on hold and get out.

But most folks feel way better after going somewhere new, shaking up the routine, or just hanging with friends and family in a new setting.

Yet, here’s something I’ve noticed over the years speaking with hundreds of clients…

When the subject of travel comes up, it’s not unusual to hear: Oh, we don’t travel anymore.

If I probe a little deeper and ask why, the reason usually isn’t money.

It’s almost always a person: a spouse with dementia, a brother who had a stroke, a ninety-something mother who can no longer live alone.

If this is your profile, please know two things:

One: You are allowed to leave. Two: Medicare may help you do it.

The hardest part of caregiving isn’t the individual acts of care, it’s the fact that the caregiving NEVER stops. The shift NEVER ends.

It’s very normal to decide that a break isn’t possible, not even a 7th inning stretch.

If you are a caregiver for a person with a dementia diagnosis (and the person is NOT in a Medicare Advantage Plan), Medicare has a program call GUIDE, “Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience.”

The program is free and it comes with a care navigator, a 24/7 support line, training for you, and respite care so you can actually go somewhere. It’s for folks on Original Medicare Parts A and B who aren’t in hospice, PACE, or a nursing home. It launched in 2024 and runs as a nationwide pilot. You can search for a participating provider near you on the CMS website.

If the person you care for is on hospice, you cannot use the GUIDE program, but…

Medicare Part A may cover inpatient respite care for a hospice patient.

Depending on the situation, the person you care for may be able to receive facility care for a short stretch, for a small copay, so you can sleep, or go to a wedding, or just drive somewhere quiet to get a break from the stress.

Some Medicare Advantage plans include caregiver support or respite care as a supplemental benefit, but not many. Check in with Member Services to see if your plan has any options.

Remember, Original Medicare does NOT pay for long term custodial care. That’s what Long Term Care Insurance provides. Feel free to reach out if you need help exploring this coverage.

We all need help from time to time. If you are a caregiver, find a way to step away. Catch your breath before it’s too late⏳.

Keep asking, What’s the next big thing? Now go see it🗺️!

If family or friends need help… referrals are the lifeblood of my business.

If you know someone who might like to receive The Big 65 newsletter, forward this link.

Medicare questions or problems?

Book a time on my calendar or email Gray, Gray@theBig65.com.

Let us know what’s going on and please send pictures :).

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 over thirty states from around the country, including:

Alabama
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Florida
Georgia
Idaho
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maryland
Michigan
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
North Carolina
Ohio
Oklahoma
Pennsylvania
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Virginia
Washington
Wisconsin

The Big 65 Medicare Insurance Services does not offer every plan available in your area. Currently, we represent 10 organizations that offer 50 products in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options.

Feed the good wolf🐺🍎

Pre Halloween Howdies to you and your family.

The autumn leaves 🍁🍂 are turning and we hope your Medicare Insurance Plan is working the way it should and not causing you to believe in Bigfoot!

If you’ve reviewed your plan and everything looks ok, no action is necessary.

If you are unsure, email Gray, Gray@TheBig65.com, or book a time on my calendar. There are plenty of slots in November and we’ll be sure to talk.

This is our busiest time of the year, so, if for some reason you haven’t heard back from us, please reach out again, our desks are piled high and deep! We have till December 7th and we will get to everyone, that’s a promise.

Having an exchange student from Madagascar living in our home, well, it opens our eyes to the surprise all around.

Who knew Bigfoot worked at the Denver zoo😂 ?

If we’d posted this picture first without mentioning the zoo, would you be wondering if Bigfoot was real🧌👣😲? That’s an orangutan.

Here’s the challenge of modern living…

We take in more information on our phone in a morning than our grandparents took in reading the paper for a month📱🤯😵‍💫.

It’s way too easy to get stressed out with information overload😵‍💫 and it can actually be harmful to our health.

The quote attributed to Mark Twain is certainly on point:

“I am an old man and have known a great many troubles👴🤯, most of which never happened😄.”

