Tuesday, April 21, 2009

California Health Insurance Agent Matt Lockard Provides Plans for Disability Income

When Johnson Mandingo was disabled and had to take a leave of absence from his Oxnard-based job as a high-priced male escort, California Health Insurance Agent Matt Lockard had his disability plan ready for him when he needed it most.

The narcissistic bachelor, Johnson Mandingo, resembled George Clooney and Brad Pitt rolled into one handsome thirty-seven year old. His Adonis-like physique was also striking. Although he'd been an occasional stripper at parties in his younger days, a recent stint with "Guys 'R Us," the Oxnard-based and borderline-legal escort service, was steadier. His favorite pastime had been staring at himself in mirrors, often for hours, sometimes while clothed. But since the unfortunate penile injury he'd lacked confidence and performed poorly in the workplace, even shying away from familiar mirrors, so they'd laid him off. Employment at a Gold's Gym hadn't worked out either. He'd been caught trying to escort well-heeled lady members, and lacking his former confidence, drew complaints, so he'd gotten himself fired. He needed income fast or else he'd lose his Malibu digs. If he became gaunt and underfed, he'd lose his treasured physique to boot. Suddenly he realized that about a year previously, he'd purchased something from a one-time lodge brother named Matt Lockard. Was that insurance still in effect? Johnson picked up the phone, a tiny bit hopeful.

"C'mon over," Matt told him upon realizing that a grown man was on the verge of tears after telling his sad story, "I think I can help."

Johnson drove to Matt's office cautiously, ignoring his reflection wherever his glances landed. Maybe, just maybe.

"Hi Matt," he said with a hangdog look, brushing Pitt-like bangs out of his eyes, and staring at the innovative and resourceful California Health Insurance agent; all the while flashing his deep-set "Ocean Eleven" baby blues that made even cynical women swoon. Matt wasn't swooning, although he found the guy's stare disconcerting. Once again, the agent listened patiently. Matt's uptake seemed miraculous to Johnson a few minutes later when "the plan" was actually in force, effective, and viable. "Yup, you're enrolled," Matt explained, "So you'll get your first disability insurance check next week sometime."

"You're a lifesaver man," Johnson said, his confidence returning. "Is there a mirror around here?" he asked.

Go to Mattsinsurance4ca.com to get an instant health insurance quote and to learn more about California health insurance, California medicare supplements, California health insurance quotes.

California Health & Life Insurance Agent Matt Lockard Comes to Terms

Term life insurance didn't seem in the cards for old Silas, but resourceful Matt Lockard found a way to come to terms with the oldest life insurance customer he'd ever heard of.

Silas Behrens was still working full-time at 96, but he wanted to find a way to provide for his great-great grandsons, Pete and Troy, ages 13 and 16 respectively, who now lived with him. Their parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents had passed on, but their great-great grandfather Silas was like the Energizer Bunny. He kept going, and going. The perceptive teens and the man they deceptively called "Grampy Gramps" were having a conversation around the kitchen table. Grampy Gramps seemed no different than he'd ever been, but other kids at school had placed doubt in Pete's heart, as well as in Troy's, about their relative's long-term future.

Pete was speaking through his anxiety, which had so far been unwarranted. "Grampy gramps, it's just that you're older than most of the other parents of kids at our school," he said in his still pre-pubertal voice, "What if something happens and you get laid off, and can't find another job?"

Troy, already through puberty as was his Grampy Gramps, put it more succinctly, "What if you d-die?" The idea wasn't so far-fetched, especially in their family, which had been one of the Grim Reaper's favored destinations.

Silas tried to nip such fears in the bud. "I won't get laid off. I've been at Brown Sod for seventy-five years, and the boss recently reassured me about that, my dear great-great grandson. Besides, I'm still fit as ever. Even if this economy were to put me out of a job, experienced diddlers don't grow on trees." Neither teen was quite sure about what their Grampy Gramps actually did at work, but he played tackle football with them out in the field by the Escondido creek and could still outrun them both – as well as most of their friends.

"What if you have a heart attack and d-die?" Troy repeated, tears in his eyes.

