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The Power of Gratitude this Thanksgiving
The Power of Gratitude this Thanksgiving 🙏🏼 🍁 🙏🏼
November Newsletter
‘We need to learn to want what we have, not to have what we want, in order to get stable and steady happiness.’– Dalai Lama
Greetings and blessings for a very Happy Thanksgiving -- Experts say there are three major events that can change your life trajectory – Death, Divorce and serious Illness. I believe that the "New Now' – which is nothing 'Normal' – the pandemic world that we are collectively living through will be the fourth event! Even if you personally haven't gotten sick or lost a loved one, the upheaval, unfamiliar changes and stresses of this time will be with each of us for the rest of our lives.Reflecting on this challenging year, one thing is abundantly clear – don't wait for Thanksgiving or the holidays to practice gratitude. It is crucial to incorporate gratitude into our regular self-care. You can ask yourself daily: "what am I grateful for today?" and try and list 5 things. Your list may stay the same some days and vary on others. I want to share this practice with you, as when I take a daily inventory of what I am grateful for, I do not fear what I don't have in comparison to my friend or neighbor, instead, I am feeling the joy and fulfillment of acknowledging what I do have. When we sit with gratitude it becomes clearer – we are each a refection of one another, and ultimately we are all connected as one. As you sit at your Thanksgiving table this year, while it will be totally different, take it as an opportunity to be grateful for all that has come into your life, challenges and all. With full gratitude and humble appreciation, grateful Thanksgiving from me & the A+ Team
It's Open Enrollment Season!
Open Enrollment for Covered CA runs through January 31.
Enroll by December 15 for a January 1, 2021 effective date.
Our team of Covered California experts can help you:✅ Buy a new plan through Covered California (potentially with a subsidy)✅ Renew your current plan✅ Change to a different carrier. Some policies are cheaper purchased privately!✅ Enroll in Medi-Cal (California’s Medicaid program) if you meet the income requirements
Medicare News
Open Enrollment for Medicare happening NOW through December 7th.
Must read: NY Times on Why Over Half of Seniors Don't Review their Medicare Coverage - and Why They ShouldThis article is the best I’ve seen on why it is crucial that Americans over 65 review their Medicare Advantage, Part D and Supplement plans each year. It's not surprising that over half of Medicare patients do not bother to review or update their plans, there are so many options!“Plans can not only change the monthly premium but the list of covered drugs,” said Frederic Riccardi, president of the Medicare Rights Center. “And they can change the rules around your access to drugs, or impose quantity limits or require prior authorizations.” Medicare Underwriting Holiday - Blue ShieldImportant news if you are on a Kaiser or a MAPD/Medicare Advantage plan: For a limited time, you may enroll in ANY available Blue Shield of California Medicare Supplement Plan without answering any health questions or obtaining underwriting approval. For example: If you are currently covered under:***Kaiser Permanente***Medicare Advantage PlanThis underwriting holiday applies to you! This is an important and significant opportunity to make changes -- please connect with us to take advantage of the offer.
Employer News
Now is the time to consider a change in benefits for your company for the upcoming year. We strive to offer our groups the smartest, most affordable programs. We are seeing low or even negative rate increase for small groups (under 100 employees). It is always worth to shop around, compare your options and learn about the 2021 market. We are glad to see that the carriers are really stepping up this year and providing some strong solutions for employers, especially around anxiety and mental health. With the upcoming holidays energy is so different this year, depression and anxiety will continue to rise. We would like to remind you to encourage your employees to get their regular preventative health services, utilize telehealth where appropriate, eat well, and get regular exercise, to help keep everyone's spirits up as we face a trying time ahead. As we near the end of the year, we remind employees to use their plans to the fullest as many of you will have met your deductibles or even maxed your plans. Physicals, routine exams like mammogram and colonoscopy should be done before the end of the year if possible. Mindfulness and LeadershipIf you've known me for any amount of time, you know how passionate I am about meditation, the benefits of meditation, and it's the ability to transform our health, outlook, and your team culture, the culture of our teams has never been more important than during this unfortunate time. Managing our stress levels, and creating a more peaceful and compassionate world is crucial. Mindfulness has become a buzzword in leadership circles in recent years, and allows us to become better leaders. In short, the ego, while well-meaning, can cloud judgement and be a hurdle to success. This insightful article from Harvard Business Review looks at how mindfulness practice can help leaders step away from the ego-self and see things more objectively.What Meditation Can Do for Your Leadership
COVID-19 Resources: Rapid Result Covid Testing
We are starting to see some good news on vaccine progress for Covid - but we are not out of the woods by any means. We must continue to wear masks ??, social distance and maintain our overall wellness. If you do have symptoms, there are several clinics and urgent care centers offering rapid results, and the FDA has now approved the first test that you can take and get your results from home. Avalon Surgery Center in Glendale has test results within 10-15 minutesExer Urgent Care has many locations throughout Southern California with next-day resultsThe LA County Covid website has a wealth of information and resources for free testing services throughout the city.
The Future of Health
The impact of AI is seeing into the world of medical science as well as various artificial intelligence programs will now be utilized to diagnose eye disease in diabetic patients and also diagnose complications in stroke patients.
Long Term Care Awareness Month
November is Long Term Care month, a time for thoughtful consideration on the issues of planning for your financial security. With life expectancy on the rise, people are living longer. There is the need to plan TODAY for care in the FUTURE—whether it is in-home care or care in nursing and/or residential care facilities.
Costs for insurance coverage are based not only on age, but also on one’s health, so qualifying for coverage at a younger age is prudent. Looking to the future is vital as the need for long-term care can occur at any time, to anyone. It may result from becoming chronically ill, from severe cognitive impairment, or from an accident or illness.
Long Term Care Insurance offers:
REAL protection against the possibility of outliving assets
A variety of CARE OPTIONS
Allows you to PRESERVE your independence and quality of life when care is needed.
PROTECTS your family from the angst of having to make difficult financial and care choices
A+ Insurance Service has added Long Term Care Insurance to our product portfolio. We would appreciate the opportunity to talk to you and your family about planning for Long Term Care. Let’s determine how best finance and develop your individualized LTC Insurance coverage to benefit you and your family. Preserve your retirement funds while you are still healthy enough to qualify for Long Term Care Insurance coverage. Your good health TODAY helps purchase this peace of mind.
What we have been reading
This article shows how smoking, or any addictive behavior, can be curbed by understanding the root of the behavior - what we're avoiding, what is triggering us. If there are some positive changes you're looking to implement in your lifestyle, give it a read and see what lessons you might take away.
The Spiral of SilenceAn intriguing read on how societies form collective opinions which leads to most of us remaining silent if we hold an unpopular view point on a certain topic.
Will aligning our activities with our caveman ancestors help us to create a more restful night's sleep?
Staying home for much of the past seven months has had a lot of consequences, including, for many, weight gain. This dietitian Q&A has tons of advice on better snacking options.
Travel Insurance
Your travel plans may be very different this holiday season, but if you do plan a trip, you must be sure to get covered for Covid-related illness, as well as cancellations or extensions. Chat with us on
to understand your options.
In Health and Gratitude,Happy Holidays with love from me and the A+ Team
Sent with gratitude for our connection