This week, yours truly finally celebrated The Big 65!

As your Medicare Insurance Broker, I have had the privilege of watching hundreds celebrate this auspicious event, and now it’s my turn. So I’m not just the owner of The Big 65, now I’m a member.

In life, it’s rarely what actually happens to us that causes the pain and suffering. Instead, it’s how we choose to respond!

Here’s what I’ve learned from you all when I’m feeling overwhelmed:

Interrupt the pattern.

Take a break, grab a cup of joe☕️, go sit in the sunlight and visit a friend (seen here hanging with 60,000 of my closest friends🐝.)

Get busy.

Most of our stress comes from living in our heads vs working with our hands. When the weight of the world feels crushing, pick up a tool, clean out a closet, get your body moving.

This was a tough year on bees all across the country. 40% of the hives didn’t make it. We had to requeen one hive and do major triage on the other but…

They survived! We weren’t able to harvest much this year, but the hives are healthy, and the supers are full of honey and now the girls are ready for the winter. Next year will be better.

Practice self care.

Modern cars run a long time… if you change the oil and rotate the tires. Same goes for humans.

Get your teeth cleaned, have your eyes checked, schedule your annual medical wellness visit. And don’t bite your dentist!

Do something fun!

Since we’re at home this year as exchange student parents, Quantz is scheduling lots of fun activities: flower arranging, Zumba at the rec center, free lectures around town.

Plug into a local group that catches your fancy and try something new.

Help others.

I’ve been mentoring a young un named Brayan, a super smart kid who grew up on the wrong side of the tracks and made a terrible mistake at 15. He spent five years in prison and was just released in April.

Remarkably, Brayan came out a reborn soul. He finished high school and is now working with the district attorney to educate new lawyers on how to help other young uns to avoid the traps he fell into.

When you spend time with a person who should have come out broken but instead used a horrible experience to transform his life, well, you just realize there’s hope for each of us and for the crazy world we live in.

Feed the good wolf.

Where attention goes, energy flows. I share these stories not trying to pretend that world is perfect, but to remind myself that the world has always been imperfect, and the job is ours…

To keep our eyes on the prize, to focus on what’s right and on the things we can change. I have great confidence in Brayan and David, brothers and entrepreneurs. The path is never easy is but they will find their way, and I’m gonna do my best to help them as they continue their adventure.

Be like my buddy Sally:

Don’t get blown away by negativity! This life we have is an adventure, the choice is always ours. Feed the good wolf!

Keep squeezing the juice🍊 out of life and look for ways to help others.

If family or friends need help… referrals are the lifeblood of my business.

If you know someone who might like to receive The Big 65 newsletter, forward this link.

Medicare questions or problems?

Book a time on my calendar or email Gray, Gray@theBig65.com.

Let us know what’s going on and please send pictures :).

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 thirty states around the country, including:

Alabama
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Florida
Georgia
Idaho
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maryland
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
Montana
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
North Carolina
Ohio
Oklahoma
Pennsylvania
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Virginia
Washington
Wisconsin

Learn more about Plan G. Learn more about why some avoid Medicare Advantage.

Learn more about Medigap vs Medicare Advantage.

We are the bows, they are the arrows🏹.

Bonjour! May this blog find you in good spirits, with your Medicare Insurance keeping the water off your head💦 .

We had a client fall for a duplicitous Facebook ad promising Medicare riches. Beware⚠️! Someone signed her up for a new plan and she didn’t even know it. Fortunately, we were able to remedy the situation and file a formal complaint against the 📞call center.

New plans come out in October. If your medications💊 or physicians🧑‍⚕️have changed, please email any changes to Gray@TheBig65.com.

We can’t make changes till the Annual Election Period begins October 15th, so book a time on my calendar if we need to speak.

After time with Nicholas in Italy, I pivoted to France to spend time with some of our six exchange student grandchildren. Gustave is repaying me for the water I “accidentally” 😆poured on his head.

