On Life With Helen

Insurance

On Life With Helen is a podcast, hosted by Helen Ornellas.

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Latest Episodes

Defense Microelectronics: Powering Technology for a Safer World, with Dan Marrujo

Do you know anything about microelectronics? Tune in and discover why something so small produced so far from America can affect national security, military defenses, and daily life.

In this episode, Dan Marrujo joins us to unravel the pivotal role of microelectronics and AI in defense and daily technology. Dan is the Founder of Trusted Strategic Solutions and former Chief Strategist at the Defense Microelectronics Activity (DMEA). He has over a decade of experience in national security technology, specializing in microelectronics strategy, supply chain resilience, and innovation.

Listen to episode 57 of On Life With Helen and join Hellen and Dan as they discuss the transformative impact of microelectronics and AI in our daily lives and global industries. You'll also hear about dual-use technologies, why the CHIPS Act has a crucial role in America's future, the lessons learned from the supply chain disruptions in the last three to four years, how AI can help reduce food waste and improve sustainability, and much more.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

What are defense microelectronics, and why are they so important (2:20)
About American's government role in microelectronics development (7:00)
Why the last couple of years had a massive impact on the supply chain of microelectronics (9:10)
Why America should be working on becoming a world leader in microelectronics manufacturing and distribution (14:20)
How AI and microelectronics are shaping our future (19:40)
Why embracing new technologies is the smartest thing to do (23:50)

Connect with Dan Marrujo:

Dan Marrujo in the media:

Let's Connect!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Building Bridges To Workplace Harmony. Geoff Hash's Expert Advice on Mediation for Entrepreneurs

As a business owner and leader, how prepared are you to de-escalate conflicts and mediate during disagreements in the workplace?

In this episode, we learn about the art of addressing polarization and promoting team harmony in the workplace from the brilliant Geoff Hash. Geoff is an experienced employment lawyer and workplace mediator with over 20 years of experience defusing conflicts in professional environments. Relying on open dialogue and trust among team members, he develops creative solutions to complex work-related challenges.

Listen to episode 56 of On Life With Helen and learn how to recognize the need for mediation, create neutrality in conflict resolution, and address underlying personal traumas as the reason behind conflict manifestation in the workplace. Geoff also shares his thoughts on navigating workplace tension due to polarizing issues, the stigma on mental health and therapy that stands in the way of the importance of mental health awareness, how to communicate effectively, and much more.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

A bit about Geoff's professional background (1:40)
Why Geoff is someone you want to have on speed dial (3:20)
How to establish trust and neutrality in mediation (5:20)
Navigating social and political disconnect in the workplace (6:50)
How traumatic experiences influence conflicts in the workplace (11:10)
How do generational conflicts affect succession planning in business? (19:00)
Why having no plan is planning to fail and how Geoff can help with this (23:20)

Connect with Geoff Hash:

Let's Connect!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Securing Your Company's Future: Financial Planning for Business Owners with Melissa Yano

For how long would your business survive if you were forced to leave it unattended for a few months?

In this episode, Melissa Yano joins us to discuss financial planning for small and medium-sized business owners and sheds light on planning and securing businesses' financial future. Melissa is the President of Capital Wealth Planner and a seasoned financial planner and advisor with almost two decades of experience in the field. She combines her vast technical knowledge with her passion for supporting her client's financial goals and making them possible.

Listen to episode 55 of On Life With Helen and learn how to prepare your business for the unexpected, guarantee smoother transitions, and ensure things will keep flowing even if you have to stay away for a while. Melissa also details the devastating effects of messy or unplanned exits, explains why financial planning is so hard for most people, and debunks the myths about financial planning for businesses.

Plus, Melissa shares expert advice on crafting succession plans, the power of buy-sell agreements, strategies for balancing personal and business finances, and much more.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

The differences between financial planning for business and personal financial planning (2:40)
Melissa talks about the most common challenges in financial planning for business (8:50)
Why insurance is crucial in financial planning (14:00)
Learning to identify (and ignore) market noise (18:50)
It's okay not to be a financial expert. Even if you are a business owner (25:10)

Connect with Melissa Yano:

Let's Connect!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Medicare's New Rules. Understanding the 2025 ANOC Letter with Rosamaria Marrujo

Are you a Medicare beneficiary and haven't received the 2025 Annual Notice of Changes letter (ANOC) from your insurance provider?

