Your personal Medicare guide

Medicare Mentors removes the mystery from government health insurance

By G. L. Yenne

Did you know that the three months before your 65th birthday, your birthday month and three months after your birthday are critical enrollment periods for Medicare?

If you’re about to turn 65 and need guidance in figuring out which option is best for you, Nick Palarino, a licensed health insurance agent with Medicare Mentors, can help.

PERSONALIZED SERVICE

Palarino retired from the U.S. Army after 22 years of service. He joined Medicare Mentors because he has a passion to assist veterans and their families.

Behind Palarino is a team of health navigators dedicated to ensuring clients’ Medicare needs are met. Medicare Mentors delivers no-cost, relationship-based education and services to help every Medicare-eligible person optimize their coverage and benefits.

“It’s important for us to review what is important for each person,” said Palarino. “Do they like the ability to choose their own doctor or specialist? Are they open to the idea of generic-type prescriptions? Are they veterans? Are they retired?”

Palarino can also answer questions about a medical bill, help you find the right doctor or specialist, tell you about a new drug benefit and assist with quotes and enrollment. GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND

He can also refer clients to partners and resources that can assist veterans and their families with financial aid, long-term care options and more.

He once helped a client when his home health care company billed his primary insurance but not his secondary health insurance, and the client had to pay out of pocket. With a bit of detective work, Palarino was able to get the client reimbursed.

At an end-of-life situation, he also helped a grieving spouse by handling bills he was still receiving from the carrier on his wife’s behalf.

Some people don’t know if they should stay on their employer group coverage or wait until they retire to enroll in Medicare.

Palarino and his team listen carefully, then come up with a recommendation for each client based on budget, health and long-term hopes for retirement.

“This is a face-to-face relationship with someone who understands the intricacies of Medicare,” he said. “It’s different than calling an anonymous telemarketer.”

For a free consultation, call Palarino at 719-301-9525. ■

FREE SEMINARS

Medicare Mentors hosts free seminars on the 2nd Wednesday of the month at 2 p.m.

Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center

530 Communication Circle Call to RSVP. Next seminar is:

February 9 at 2 p.m.

Keeping You “On Trail” with Medicare

Are you a Veteran/Retiree? Are You Turning 65 and New to Medicare? Do You have TRICARE, VA Healthcare or CHAMPVA Medicare for Veterans Seminar

2nd Wednesday of the Month

February 9, 2022 at 2pm

Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center 530 Communication Circle • Colo. Springs

To RSVP Call, Text, Email or Scan QR code Nick Palarino, Licensed Insurance Broker (719) 301-9525 • nicky.colorado@gmail.com

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Planning, pruning and planting

A checklist for jump-starting your garden

In the Celtic calendar, February 1 marks the first day of spring. Although the season as we know it won’t officially arrive for another two months, in Colorado Springs, we hit 10 hours of daylight on January 24. That’s just the right amount of sunlight required by many plants to grow, which means it’s time to start gardening!

Here are some things you can do in February to jump-start your garden. � Test your seeds. If you’re not relying on new seed purchases this year, now is a good time to do a germination test on your existing seed stock. Begin by testing a minimum of 20 seeds at a time (100 will give you more accurate results). Place seeds inside a folded-up paper towel, spaced apart.

Mist the paper towel with water, roll it up and place it in a jar with a cracked lid or cheesecloth on top to allow airflow and prevent molding. Place the jar on top of the hot water heater or in another warm location inside the house and wait for them to germinate. Most vegetable seeds will germinate in seven to 10 days. Mist the container daily or as needed to keep the paper towel moist. Around the seventh day, gently unwrap the paper towel and count how many seeds have sprouted. Re-roll the towel and continue checking the next couple of days. If 18 of your 20 seeds sprouted (a 90 percent germination rate) then they’re good for planting! If only 6 of 20 germinated, planting three seeds in each hole could

IN COLORADO SPRINGS, WE HIT 10 HOURS OF DAYLIGHT ON JANUARY 24, WHICH MEANS IT’S TIME TO START GARDENING!

February 10-23 are optimal seeding dates for cool weather crops.

be warranted. Be sure to note the germination rate on the seed package. Finding a zero germination rate now is better than finding it out after they’ve been planted.

Cleaning garden debris allows the sun to warm the soil. � Cut back perennials and grasses to allow solar radiation to warm the soil around the plants.

Solar radiation converts to thermal gain when soils are exposed to daylight and that can warm the roots of early crops. Mint, tarragon, parsley and oregano will also appreciate the warmer ground. � Clean up last season’s debris.

I’ve found that new chives will emerge about three weeks earlier from gardens that have been cleared of debris from last season. � Prune deciduous trees and shrubs. I prune out the old canes from my raspberry bushes around Valentine’s Day. � Begin planting cool season crops from seed indoors. BroccoPrune and remove the old canes from raspberry bushes.

li, cabbage, kale, chard, spinach, peas and Asian greens, like tatsoi and pak choi, are all good candidates. These plants can be transplanted outside by the end of the month or early March (February 10-23 are optimal seeding dates if you follow a lunar calendar). � Warm the soil. Designate an area of your yard to transplant your seeded crops. Warm the soil by securing black plastic around the edges of the area, which allows heat to build up underneath. Once the plastic is removed, any germinated weeds can be removed to clear the planting space. Adding amendments or compost to the soil before putting on the plastic will save weeding headaches after the new seedlings have been transplanted. DO NOT till the ground at this point, as you’ll only turn up more weed seeds that have been dormant in the soil. ■

GROW WILD

BY BRYAN REED

Send your gardening questions to Bryan in care of Life After 50, or email him directly at BCReed@ColoradoMesa.edu

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