Regular readers will remember these two rascals visited us in Colorado earlier in the summer. We looked at pictures of their dad’s time in the US in high school in our house in Roswell, twenty years ago.

I consider myself an honorary grandparent and it sure is fun to watch them grow and become genuine humans.

The boys’ grandfather, Martin, measures the world by the trees he grows. Trees grown from seed he’s collected from all over the world: palms and persimmons from Asia, Alsation apples, peaches and pears, loblolly pines from Atlanta. Even sequoias from the northwest grace his land.

Thirty nine years ago, Martin and I planted a 🌳 tree to honor the birth of his first born son (on his father’s farm).

How fun to return and see the labor of a lifetime, a forest in his backyard that will probably outlive us all, as hopefully our children and grandchildren will outlive us.

The only thing I know for certain? Martin’s grapes are way better than mine.

Kahlil Gibran wrote: “You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.”

That’s what happens, right? We have them, we raise them, then they have to find their way, their path, not ours.

Hopefully, from time to time, our paths converge. We eat together (tarte flambé), perhaps raise a glass to celebrate the memories and continue to watch the children of our children grow.

When you reach the end of your life, for what will you hope to be remembered?

Let it be those tender moments you shared with the people you love. Make more of them whenever you can and you won’t be disappointed.

Life is an adventure. Look before you leap, but always keep going.

And do keep squeezing the juice🍊 out of life and look for ways to help others.

If family or friends need help… referrals are the lifeblood of my business.

If you know someone who might like to receive The Big 65 newsletter, forward this link.

Medicare questions or problems?

Book a time on my calendar or email Gray, Gray@theBig65.com.

Let us know what’s going on and please send pictures :).

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 thirty states around the country, including:

This is why your gut loves old friends 🌿

Happy Labor Day! May this note find you above water🏄‍♂️💧, among people you love, and with your Medicare Insurance working well.

We just read an article that Medicare may start requiring “prior authorization” in AZ, NJ, OH, OK, TX, and WA. Looks like a test program, stay tuned🚨📺📢.

If you need help 🙋‍♂️ with Supplements, Medicare Advantage, or Part D Drug plans🤔, please e-mail Gray, Gray@TheBig65.com or book a time on my calendar.

Be sure to ignore all the illegal calls🚫👿 you are receiving. The scammers are out there🛑🤥📢 causing trouble!

Plato’s been enjoying the last days of summer and our new exchange student from Madagascar seems to be adapting to high school and adventures in the Bruns-Kyler house.

Our daughter Sus and KC attended the annual Tour de Fat costumed bicycle parade 🚲🎉 in Fort Collins, seen here as “dandy lion🦁” & the “dandelion🌼.”

Everyone knows being outside is good for the soul…

But a recent lecture at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science had six short lectures confirming the scientific benefits of nature and the microbiome.

Think of the microbiome as a hidden ecosystem living with us in constant interaction.

When balanced, the microbiome promotes health; when disrupted, it can contribute to disease.

The microbiome isn’t just inside humans. It exists in all environments — soil, rivers, oceans, plants, animals, and even the air.

Much of the human microbiome originates from our interaction with nature: the food we eat, the soil we touch, the animals we encounter, even the air we breathe.

The word on Haas’ farm… bear🐻with me😂!

🌱 The Old Friends Hypothesis suggests that humans evolved alongside microbes, parasites, and other organisms in soil, plants, animals, and food that helped train and balance our immune systems.

Today, with cleaner environments, processed foods, and less contact with nature, we’ve lost exposure to these “old friends.”

Instead of fighting parasites 🦠we no longer encounter, our immune system can turn on itself, apparently contributing to rising allergies, asthma, and autoimmune conditions

But if you are indoors, it never hurts to have flowers. This week, the theme of Quantz’s flower class was Elvis👨‍🎤. Thank you very much🎸!

Sleep also interacts with our microbiome — the trillions of microbes that live in our gut and on our skin.

