The Big 65 Archives

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:

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.

Annual Election Period Ends Soon

Plato is channeling how yours truly feels during the Annual Election Period which ends soon.

If you’ve already updated your Medicare coverage (or you are happy) you don’t need to do anything, but…

If you are a procrastinator, the end is near for making changes so book a time on my calendar.

It’s been a delight catching up with so many of you and updating hundreds of plans. Most people don’t change, but some do.

I’ve added extra hours so I’ll do my best to squeeze everyone in! You can see my motto below.

This week, I read a fascinating article on Alzheimer’s. Many people believe if you are diagnosed, there’s nothing you can do, but this isn’t true! Studies have shown that identical twins with the same Alzheimer’s diagnosis had vastly different outcomes if they were proactive in their approach. Puzzles, diet, exercise and engagement with others make a huge difference.

It is amazing that Alzheimer’s can be slowed down and the same is true of Parkinson’s. It’s amazing how much we can affect our own lives and the lives of others with small actions.

We celebrated Q’s birthday yesterday. I am the luckiest guy on the planet, even after 34 years, I give thanks for this amazing woman. We’ll celebrate after the busy season ends on Wednesday.

And I’m going to feel like this!

I’ll be super happy when I’ve taken care of every one of you!

In the meantime, feel free to forward this blog post/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

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:

Watch Out For Overbilling On Medical Claims

Happy November and may this find you in good health with your Medicare insurance working properly.

Did you survive the elections and all of the storms coming up from Florida?

Only about 4 weeks left until the Medicare Madness of Open Enrollment is over.

Hopefully you’re also ignoring the noise and the false promises your hear on TV and from the illegal call centers, but if you do have questions, feel free to book a time on my calendar.

Watch Out For Overbilling On Medical Claims

One of things I enjoy most about my work as a broker is catching up with clients all over the country, seeing how they are doing and making certain their coverage is working properly.

This week, I spoke with three different clients who had made a Medicare mistake that cost them money they shouldn’t have had to pay. Click on the picture so you don’t the same thing.

Watch Out For Overbilling On Medical Claims
I wrote about this problem earlier in the year, but it seems to be getting worse. Another studyu have to be on your toes.

One study claims that at least four out of five medical bills contain minor errors.

Another study says that 50% of all Medicare bills have errors.

Perhaps these numbers are inflated, but the reality is medical billing errors are common and you have to be on your guard.

If you have a Medicare Supplement, other than a small annual deductible, normally, you shouldn’t have any additional copays for the hospital or your doctor visits.

If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, your copays are clearly spelled out in your summary of benefits.

So remember: if you receive a bill, don’t pay it until you’ve reviewed it with your insurer and confirm that it has been properly coded and submitted. Take your time and don’t fall victim to the medical industrial complex!

Well, I sure was happy to have Quantz home from her adventures in England visiting our son. Even though this is my busy season, we did find time to go out for lunch.

Of course after a week at home, she left me again… to visit her parents in South Carolina and to help them clean up after the hurricane.

To celebrate Veteran’s Day in advance, we bought our Air Force son (and a buddy) tickets to the Broncos football game at Wembley stadium in London

Judging by their smiles, these two soldiers had a great time (and the Broncos won)! Be sure to reach out to the military members of your family and in your community and thank them for their service. Nicholas is two years into his four year commitment, keep him and all our soldiers all in your prayers.

My little brother Haas sent me this picture of our older brother Robert as they enjoyed a glass of beer and bushel of crabs from the eastern shore of Maryland. Wish I’d been there to join them but I’m happy they spent time together.

Are you finding ways to spend time with your family? Life is short, live large while you can.

Clients David and Ramona sent this picture of their kitchen in Virginia, making pumpkin bread, pumpkin pie, and pumpkin soup. That, to me, is living large and living well! Empty nesters enjoying time together.

How do I live large? Well, before she left for South Carolina, Q took me to a museum and I expressed my creativity as an artist.

Don’t worry, I won’t be quitting my day job :), Medicare is what I do.

Please forward this newsletter to all your friends and family ! Remember, referrals are the lifeblood of my business. Thank you.

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:

What Is Crystallized Intelligence? A Simple Guide

I hope you’ve been avoiding the Medicare trolls and incessant telemarketers. Beware of anyone who promises too much! Meanwhile, Plato says Happy SNowvember!

Here are a few stories that may inspire you to use your crystallized intelligence.

Last Saturday, when we were walking, we ran into a buddy who saved his newly born grandchild’s life. The baby was born prematurely and was not putting on weight. After one ounce of milk, the baby stopped nursing and the newly minted doctor ordered a feeding tube but the feeding tube was not fixing the problem. The baby was still losing weight.

My buddy had been actively involved in the feeding and the care of all sixteen of his other grandchildren and he took the doctor to task.

