Steve Leger

We need a report Tom.  Cruising through again.  Speaking of old geezers, My appointment with destiny is soon coming.  Anybody have advise on how to apply for Medicare?  Never thought I would actually be saying that!  Oh well.  Don't really feel like a geezer.  Guess I will have to get used to it though.  I do hope all of my "very old" friends are doing well

Dan Gracia

Hey Steve, it's no big deal.  Just do it all online at https://www.medicare.gov/.   Just be sure to do it at LEAST three months ahead of your 65th birthday.  Used be you had to do it 6 months prior, but they changed it because of the online service.

• Part A Medicare (Regular Medicare) covers hospital stays and expenses typically at 80%.  It's covered by all those Medicare taxes you've had withheld from your paychecks over the years.  So you already paid for this

• Part B is optional and covers doctor visits, etc. generally at 80%.  This is usually the most used part of Medicare and it costs you extra.    Part B is optional but unless you are in the best of health, is worth doing. I also went on Social Security and the part B takes about $105 a month out of my Social Security check.

• Part D is the prescription part and is also optional and costs extra.  Prescriptions can get crazy and this is a huge help.  You'll have to review a bunch of them to make sure you get the best price on the prescriptions you are taking (if any).  They typically separate the drugs out to Tier 1 through Tier 4 and prices go up accordingly.  So be sure to check out pricing on your prescriptions before signing up.

Hope that helps!
   Dan

Jeannette Rabourn (Compton)

Hi Dan!  Well said on the medicare info to Steve!  Annette and I, with our November birthdays soon approaching, just went through it!   There were 6 other high school friends in our monthly dinner group that already went through this...so had good help!  Still can't believe it has been close to 50 years since we walked the halls of good ole Santa Maria High School.....who knew it would go by so fast...hope all is well with you and family,,,take care!

Steve Leger

Thanks Dan and J/A (twins so I can put them together...).  I think I am a little late on the 3 months before (try less than a week now).  But I suppose I will be early for the next years bday.  I am in pretty good health generally right now, but I have had a couple of health scares in my 50s.  The only regular stuff I am on are the typical BP, cholesterol, and diabetes (metformin) type medications which amount to a little over 100 per month, which is manageable.  All the indications for the meds are borderline--I think the doc prescribes them just to be cautious (or prophylactic/preventitive use).  I'll report on how my quest goes.  Thanks again!

Joan Bragado (Sotelo)

I, too, waited unti lthe last minute (1 week prior to my 65th birthday).  I signed up online and received my notiifcation letter dated August 15 with Part A effective August 2015 and Part B effective September 2015.

Alan Brickey

Steve:  There's only about 7 or 8 questions(mostly yes or no questions) to sign up and it takes longer to turn on the computer than it does to do the form.  I did it just after my birthday, and it took them about 2 weeks to get me the card.  It's easy.  Don't wait.

Steve Leger

Thanks Alan.  I will take a peek at it this weekend.  As an uninsured for all these many years, I suppose it is something I better get going on.  Thanks to all for the advise and concern.  It is a unique time, reaching the magical 65.  Who would have thunk it?  You guys/gals are sooooo cool.  I really look forward to seeing you all next time.

Esteban

Linda Durham (Rosenblatt)

Just to throw in something I came across...it's a Medicare Advantage Plan called Golden State. It's so good it's mind blowing. I don't have to pay any monthly fee, it has an eyeglass exam, dental and hearing aid exam included every so many years. It has a health check up and preventive plan. All free.  You have to go to an HMO, but the book of providers is pretty good.

If you want to know more about it there is the sweet older guy in Arroyo Grande who owns his Insurance company. His name is Bill Senna... Senna Insurance Agency.

My friend paid Blue shield 125.00 a month and still had a doctor bill of 1,500.00 for an emergency room visit. I told her about Bill and she went in to see him.. then said she never heard of that Plan. She only listen to some rip off Insurance guy who sold her a policy that feeds his pocket and empty's hers.  Social Security is nice but not when the cost of living has double over what we get. And some of us lost everything in the stock market and who knows what else..... it's very concerning for some people out there!

So save your money and compromise a bit....pick a new doctor and start staying healthy!

Best Regards, Loving this gorgeous Fall (ha ha) weather!

Linda Durham / Rosenblatt

Jeannette Rabourn (Compton)

Hi Linda!  Seems like a decent insurance plan..am wondering if it is only good for SLO county?

  As an insurance biller for 20 plus years..make sure doctors in your area are contracted and will take this insurance before signing up for it..I personally have never heard of this group as a biller, but hope it helps alot of people needing insurance!  Thanks for the info!