According to the Johns Hopkins presenter below, “longer sleep” equals “higher amounts of healthy bacteria.”

When we don’t get enough rest, the balance of these microbes shifts, which may raise inflammation, lower immunity, and even affect mental health.

So what’s a human to do🤷‍♂️🧬?

🥦 Feed your gut: Eat fiber and fermented foods to support your microbiome.
🌞Get outside: Sunlight and nature boost mood, immunity, and sleep.
🤝 Stay connected: Friendships and laughter keep the brain and heart strong.
🚶 Move daily: Walk, garden, or stretch — little bits add up.
😴 Rest well: Good sleep helps the body and mind reset.

Plato’s not sure a 150 degree heated box is his cup of dog food and he doesn’t like the ice bath either, but he does love his family.

Even though I bombard💥you with ideas every week, you know the formula:

😊 Connect and help others

😹 Laugh

🥕 Eat good food

🚶‍♂️ Walk outside

💤 Rest well

That’s the secret to wellness.

Miti just joined cross country at school🏃‍♀️, despite never having trained. Growing up with so many challenges in one of the poorest nations on earth, her positive attitude inspires us at times we feel like😠 complaining the world is on fire🔥🌍.

The next time you’re having a tough moment, remember Miti — and keep moving forward with courage and a smile💖.

And do keep squeezing the juice🍊 out of life and look for ways to help others.

If family or friends need help… referrals are the lifeblood of my business.

If you know someone who might like to receive The Big 65 newsletter, forward this link.

Medicare questions or problems?

Book a time on my calendar or email Gray, Gray@theBig65.com.

Let us know what’s going on and please send pictures :).

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 thirty states around the country, including:

You need to wake up your doctor!

May this note find you in great health with your Medicare coverage working properly.

Are you getting ready for the holidays?

The Annual Election Period is over 🎉🙏🎉! It was so much fun catching up with so many of you from all over the country. Most people kept their plans but some made changes.

If we didn’t speak and you aren’t happy with your Advantage coverage, don’t worry.

You have until the end of March to make one change if you need to. Most people don’t need to do anything, but if you’re unsure, book a time in January to make sure.

If Plato looks warn out above, that’s because he played hard all day. Say hello to “Suki,” our newest house guest and Plato’s new pal.

Suki and his boss Max arrived this morning to live with us for a while and we immediately drafted them to help us cut down a Christmas tree up in the Rockies.

After ten weeks of ten hour days (including most weekends), it was a pleasure to get out of the house and up into the snow in the Arapahoe National Forest.

Plato was even gladder than me to be out of the house and doing something new with Suki.

I was so tempted to spend the day vegging, but I followed James Clear’s advice and we had a great afternoon hunting the perfect tree (plus the permit to cut a tree was only $20).

Every time we do something new, our brains make new connections and it strengthens our bodies, our minds, and our souls.

Listen to this three minute Ted Talk on how a group of nuns avoided the pitfalls of dementia just by doing new things.

We cut down this 18 footer and carried her out of the forest through deep snow, strapped her on top of the car, and drove down the mountain. It was exhilarating to do something new.

On the way down I caught up with our daughter Sus and she sent pics from the Ugly Sweater Party at work. I guess that’s way computer coders like to have fun.

Before heading up the mountain, I spent an hour on the phone with Nathan Jenkins, a Physician’s Assistant and a retired Navy Veteran. He now works for a company that does in-home health assessments and I learned so many interesting things about the state of medical care in America.

His best piece of advice: every time you go to the doctor, throw ALL OF YOUR MEDICATIONS in a large plastic bag and put them on the table in front of the doctor and have them confirm that you still need to be taking each medicine.

Nathan said most doctors are great at beginning the healing process but they are not always great at formulating an end game to treatment. Many patients continue to take a medicine to treat a specific condition (like situational depression) long after the condition has subsided. Be sure to review your prescriptions with EVERY DOCTOR you see.