"Okay, I'll go see that nice young man Matt Lockard at his insurance agency. My health insurance and the kid plans for you guys we bought from him. I'll see about some term life." His great-great-grandsons smiled, as both liked Mr. Lockard. Their "Grampy Gramps" always knew what to do.

To make this story shorter, Matt proved as resourceful as Silas Behrens. He took his teens with him to Matt's office, after the long drive in the immaculate Rambler wagon. After a half-hour meeting, Mr. Lockard had improvised a plan that would re-assure Pete and Troy until they were well into adulthood, until their beloved Grampy Gramps's turned 118.

Go to Mattsinsurance4ca.com to get an instant health insurance quote and to learn more about California health insurance, California medicare supplements, California health insurance quotes.

California Health Insurance Agents Offer Medigap Coverage

Evelyn Saguaro had a gallbladder issue that needed surgery, but her Medicare coverage wouldn't pay for the procedure. But once she realized that she already had visited a California Health Insurance Agent to deal with what she called "her delicate matter," she felt enormously relieved.

Sixty-seven-year-old Evelyn Saguaro had the same problem her late mother had been afflicted with. Besides her real gallbladder, she'd been born with a vestigial secondary one in which three cactus-like gallstones, each about the size of a quarter, had formed. Late in life, the vestigial gallbladder's gallstones were starting to act up. Sharp pains would erupt beneath her breastbone immediately after she ate even a tiny serving of anything, and the acute pain made her sick to her stomach. When her doctor ordered tests to identify where the symptoms were originating from, he told Evelyn that her Medicare Plan only covered her original gallbladder, and since the stones had formed in the vestigial one, any procedure to remove them in "her unique case" would not be reimbursed. Her primary care physician kidded with her. "I suggest you refrain from eating," he said. "Are you serious?" she asked. "No, a better idea might be to seek out a California Health Insurance agent."

That's when she realized she had done just that, two years previously. Was her Medigaps supplemental still in force? She headed on a beeline to the Visalia office, where she'd purchased the Medigap coverage. Was the office still there? It was. The same agent, Glenda, was at her familiar desk. During their previous conversation, which she'd somehow forgotten, Glenda had shared with her that she too had a "vestigial gallbladder," with its associated symptoms not yet evident. Glenda had even belonged to an online organization, a regular support group called VGB Sufferers International."

"Glenda, I'm so glad to see you," Evelyn began. "Is my Medigaps policy still in effect?"

"Why wouldn't it be, dear? Let me check."

Evelyn waited expectantly. Suddenly her gallstone pain returned with a vengeance. "Is it? She asked, almost gasping.

"Of course it is, my dear Mrs. Saguaro."

A month later, Evelyn's surgery was successful and her cacti-shaped stones were displayed on her mantle, and on the VGB Sufferers website as a digital photo – for all to see.

Matt Lockard – California Health Insurance agency offers health insurance plans for individuals, families, and children. Also available are California Medicare Supplement policies. Go to Mattsinsurance4ca.com to get an instant health insurance quote and to learn more about California health insurance, California medicare supplements, California health insurance quotes.

A Difficult Term Life Insurance Decision

Andy was four years old, but because of his progeria he looked around seventy-eight. It was a little like that Brad Pitt movie.

Andy's parents, Don and Jane, were a little opportunistic, some might say exploitative. Andy was diagnosed with progeria at three and by the time he was four, the condition was in full swing. The little boy only three feet tall looked around seventy-eight. He was cute as most toddlers go, but not in the traditional sense. His little wispy growth of hair was beyond gray, more a fading white, like old man snow. It was a little like that Brad Pitt movie. Wrinkles lined his face like detour lines, directing the traffic of his experience in the wrong direction. But his curse was not the rare, incurable disease, but was instead Andy's parents. They not only failed to love their son, they weren't above exploiting him for personal gain, if they could find an angle.

