Upcoming Events:

Stephen Herbert is hosting, along with other Edward Jones Investment Advisors, an Attorney and others, an Estate Planning Seminar at the Holiday Inn Airport on April 25, 2007 from 10:00 am until Noon. Please have any interested parties call 628-1546 for details.

What's new: Changes in Medicare

As an independent insurance agent working almost exclusively with Medicare beneficiaries since 1998, I've seen my share of changes in the market place.

The most recent change is the advent of Medicare Advantage(Part C) programs now giving folks more insurance choices. This Medicare program is revolutionizing the Medicare Supplement business. It is perfect for people who couldn't afford a supplement, people who couldn't qualify for one because of health, folks who couldn't afford their existing plan anymore but can't change because of health, and is ideal for veterans. There is only one health question (people on kidney dialysis don't qualify) which means that virtually everybody who are on Medicare Parts A & B can qualify for one. This includes Medicare disability beneficiaries who were previously locked out of any supplemental coverage. The best news is that, in most cases, there is no additional plan premium added to your existing Part B premium already being deducted from your Social Security check! Think it's too good to be true? Ask me how it works. Finally a government program that gets it right!

The biggest change to hit the market place recently is the Medicare Part D prescription drug program. Part D is a classic "good news/bad news" story. The bad news is that many people consider Part D to be terribly confusing and an unfunded mandate from the government to buy insurance they don't want. The good news is that there is now help with prescription drug costs which, no matter how imperfect the program is, can significantly help reduce Rx costs. It seems to be particularly helpful for those who are on lower fixed incomes with greater Rx needs. It can also be substantially beneficial to many others as well. I can help you sort out the details.

Overall this is an exciting time of changes for Medicare eligibles. There are more choices than ever to save folks money and there is someone here in the neighborhood to help you sort it all out.

Mike Richard, SMS
President, Prime Time Solutions, Inc
PO Box 272, Fairview, NC 28730
828-628-3889-H 828-275-5863-C
wmrichard@bellsouth.net

How we have to do things in the mountains

Cool Mountain Construction built a 65x120 riding arena on the mountain with no access to get a truck with trusses on the job. We had to hire a private company to fly a helicopter down from Virginia and fly the trusses to the job. It was exciting to watch. The pilot was a girl and she did a super job. She had to pick them up in a big field on Brush Creek then set them down next to the riding arena in between trees. It was hairy but she did it. (You go girl). Never say you can’t build it there, call Cool Mountain Construction and we’ll get it done!

Sandie's Big Flood

When a burst pipe sent water spraying every which way in our unfinished basement early one Sunday morning in December, we called fellow FBA member Bob Lund of Moose Ridge Construction. He came right over and got in touch with Larry Harrington of Steam Master Carpet Cleaning who came over that same Sunday. Steam Master has a lot of experience dealing with flood cleanups and mod prevention, etc. Over the next several days, all we had to worry about was staying out of the way of the professionals as they took care of everything that needed to be done. Steam Master's crew was efficient, courteous, knowledgeable on fully in control. They handled everything with our insurance company without a hitch. Next Moose Ridge Construction stepped into high gear and moved the start date of our basement project four weeks earlier. Even though it was the Christmas holidays, everything ran efficiently. All of the subcontractors brought in were excellent. Bob Lund kept us apprised of any and all changes and developments. He was fully communicative and available throughout the construction. We couldn't recommend anyone more highly. Yeah to networking through the FBA! Use that directory!