By the way, if you take a statin, watch this video a cardiologist posted on the pros and the cons of taking this medication.

Q had a birthday in early December – 29, again 😶🤫. We celebrated with great friends that I plan to see more often because life is incredibly short and we never know when it will end.

Two weeks ago, Frank and Brigitte were driving to Costco, a regular Saturday morning. As Frank looked ahead, he suddenly saw a car out of control heading straight at them at break neck speed. “Gina, hold on, we’re gonna roll.” To avoid the head on collision, he swerved and the car flipped down the embankment.

When the paramedics came with jaws of life, they expected to find two lifeless bodies. No one could survive such a devastating crash.

Miraculously, Frank and Brigette were standing beside their 1950 Oldsmobile Ricket 88 completely unharmed.

The officer said if it hadn’t been made of solid steel (and if the both hadn’t been in such excellent physical shape), they would have gone through the windshield and been nothing more than a statistic.

What’s even more impressive? One year ago, I visited Frank in his home and he was bedridden, slowly recovering from an extremely difficult surgery. This is one of the most amazing couples I’ve ever met. Their love for each other, their work ethic, and their faith make them a living miracle, and a treasure.

Never give up, never surrender. As Winnie the Pooh said famously:

“You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”

Keep squeezing the juice out of life and look for ways to help others!

Medicare questions or problems?

Book a time on my calendar or email Gray, Gray@theBig65.com.

If family or friends need help… referrals are the lifeblood of my business.

Let us know what’s going on and please send pictures :).

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 thirty states around the country, including:

Alabama
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Florida
Georgia
Idaho
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Louisiana
Maryland
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
North Carolina
Ohio
Oklahoma
Pennsylvania
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Virginia
Washington
Wisconsin

A Look Inside: Thomas House Restaurant Photos

May this blog find you in great health with your Medicare Insurance working properly 😊.

Plato hopes you’re enjoying the leaves wherever you are in America. In fact, he double 🐶 dares you to make a pile and jump on it 🍁.

I’ll send a bottle of our honey to the first three people who send selfies in the leaves.

And don’t worry, yellowing Florida palm fronds count 🌴!

The Annual Election Period is in full swing and the phone is ringing.

If you’re happy with your current coverage, and there have been no major changes, then no action is necessary, leave things be 🐝. But…

If you are unhappy, unsure, or just want peace of mind, book a time here. We have till December 7th. Here’s my current list of states:

AL, AZ, CA, CO, CT, FL, GA, ID, IN, IA, KS, LA, MD, MI, MN, MO, NV,

NH, NJ, NY, NC, OH, OK, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, WA, WI.

Remember: anyone who calls YOU about Medicare without permission is BREAKING THE LAW. Ask for their insurance license number and watch them disappear 👿.

Yours truly had a great time visiting clients, old high school classmates, and family in the Shenandoah Valley. Reconnecting is good for the heart and great for the soul, and it is a reminder we are getting older!

It wasn’t easy to convince my little brother to take an ice bath ❄️ on his farm in late October. The shock is good for the body and the brain, but don’t you try it till you consult a doctor.

I would’ve posted the video, but Haas dropped too many F bombs 😅. That’s what brothers do, right?

Nobody likes feeling older so one of the most important things we can do as we age is to take the time to practice self care, especially of the brain.

A recent study posits that vitamin D deficiencies could be linked to an increased risk of stroke or dementia. And here’s the crazy thing…

Up to 42% of US adults may be deficient in vitamin D!! The good news is there are plenty of easy ways to remedy this problem.

Here are some simple ways to increase vitamin D:

• Spend time in the sun.
• Eat vitamin D-rich foods, fatty fish, eggs, and cheese.
• Take supplements if necessary.
• Include mushrooms in your diet.

Be sure to consult your doctor for personalized advice, but do pick at least one and add it to your life, and let us know if it helps!

68 pounds🍯. That was the honey harvest this year.