Medicare's Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) is just weeks ahead. It goes from October 15th through December 7th, and the information shared in the ANOC letter is all you have to decide whether or not to switch to a different Medicare Advantage plan.

In this episode, Rosamaria Marrujo explains what you should pay attention to as soon as you put your hands in the ANOC letter. Rosamaria is an expert in Medicare, an advocate for beneficial legislative changes in Medicare, and the Founder and CEO of Trusted American Insurance Agency.

Listen to episode 53 of On Life With Helen and join Rosamaria and me as we break down everything you need to know about the 2025 ANOC letter, why it is crucial to read it carefully and keep it, the challenges posed by the new CMS guidelines, and the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act on the healthcare system. You'll also hear about the pitfalls you can avoid by working with knowledgeable agents, the impact of the maximum of $2000 for out-of-pocket prescriptions, and much more.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

Why you should have the ANOC letters in your hands before October 15th (3:40)
Rosamaria explains why you shouldn't throw your ANOC letter (6:20)
How will the maximum $2000 out-of-pocket restrictions affect Medicare beneficiaries (13:00)
Rosamaria talks about new prescriptions and drug policies coming up (17:30)
About the upcoming changes in Medicare Supplements (23:00)

Connect with Rosamaria Marrujo:

Let's Connect!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Maximize Your Social Security Benefits: Tips and Strategies from Expert David Brabender

Are you nearing Social Security age and feeling unsure about how to maximize your benefits? We've got you covered!

Since Social Security folks are not there to provide guidance on which option is best for you, consulting an expert is the best chance you have to make the right choice when claiming your benefits.

In this episode, David Brabender takes us through the complexity and potential pitfalls of navigating Social Security benefits without expert guidance. David is a local Independent Insurance Agent, the Founder of Atman Insurance Services, and the incoming President of CAHIP-Northern California, a local chapter of the National Association of Benefits and Insurance Professionals (NABIP). His philosophy is simple; try to leave the world a little better than he found it. His goal is to become a trusted advisor, to provide answers, options, and peace of mind.

Listen to episode 52 of On Life With Helen to learn everything about common mistakes like claiming benefits too early, survivor and non-working spouses' benefits, and the impact of working while claiming benefits. David also explains how divorced individuals can claim benefits based on their ex-spouse's earnings record, shares tools and resources for making informed decisions about the best time to claim benefits, explains the tax implications of Social Security benefits, and much more.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

A bit about David's background and expertise (2:20)
What are the common mistakes in Social Security planning (3:30)
David talks about tools for Estimating Life Expectancy (5:20)
Survivor and non-working spouses' benefits (6:00)
What are the limitations on changing benefits choices (9:40)
Strategies for divorced individuals (11:20)
David explains the impact of working while claiming benefits (13:00)
Understanding Social Security and taxes (17:40)

Connect with David Brabender:

Let's Connect!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How To Maximize Your Medicare Benefits in 2025: Expert Insights with Rosamaria Marrujo

Still unsure of how Medicare changes will affect your health coverage in 2025?

The new $2,000 out-of-pocket for prescription drugs, the changes in formularies, and changes in the coverage of weight loss drugs are some of the many modifications awaiting Medicare beneficiaries in 2025.

In this episode, we get all our doubts about the upcoming changes for Medicare's 2025 annual enrolment period answered by expert guest Rosamaria Marrujo. Rosamaria is the Founder and CEO of Trusted American Insurance Agency and an expert with over 20 years of experience in the Medicare market. She is also a mentor for brokers, an advocate for beneficial legislative changes in Medicare, and a sough-after speaker passionate about engaging with seniors and empowering them to make informed insurance decisions.

Listen to episode 51 of On Life With Helen and learn everything about the implications of the new $2,000 drug cap, the possible changes in carrier plans, and what will happen with zero to forty cents a month Premiums. Rosamaria also explains why working with a broker is essential to navigating the complexities of the upcoming changes in Medicare, supplemental drug plan clients' chances of getting help without moving to advantage plans, what should Extra Help beneficiaries expect in the future, and much more.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

Rosamaria shares her thoughts on the upcoming $2,000 out-of-pocket limit for prescription drugs (3:20)
What are the changes we can expect in Premiums (6:30)
How will Medicare formularies change in 2025? (8:00)
What is the Prescription Payment Plan Program? (16:50)
Ancillary benefits for Supplement Plans (20:10)
Extra Help programs: Benefits and upcoming changes (22:30)

Connect with Rosamaria Marrujo:

Let's Connect!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What's New in Medicare: Helen's Top Tips for Medicare Enrollment in 2025

Wondering what Medicare updates you need to be aware of for 2025?