He asked for the chance to remedy the situation by being allowed to take over the feeding. In one night, using the learning of a lifetime, Bill turned the situation around.

When morning came around, his grandbaby had consumed 2 and 1/2 bottles of formula and was on the road to living. No feeding tube was needed after Bill worked his magic.

We often think of aging as a diminishing process. However, don’t underestimate the power of crystallized intelligence … the wisdom we have gained over a lifetime.

In our younger years, it’s our fluid intelligence that helps us succeed. As we age, crystallized intelligence makes us specialists in certain areas and the onus is upon us to use that wisdom for good.

Since I’ve already made every mistake in the book, I try to use what I have learned to mentor the lives of younger people (and of course to help all of you with Medicare).

Aging well should also include growth, learning and trying new things, but do look for ways to share what you have learned over life with your tribe. How are you going to help others?

Here’s how Martin has helped ...

Martin is a buddy of mine in France. He bought this barren farm in 1992 when he had a still had a head full of hair. Over the next thirty years, he worked as a teacher and spent his free time transforming the land into a forest. Martin jokes that though he lost hair, he regrew it on the land. That, to me, is a legacy.

Famed psychologist Raymond Cattell describes crystallized intelligence as what we acquire from past experiences, through knowledge, and culture.

There are more ways we can learn to use our crystallized intelligence for enriching the lives of our fellow humans.

Tom’s Halloween Masterpiece …

Neighbor Tom takes pleasure every year in building a Halloween spectacle. Though his kids have been out of the house for quite a while, Tom has created a masterpiece that brings joy to everyone who sees it. Each year, his monster madness is more amazing than the year before.

Ed and Perri are neighbors. We usually run into each other out on the trails with our dogs. Though I don’t know them well, I always enjoy our casual conversations. Everything I read says these connections are essential to living well, to staying connected. So, keep looking for ways to stay connected, that is the secret sauce.

You all know that I love Colorado, but if you are looking for “Almost Heaven…”

You have to go where I grew up, the Shenandoah Valley, the edge of West Virginia.

My little brother Haas lives deep in the Valley and he’s loving his new puppy, Georgia, even when she causes trouble. He takes her everywhere he goes.

Georgia says watch out for “Medicare bull” and don’t underestimate the power of your own crystallized intelligence. And let me know what’s going on in your world and how I can help.

Please forward this newsletter to all your friends and family! Remember, referrals are the lifeblood of my business. And thank you.

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 licensed to help Medicare recipients in twenty-two states around the country. States served by Karl include:

Bee Careful About Medicare Marketers

Medicare Advertising Under Scrutiny: Bee Careful

An article in the Wall Street Journal recently caught my attention with this headline:

Celebrity Medicare Sales Pitches Are Toned Down After Scrutiny

Although Medicare advertising is under scrutiny, we are finally beginning to see a clamp down on some of the hyper-annoying and misleading advertising. BUT – Medicare beneficiaries will continue to receive unsolicited and relentless phone calls, especially as we approach the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (AEP for short).

The antidote? SKIP the calls and MUTE the commercials.

I’ve created a new celebrity and his name is Big Head Ted (from Q’s garden). This is what Big Head Ted says about some of the celebrity Medicare advertising going on now:

“The Medicare ads from my fellow celebrities are designed to scare you into believing that you are missing out (FOMO) on all kinds of benefits. But here’s the rub: most of the huge benefits that are advertised are only available to people in the absolute lowest income levels. Where I come from, they call it the old BAIT and SWITCH.”

Now we see why Medicare marketing is under scrutiny.

Of course, it’s important to review your coverage! And starting in October, AFTER you receive your Annual Notice of Changes from your carrier, we will dig in and make sure you have what you need. “And that’s a promise” says Big Head Ted.

Life Can Be Beautiful, Wherever You Are

Q took this picture while visiting her parents in South Carolina. Yes, Colorado is beautiful, but the sunrises and marshes of the Low Country are beautiful.

Colorado may lack water, but let’s not forget Red Rocks, one of America’s greatest outdoor amphitheaters, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression. The Red Rocks amphitheater has incredible acoustics surrounded by jaw dropping beauty.

I never saw Led Zeppelin as a youth, but while Q was away, I did go see Robert Plant and Alison Krauss perform under the stars at Red Rocks. It was one of the best concerts of my life.

Hey, that’s what Quantz gets for abandoning me, right ….?

Yes, Medicare advertising is under scrutiny. But there is much beauty in the world, too.

Well, that’s all for this week.

Please remember to send your friends and family my way if they need help with Medicare. Referrals and happy clients are the lifeblood of our business!

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

The Big 65 and Karl Bruns-Kyler are based in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. Karl provides Medicare insurance services to the Front Range region of Colorado, including Denver, Highlands Ranch, Littleton, Boulder, Centennial, Colorado Springs, Lone Tree, Greenwood Village and throughout Colorado.