Thanks to so many friends for their advice and help in the harvesting and taking care of the bees. I’m keeping my fingers crossed the winter isn’t too hard on them.

Neighbor Erick was kind enough to enough to give me advice about my sprinkler system so I sent him home with honey.

He is an amazing landscape architect who recently completed Seven Stones here in Colorado, a botanical garden cemetery with a whole new approach to celebrate and honor the passing of life. I can’t wait to walk the property. Even better, they have bees!

We lost one of my favorites in Atlanta this month. Miss Shirley was 95, beautiful on the inside and the outside, one of those remarkable people you get the privilege to hear about. Healthy, kind, engaged, and loved. It just doesn’t get any better than that.

Adrienne told me her mom loved seeing her picture in the newsletter. In fact, we’d just been talking about her the week before she passed. Miss Shirley, you’ll be missed. Hope your ears are ringing in heaven.

Stan and Michelle finally pulled off their dream adventure: London, Highclere Castle (from Downton Abbey), Paris, Provence, and Giverny, plus lots of great wine.

Here’s wishing the engineer and his wife continued adventures!

If you ever find yourself a wandering in the Shenandoah, be sure to visit the Thomas House in Dayton, Virginia. Just off Route 11, we’ve been eating there since time out of mind.

Old Mama Thomas has long passed, though some of her china plates still remain on the walls, and the food will bring you back. Digging in to this comfort food reminds me of my days working on Abe Lincoln’s uncle’s dairy farm before school, in the heart of Virginia Mennonite country.

You may need to take a statin and some insulin before grabbing a meat and three plus a glass of sweet tea, but I assure you, it’s worth the indulgence.

Better yet, go with your best friend Luke, his son Lightning Lucas, and a big appetite. You won’t be disappointed.

Leave a good tip and a great smile. The world will thank you.

Good news: Quantz finally came home 🎉! Last stop was Armenia, including a glimpse of Mount Ararat and this Gampr, a huge dog bred to protect flocks from predators (the ears are cropped so the wolves can’t bite them).

73 countries visited, 122 to go! Miles to go before we sleep.

Keep squeezing the juice out of life!

Medicare questions or problems?

Book a time on my calendar or email Gray, Gray@theBig65.com.

If family or friends need help… referrals are the lifeblood of my business.

Let us know what’s going on and please send pictures :).

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-seven states around the country, including:

Alabama
Arizona
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Florida
Georgia
Idaho
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Louisiana
Maryland
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
North Carolina
Ohio
Oklahoma
Pennsylvania
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Virginia
Washington
Wisconsin

We got a scare on Thursday!

May this blog post find you in great health with your Medicare Insurance working properly.

This week, the universal truth came home to roost:

If you live long enough, you’re gonna get old, naturally…

We got a scare on Thursday!

Over breakfast, Quantz casually mentioned seeing floating objects in her eye and a shadow in her peripheral vision.

Since I actually love my wife, I immediately looked up the symptoms on WebMd and called our eye doctor who said, “get her into a specialist NOW!”

That got my attention.

Our ophthalmologist diagnosed the problem: vitreous detachment (thank goodness NOT retina detachment). Normally, this particular condition goes away on its own.

Talk about relief!

As the son of two hypochondriacs who enjoyed poor health for years, I’ve always tended to avoid doctor visits at all costs, and that’s not always a good thing.

If you experience sudden noticeable changes in your vision, see a doctor immediately. Here’s an article on when to see an eye doctor.

Had a fascinating conversation with Cathy in Ohio about Prolia, the bone density injection many clients take for Osteoporosis.

This is one of those excellent drugs that is expensive as sin so I get lots of calls about this topic. Cathy inspired me to get on the phone with Amgen to get clarity.