Jeannette (Rabourn) Compton

Joan Bragado (Sotelo)

Have you Googled medicare advantage plans in Santa Barbara County?.  It appears Humana Gold Plus has a "0" premium plan.  Of course, it's an HMO so you would need to use the doctors on their plan.

Linda Durham (Rosenblatt)

Golden State Medicare  plan is for California! Do you think someone selling Insurance is going to tell you about this? Bill Senna (805) 473-3279. Will tell you all about it and offer PPO Insurance too. Either way he is very honest and has 25 years of experience. Nice, friendly senior guy! I have turned so many people on to this plan and they are so happy to have found out about it. Who wouldn't be.

I don't pay co payments for any mecial stuff.My meds are2.00 and 10.00 for 3 months. If there is an emergency hospital visit I pay 65.00, but if I stay in the hospital Iwon't have to pay that.  I would say it's not for everyone. If you really are at One with your Doctor.  But I'm healthy so far and previously used CHC when I needed HBP meds and annual health checkups. There is a book of providers for your area and many of them are very popular Doctors. I would say getting into a PPO is wonderful if you can afford it, but the same amount of time waiting for a Doctor to see you is much the same case senario.  So I will take the free plan so I can save my money.   A link below to watch and learn about supplemental Insurance from a smart Doctor.

  Plain old Medicare is okay if you can afford a small copay(listen to video). You can pick any Doctor that will honor Medicare. My friends only use Medicare and the husband had the best heart surgery down in LA Cedars Sainai. Can you imagine how much that would have cost. They paid nothing..So just because a herd of sheep says Baaaaa...you think you need to do the same? I recommend reading your Medicare Book and then call them up. They are there to help you make an informed decision.  We're still in school at age 65...darn! but I really have never followed the rules.... Youtube cut and paste in address bar:     https://youtu.be/cApRgSGGOQY

Seems Golden State is for everywhere but Santa Barbara....go figure!

My two cents,

Linda Durham, Rosenblatt

Steve Leger

Hey Greg S.

Don't know if this is the right place to post.  Please keep us updated.  I do pray for you, like so many others.  Greg is a good guy.  We were competitive in track.  Unfortunately, he almost always beat me.  However, I always respected him.  I beat cancer once.  You almost always beat me.  So what's the logical conclusion? :) Hang in there! 

Steve Leger

Bev Spuhler (Vietor)

Hello Saints--  Merry Christmas  from the foothills of Northern California.

We are to have a white Christmas this year...a good gift to help kiss away the drought.  May you all have a good 2016 year, one of health and peace.  Joy to the World, Christ is born ...He saves us from our ourselves.

Steve Leger

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a most Properous and Healthy New Year to all my "old" classmates!!!!!

Greg Straolzini

I'd like to take a moment to wish all my classmates a very Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year. Hear's looking to a much better 2016 for us all.

Ruby Stewart (Russell)