In this episode, Helen goes through every major change in Medicare for the next year. From the $2,000 limit cap on out-of-pocket drug costs to changes in formularies, here is everything you must know to ensure you choose the right plan to stay on in 2025.

Listen to episode 50 of On Life With Helen and discover everything you need to know about the importance of getting professional assistance, the new Prescription Payment Plan Program, and why it is crucial to think about early engagement in the enrollment process. You'll also hear Helen's thoughts on the $2,000 limit on costs for drugs starting on January 1st, 2025, evaluating supplemental plans versus advantages plans during enrollment, and more.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

Helen talks about the $2,000 limit on out-of-pocket costs for drugs (2:30)
What are the changes you can expect in monthly premium fees (3:10)
Why it is crucial to get professional assistance (4:30)
What is the Prescription Payment Plan Program (7:10)
Supplemental plans versus Advantage plans (8:20)

Resources:

Prescription Payment Plan Program

Let's Connect!

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Lauren Bayha: Two Years Later - Making More Than My Corporate Job!

Are you second-guessing yourself about starting your own business?

In today's episode, I am pleased to welcome Lauren Bayha back to the show. Almost two years after taking that leap of faith and starting her own insurance company, BenefitsBay Insurance Solutions, and taking over the Sacramento Association of Health Underwriters, Lauren joins us again to share her thoughts on the intricacies of entrepreneurship in the insurance industry.

Listen to episode 49 of On Life With Helen and learn more about Lauren's fascinating journey from apprehension to triumph in entrepreneurship. You'll get valuable insights, practical strategies, and inspiration to help navigate the challenges of becoming a solopreneur. Lauren also talks about the freedom she gained from running her own business and how she used it to create time for her hobbies and spend more quality time with family.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

About Lauren's fears before starting BenefitsBay Insurance Solutions (2:30)
Networking for business growth (4:40)
Strategies for overcoming challenges and reconditioning our mindset (9:10)
The importance of balancing priorities when launching a business (12:30)
Lauren shares advice for aspiring entrepreneurs (19:20)

Connect with Lauren Bayha:

Let's Connect!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Navigating VA and Medicare Advantage Plans for Veterans: Insights from Addison Beverly

Are you a veteran and feel unsure of how to navigate VA and Medicare Advantage plans effectively? What are the key considerations to have on top of mind when choosing between traditional VA benefits and Medicare plans?

Today, we are fortunate to have a true expert on this topic: Addison Beverly. He helps us understand the intersection of traditional VA benefits and Medicare Advantage plans for veterans and provides insights on how veterans can optimize their healthcare coverage. Addison is a Business Development Manager at Aetna Medicare Solutions, a CVS Health Company.

Listen to episode 48 of On Life With Helen to understand how veterans can optimize their healthcare coverage by leveraging VA benefits and Medicare Advantage plans. You'll learn about eligibility requirements for VA benefits, the challenges veterans face in accessing healthcare, the similarities and differences between VA and Medicare, the implications of falling behind in payments for VA, and more.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

Addison explains eligibility requirements for VA benefits and compares them with MA entitlements (2:10)
The differences between VA benefits and MA eligibility (4:30)
How veterans are rated based on their disability (6:00)
The implications of outsourcing healthcare service for veterans (9:20)
Addison explains how MA plans tailored for veterans provide additional benefits (13:20)
Do veterans need a drug plan? (17:20)
Addison explains the implications of falling behind in payments for VA (22:40)

Connect with Addison Beverly:

LinkedIn
Phone: 916-217-1778
Email: beverlya@aetna.com

Let's Connect!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bio of On Life With Helen

On Life With Helen is a podcast, hosted by Helen Ornellas. The podcast aims to provide wisdom on how Life Insurance can provide security and abundance in all stages of life.

Listeners can expect to gain valuable insights and practical advice that can be applied to their own businesses.

This podcast covers a wide range of topics, such as industry trends, market developments, innovative approaches to selling life insurance products, and more.

This podcast invites guests, who discuss the insurance business and uniquely understand the different needs required as you age in life.
Through engaging conversations and insightful discussions, Podcast provides practical resources and actionable strategies that leaders can implement in their businesses.

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