According to Gabby in the Amgen 360 Navigation Department, the makers of Prolia, here are some things to be aware of if your healthcare practitioner prescribes Prolia:

Find out if your MD does “Physician Purchases of Prolia through a buy in bill.” This means that instead of purchasing the Prolia through your prescription drug benefit, the MD’s practice buys Prolia in bulk and the cost of the Prolia falls under your Part B Medicare Benefits. This might save you money.
Ask the billing department to do a “Benefit Verification” to find out the exact cost before you do anything and have them confirm benefits with your insurer.
Check in with Amgen (the makers of Prolia) for advice, 888-427-7478.

The devil here is definitely in the details. Every situation is different, there is no universal solution.

This was a tough year for bees. Here in Colorado, professional bee keepers lost a high percentage of their hives to mites.

I thought my hive died because it was too cold, but when I did my spring inspection, there was plenty of uneaten honey. It turns out the mites overwhelmed the hive and that sure made me sad.

The good news is, I’m not giving up.

Today, I’ll be driving up to Windsor, Colorado to take another beekeeping class and to pick up two new queens and a two boxes of bees. Wish us luck.

You can probably guess from this picture why my little brother, Haas, doesn’t keep bees on his farm in Virginia… too many of these around.

Turns out he left a bag of trash in the covered bed of his truck and this fella made a heck of a mess. Apparently bears love Gatorade and Red Bull. Remember that!

Jon & Charlotte in Florida took this bobcat picture with the front door camera.

Good thing it wasn’t …. wait, is that Mittens?

Last week, I wrote about Dave the dog trainer and his work with service animals for the police.

Apparently, he takes his work home with him. Is this your definition of a lapdog? This looks like true love to me.

Last weekend we took Flo, our French cousin, to a music festival in northern Colorado. We got to see our daughter, Sus, and her boyfriend. Good times!

You’ll be happy to know that I took a taste of my own medicine and tried something new with Flo and Sus.

Tie dye is not something I’ve ever tried before but it was fun, especially when surrounded by young uns having a great time.

Don’t worry, I won’t be joining the Grateful Dead.

But hey, now I have new shirt for yard work.

Keep squeezing the juice out of life.

Medicare questions or problems?

Book a time on my calendar or email Gray, Gray@theBig65.com.

If family or friends need… referrals are the lifeblood of my business.

Let us know what’s going on and please send pictures :).

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-three states around the country, including:

Alabama
Arizona
Colorado
Florida
Georgia
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Louisiana
Maryland
Minnesota
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.

Riley Moynes TED Talk: The 4 Stages of Retirement

One of my favorite TED Talks …

The 4 phases of retirement | Dr. Riley Moynes | TedX Talks

Dr. Moynes interviewed hundreds of retirees and from those interviews, he recognized the four phases of retirement. This is a great Ted Talk for anyone who is retired or considering retirement.

Dr Riley Moynes is the author of The Four Phases of Retirement: What to Expect When You’re Retiring.

The four phases of retirement as identified by Dr. Moynes:

Phase 1 – The Vacation Phase
Phase 2 – Disillusionment
Phase 3 – Trial and Error
Phase 4 – Reinvent and Rewire

As Dr. Moynes says … “imagine squeezing all the juice out of retirement! I wish I knew then what I know now about the psychological challenges that accompany retirement. It would have made things much clearer and easier.”

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

Here’s a Thought For Today

Happy Holidays to you and your family in this week of remarkable subzero cold all over our country. Here’s a Thought For Today:

Plato and I have been shuttling kids to the airport. Santiago, one of our former exchange students, returned to his family in Puebla, Mexico. Q has enjoyed having a son at home to spoil (while our son is overseas in the Air Force). I enjoyed our ping pong games (even though he crushed me) and our walks with Plato. It’s good to be active.

Florence, my wife’s cousin’s daughter, returned to France to spend Xmas with her family. Plato is happy to report she will return in the New Year to continue her volunteer year at the inner city music school in Denver. It is always a joy to watch young people growing into their lives.

In catching up with Medicare clients all over the US, I am reminded that the only thing certain in life is change.