Don had once been a carnival barker traveling state to state. "It's too bad this wasn't forty years ago," he told Jane, "We could have sold Andy to a freak show." Andy was out of earshot reading a Bugs Bunny book up in his room when this particularly callous remark was uttered. The boy was perceptive well beyond his years and already learned to read more than cartoonish rabbit stories. Did he know the history of P.T. Barnum? It was within the realm of possibility.

Jane voiced her own cruel suggestion in a whisper, out of consideration for her son, she said. "We could go on Oprah," she said, "and maybe cash in."

Finally they learned about term life insurance policies and how some California insurance agents sold it. They picked the California insurance agent straight out of a brand new phone book, Pacific Bell ding-ring-a-ling. The next day they were at the agent's door, little Andy in tow. He was quite inured to being paraded in front of strangers. For him it was normal. He knew that his parents didn't love him. Kids can sense such things. He was a quiet child though, and extremely polite.

At first the agent was polite, not realizing the parents' intentions. "How can I help you?" he asked, naïve to this particular nuance of greed. His Thousand Oaks office brought in a motley crew of potential customers, though few of this ilk. The California insurance agent sized up the couple quickly; but the child, why was he so old? He vaguely guessed the illness he had; feeling a wave of compassion, but the name … it didn't come to mind. The little boy smiled, melting the agent's heart.

"We want a term life insurance policy on our son," Don said nonchalantly, as if he were merely sneezing. It was at that moment when the agent understood the enormity of it all.

"Get out," he said, "Get out of my office." He felt like calling a social worker, or maybe a cop. But the boy emphasized to the agent; that marvelous little boy, "Don't worry, sir," he said in his little pipsqueak voice, "I'm like that movie."

Matt Lockard – California Health Insurance agency offers health insurance plans for individuals, families, and children. Also available are California Medicare Supplement policies. Go to Mattsinsurance4ca.com to get an instant health insurance quote and to learn more about California health insurance, California medicare supplements, California health insurance quotes.

Thursday, April 16, 2009

A Can of Tuna

Sam Rollins was uninsured and never thought much about it until he gouged his thumb opening a can of tuna.

Sam had a decent job, was engaged to be married to a beautiful girl, and watched college basketball's annual March Madness on his newly purchased 50 inch Sharp brand flat screen as if the games were all that mattered. His favorite team was Fresno State, but he also liked Pepperdine and Gonzaga, the latter because NBA great John Stockton had once played there. In fact, he was in the kitchen, opening a can of tuna, when Pepperdine was playing Gonzaga in an exciting Elite 8 match up. It had been halftime, but now the second half was just starting. The commentary was fierce, and he was missing the game. The tuna can was stubborn and the can opener was like the television, sharp; sharper than most knives. Sam wasn't paying enough attention. The way he held the opener, and the angle of the can, and the force he was mustering. He slipped, felt a sudden surge of pain, also sharp. Was that blood gushing out of a wound in the webbing between his index finger and his thumb? It was. The can of tuna crashed to the floor. "What a mess," Sam said, while gritting his teeth, and he wasn't referring only to the spilled tuna.

He called 911. "My hand," he whispered, "There's blood everywhere."

The operator got his vital information, especially address, after he repeated his situation several times. "I'll send an ambulance," the operator finally said.

Sam thought again. "Do I have health insurance?" he asked himself. "Am I covered?" Fighting back the pain and able to create a makeshift tourniquet out of his fiancée's blouse that was lying around the kitchen, he managed to stop the bleeding, if only enough to make a second call, to Matt Lockard, a friendly California health insurance agent he'd once considered purchasing a policy from. Sam and Matt went way back. His parents were long-time Lockard customers. "Hi Matt. This is Sam Rollins. Remember me?"

"Yeah."

"An ambulance is coming for me. I cut my hand real bad. Do I have insurance? Am I covered?"

Matt unfortunately knew the answer. "You considered purchasing a policy Sam."

"So I'm not covered?"

"Nope."

"So this ambulance and the emergency room visit is really going to cost me?"

"Yup."

"It's going to cost me an arm and a leg?"

"At least a hand, financially speaking; emergency room care isn't cheap."

To learn more about California health insurance, California medicare supplements, California health insurance quotes visit Mattsinsurance4ca.com.