Hello everyone,

It has been sometime since I have been on this site, busy, busy life. I hope all of you are doing well and the ones with health issures my prayers are with you.  I have thought of you often and more so since Jeannie Norwoodis retiring in June and is purchasing a home about 3 miles from me. I also had breakfast with Bill Burrns about 6 weeks ago, he lives about 8 miles from me. I got laid off in '09' YEA!!!!!. Two days after getting laid off Louie (my domestic partner) and I started to travel. In the past seven years we have been on 12 cruises and 37 countries. We have cruised every river in Europe and planning another for this June. Since I retired Louie and I have remodeled my home, zero scaped his lawn, built a 25 X 25 ft., deck off my bedroom and painted both his and my home on the inside and out, doing all the work ourselves. Louie keeps busy building and flying radio operated air planes, having breakfast with his many friends twice a week. I live 2 1/2 miles from my gym so we have our freedom but a good busy time when we get together on the weekends. In Sept., Louie turned 87 and I was 65 in Nov., we are a perfect match and easily get bored the reason we keep going and going. We have cut our travel down to one cruise a year because Louie and I at the ripe old age of 87 and 65 started a business, RR Distinctive Bedding.  It has been fun, challening, funny and at sometimes stressful.  The reason for starting a business was Louie, when he come for a visit on the weekend he would toss and turn in the bed making it so messy I would have to re-tuck it each morning. I hate making my bed so I would sneak our and go to the gym knowing he would make it. At 85 Louie and I went to Seattle to build his daughter a deck. The first day there Louie was stepping down on a ladder and missed the last step landing flat on his back. As you know for the average 85 year old that is a death sentence, not Louie he got up took some Advil and over the next 5 days we built a deck. However, Louie does have back problems now but still going, talking Advil. So feeling quilty I could no longer sneak out of bed and would get pissed because he would still mess it up. Needless to say I invented a design call Stayput, a registersted name for our company and have a patent pending for my design. Louie can no longer tear up the bed because it really does Stauput. I have also designed a Stayput blanket and bedspread, they are all self-centered. Now no matter how much he toss and turn I can make my bed each morning in 30 seconds. Stayput has been tested for over 2 1/2 years. My design is not the rectangular sheet and is self centering so you never have to go back and forth to make sure you bedding is centered.  The next thing was to get a sample made, fine a fabric supplier and someone to manufacture our line of bedding. We started doing the recession so I was sure we could get everything we needed here in the US (we wanted our product made in the states). No such luck and after spending almost 6 months looking we get our fabric from China but refused to have it made there because we wanted a quality product. We found a company in Istanbul Turkey that does excellent work. Our bed sets are fine linen so it is an investment that will last for years. I have some linen I purchased when I was pregnant with my daughter, she will be 37 this year. We have a website at www.stayputbeddings.com and a Facbook page RR Distinctive Bedding. We had to start somewhere so after research we started with the most popular color, white and queen size. We have a marketing company out of Ohio that will put our product in high end store and will be on Amazon next week (I have 350 bed set in my garage). Due to the shape of the top sheet and the extra steps it takes the beautiful embroidery we are considered 'fine linen'. Our bed sets are also 400 thread count Egyptian cotton with a sateen finish. We explain why 400 and will go no higher than 500 thread count. Please visit and like our website, it will explain how our bedding can save you as much as 80% time making your bed. As of this time we only have queen sets but have plans of doing Cal., king down to twin size in 2016 also the blanket and bedspread. The embroidery is a Louie Scheel original design and I can wait for everyone to see the new design. Our future plans is to do a complete line of bedding and then moving into the bathroom with the same cootdinating design, it will be simple and elegant. We are looking for investors if you have to much money laying around (smile). Louie and I are wishing all a wonderful and healthy 2016 and looking forward to seeing you at the reunion if it is in Santa Maria. We wll be in Santa Maria February 28, 2016 for my father's 100th birthday. If I made any errors please ignore, the doctor screwed up my left eye when I had cataract surgery July 2014, since that time I have had a low grade infection. I hope my eye will be fixed next month. Now that we have the business up and running I hope to have more time to read more of your posts. God Bless

Lynn Mora (Wise)

Happy Belated Birthday, Miles!  I lost use of my computer sometime ago and haven't purchased a new one, yet.

I am using the computer at the library, in the meantime.  I hope you had a good day.  Mark and I are doing well.

I have been out of touch with so many of my classmates.  I was hoping to be able to attend our high school

reunion this year, however, Mark and I are homecare providers and the gentleman we are caring for isn't well

enough for us to leave alone.  We are trying to find someone to care for him so we can go on the cruise.  It

sounds like fun.  I've been on a cruise before I was married and it was alot of fun.  We have never been on one together.  Sorry to hear you and your wife won't be attending.  If you did go, it would have been nice to see you both.  Anyhow, I will leave you with well wishes to you and your family.

Loving Wishes,

Lynn Wise (Mora)

John Allen

​Class of 68.  Frank Lopez, Wayne McCaslin, me (with the drums) and a few others.

Patricia SanFilippo

I totally remember that picture because I have a similar one with the girls.  Robert Bruce School Kingergarten, must have been Christmas toy soldiers.  So cute!    Thanks for posting.

Patricia San Filippo

Marvon Hadsell

Patricia SanFilippo

Rest In Peace Mr. Zern.

Steve Leger

I have been absent from this forum for a while.  Glad to see many are still living well and continuing their journey in life.  I am saddened that so many have left us too.  We can just hope and pray they find their peace.  Just wanted to stop in and belatedly wish all a happy, peaceful, and properous New Year.  Last October I entered my 67th year on this earth.  Things are going fairly well.  Generally happy...busy and still engaged with life.  I will have to drop in more often.  Be well, all.

Steve Leger

I see I am responding to myself!!!  Anyway, hope all you 68ers had a great holiday and a most properous New Year.  Things are going fairly well here in paradise.  We had a fire move up the coast about 30 miles and it got pretty awful.  Otherwise 2017 was a pretty descent year.  One major health emergency, but I think the worst is past.  Yup, we are all getting to that age where many can experience changes in life. 

Anything planned for this year?

Paul McDaniel

Greetings from the Georgia, any plans for the 50th reunion this year in Santa Maria?

Paul McDaniel

Sherry Temple (Teachout)

Hi Paul ~ one group of us organized the cruise for last year and another group is organizing the local 50th there in Santa Maria so as soon as I hear from them, I will get out any information re the dates, etc.  

Sherry Temple Teachout