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Greetings, Dear Friends and Clients,
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| | Me and dear friend and colleague Tobe Gerard of Natick, MA |
In August Jim and I got to tour some very beautiful (and cooler) parts of Michigan before attending Jim's nephew's wedding in Grand Rapids. Jim then flew home while I stayed and met a colleague, then toured the home office of LifeSecure Insurance Company in Brighton, MI. From there, my colleague and I flew on to Kansas City for the annual meeting of the elite long-term care insurance (LTCi) producers group I work with. Our meeting was extremely intense and worthwhile. The days featured back-to-back carrier and peer presentations, followed almost immediately by a hard-to-forget, fun, social event. We worked hard, we played hard, we learned a lot, we had great fun. I was away about two weeks. I would not have traded one single second of my trip but I was also very happy to be home and have Jim greet me at the airport upon my return. The 6,000 lb Elephant in the Room is Revealed
Faulty Media Coverage of LTCi
For years and years, I've harped on the poor job the media does of covering LTCi and LTC planning. Media loves to report "hard luck" LTC stories, yet rarely mentions when families own LTCi, or how much money LTCi has paid out (According to the NAIC, the LTCi industry paid out $8.7 billion in claims in 2014). When media attempts to cover LTCi, the story normally leads with disparagement of LTCi, followed by often inaccurate details. A recent New York Magazine story features prominent journalists describing their own shortcomings. I was quite gratified to see journalists agree 100% with me on the causes of their faulty reporting on LTCi. It is unfortunate that disparaging, inaccurate, unjust reporting on LTCi gives people excuses to avoid responsible, prudent LTC planning.
What Was Your Name, Again?
Do you have more and more difficulty remembering names and words? Does it take you longer to do mental calculations? Me, too. Do you rely more and more heavily on your calendar, smartphone, calculator, password reminder? I sure do. Not being able to easily remember people's names is annoying! Am I losing "it"? I sure wanted to know, so I consulted Dr. Holly Zhao at the Center for Optimal Brain Health for baseline cognitive testing. Testing and results took less than an hour and a half. I was scheduled promptly. All results are strictly private and go no further than Dr. Zhao's office. The cost was $295.
Dr. Zhao's testing shows my results are consistent normal aging. I stand low odds of being diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) even if I were given a full neuropsychological evaluation. I am relieved and glad I got tested.
Dr. Zhao tells me about 50% of her patients are like me and just want re-assurance and to establish a baseline. The other 50% have been referred by an MD. She can see patients far more quickly if they pay the fee themselves, rather than if they go through Medicare or medical insurance, where she says testing waitlists are often six months long.
I do not always get copies of correspondence from your LTCi carrier. I count on you to call me with any questions about your LTCi. Please do not alter your policy before you speak with me.
Spreading the Word about LTCi
I love speaking to civic or trade groups and believe I can offer the public accurate education on LTC planning.
My speaking references and qualifications, as well as comprehensive LTC videos, links, testimonials can be found at www.honeyleveen.com.
The Queen, by Self Proclamation, of Long-Term Care Insurance
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