Daily, I hear stories of great sadness, struggle and separation, but also stories of hope, transformation, of families reconnecting and retirees re-inventing themselves and creating new adventures.

“Gettin’ old ain’t for sissies!” And even though clients like Jack, Adrienne, and her mom Shirley make it look easy (sitting next to 17 month old Winston the doodle, who, for the moment is staying out of trouble), life will always be a challenge.

People will disappoint us. The world will get crazier. Traffic will get worse. Inflation will continue. Medicare will get more confusing and we’re all gonna die, eventually.

But don’t give up hope! Keep your eyes on the things that bring you joy. The highlight of my busy season was a beautiful, delicious cake, lovingly baked and sent to our home by Lorna, a client in New York. Quantz and I have been enjoying generous slices with tea in front of the tree every afternoon of this very cold week. Take joy in the small quiet moments of life.

So, in the dark, cold days of winter…

Give thanks, let go of old grievances, laugh out loud, kiss someone you love and look for ways to help others.

I give thanks to each of you and for the privilege of being your Medicare guide.

Wishing you robust health and joy filled holidays!

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:

Most Senior Dental Insurance Is Crap

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:

Ken Todd

2 months ago

Karl and his group did a great job guiding me through options and educating me on the unknowns. Process was smooth and painless. I highly recommend Big65.

David Weber

Charles Gibson

Karl is the man!!! He helped me and my wife navigate the map of Medicare confusion. Thank you to him!!!!!!

Dianne

Karl has been very helpful over the years. I have never regretted taking his suggestions. I find his news letters very interesting and inspiring. Plus I love seeing photos of Plato.

Jan Miller

So enjoy and trust Karl

William Rosenberg

Mel E

William Wilson

Karl does a great job, a pleasure to work with

Lisa Berkow

Karl was so helpful, efficient and responsive in picking and enrolling in Medicare.

Kirk Hardcastle

3 months ago

LINDA CHRISTOPHER

My husband and I are so grateful for Karl's expertise! Karl took the time to really understand our particular needs and patiently explained all our options. He answered every question we had in language that we are familiar with and he made sure we were comfortable enough to make good decisions. He helped us navigate processes that had seemed overwhelming and we feel confident that with his knowledgable assitance, our retirement needs are now managable. I cannot speak highly enough of Karl and The Big 65. Thanks to Karl, we now have priceless peace of mind.

Daniel Flynn

We were terrified when we first approached the idea of signing up for Medicare. We didnt know what was the 1st step or any steps for that matter. I had seen TheBig65 ad somewhere and made the 1st phone appointment. Karl makes the entire process easy breezy, walks with you every step of the way. He's very personable, it was a joy working with him and he assures you he's always there for you. We asked 5,267 questions and he made all of them easy to deal with. we're now on Medicare, its all great. THANKS KARL !!!!!

Adam Woitkowski

Karl was great to talk to, explained every thing very well. highly recommended you talk to him about Medicare VA

Martha Webb

Karl was very kind, patient and knowledgeable in helping me with my Medicare decisions

Christine Folgmann

Very professional. So nice in this day and age to have a knowledgeable and real person to talk to instead of an app or AI assistant.

jayne jenner

Karl, the big 65 saved me sooo much trouble and made Medicare enrollment a breeze.

Donna Powers-Koontz

Karl was very helpful and extremely knowledgeable when helping me decide upon and then set up my Medicare MediGap plan. It is a complicated system but he answered all my questions which made the decision easy in the end.

Marion Stepan

4 months ago

Karl makes this new process simple and clear. We easily recommend him to friends and family!

Janice

I had a great experience on a call with Karl at The Big 65. He is very personable and easy to talk with about all the complexities of insurance coverage. He is also a good listener and fully understood my health insurance needs. By the end of the call I was signed up for a plan that I'm very happy with and I am so relieved that it has been taken care of. I highly recommend.

cindy rodriguez

Karl did a great job helping me change plans. He is always available and helpful.