Karl is also licensed in seventeen additional states to help with Medicare insurance. Those additional states include Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin.

Karl Bruns-Kyler is a Private Insurance Broker, a Certified Senior Advisor, CSA, with no affiliation to Medicare, CMS or any governmental organization.

www.TheBig65.com

New Highlands Ranch Senior Center: What to Expect

Highlands Ranch will soon break ground on a new senior center for residents over 55 and their families. This is exciting news for Highlands Ranch!

The new senior community center will offer a much-needed antidote to the rising tide of loneliness, especially among older adults.

The 20,000 square foot community center will be built next to Mountainview Christian Church on Highlands Ranch Parkway and will offer a wide variety of opportunities for socializing, lifelong learning, meeting new people, and staying active.

Among the activities planned include fitness classes, potluck dinners, indoor and outdoor games, conversational groups, special interest clubs, events, card games, BINGO, cooking classes, movies, tastings, book clubs, author events, travelogues, pickle ball lessons and leagues, bocce ball, recreational opportunities, and many more social activities.

In addition to a wellness and fitness center, the new facility will include meeting rooms and a large kitchen. Part of the facility will also be used for adult financial programs and other assistance for seniors.

A groundbreaking ceremony for the future Highlands Ranch Senior Center is scheduled for Monday, September 19^th and will take place from 2:30-3:30 pm in the parking lot of Mountainview Christian Church, located at 40 East Highlands Ranch Parkway, Highlands Ranch, Colorado.

The groundbreaking event will include light refreshments, giveaways, photo keepsakes, and a short program.

The new Highlands Ranch Senior Center is expected to open in 2023. More info can be found at highlandsranch.org/seniorcenter.

Karl Bruns-Kyler is the owner of The Big 65, an insurance company that provides Medicare insurance services to Colorado. The Big 65 is based in Highlands Ranch where Karl lives with his family. Karl’s role as a health insurance broker is to match Medicare beneficiaries with the right Medicare plan at the lowest price. For more information, visit The Big 65 Colorado.

Your Guide to Insurance for Credit Card Fraud

Credit Card Fraud and Medicare

In talking with other Medicare Insurance Brokers near me, you’d be surprised how many consumers on Medicare Insurance Plans do not pay enough attention to their credit card information. Credit card fraud and Medicare are two things I know something about.

Last week I received a new Capital One Debit Card.

The problem?

I didn’t open the account :(.

Apparently, someone with my social security number and a burner phone opened the account on my behalf.

That means they have all my information.

The good news is I was able to cancel the card. If I had opened the account, and deposited money, chances are the scammers would have drained it later.

Credit card fraud is a form of identity theft. When an unauthorized individual steals another person’s credit card information and uses that information to make purchases or remove funds, this is against the law. Interestingly, Federal law limits a cardholders’ liability to $50. That is, if there is credit card theft. However, many banks will waive this amount IF the owner of the credit card is willing to sign an affidavit explaining the details of the theft.

We can protect ourselves from credit card fraud and identity theft by doing a couple of things now. Find a card with $0 liability protection. Sign up for transaction alerts on your current credit cards. Keep an eye on your credit card information. And consider adding a credit protection service. These credit monitoring services can help protect you against credit card theft and put your mind at ease.

Credit card fraud and Medicare: Be careful out there.

And if you have questions about Medicare Insurance, visit www.big65.com.

Coffee Ain’t Bad

May this note find you in good health with your Medicare Insurance working properly.

It’s rare to hear good news about things we do actually being good for you but…

A recent New York Times article describes the benefits that coffee can provide, possibly reducing your risk of sudden death by almost 30 percent if you drink 2-3 cups a day.

Cup of coffee photograph

Of course beware if you are able to handle the caffeine :).

The health benefits of coffee include a lower risk of type 2 Diabetes, a lower risk of depression, and improved Liver health. But there’s more …

One study that involved 1,567 people, had some interesting results: Researchers found that drinking caffeinated coffee offered positive results. In fact, the study showed that the coffee drinking participants had a lower risk of death after 18 years of follow-up. That’s impressive. The researchers also found that drinking one cup of coffee per day (at a minimum) was also associated with a lower risk of death from cancer.

The health benefits of coffee don’t stop there. Researchers are finding that additional health benefits of coffee include a reduced risk of developing: Parkinson’s disease, melanoma, prostate cancer, and more.

Moderate coffee consumption was studies in the Nurses’ Health Study which evaluated 83,700 nurses’ diets. The study found that drinking coffee was associated with several health benefits, including a decreased risk of stroke in women.

An interesting study conducted by the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition found that caffeine can lead to increased fat oxidation. This is encouraging news for athletes and non-athletes, alike.

The take-away from all of this: COFFEE AIN’T BAD.

And if you have questions about Medicare Insurance, book a time on my calendar here. Or find out more at www.TheBig65.com.