Things To Do In SW Florida

Q. I will be reaching 65 soon, as will my wife. I will continue to work after 65, and my health insurance coverage at work will cover me and my wife. I understand that it is not necessary for me or my wife to enroll in Medicare at 65, and we can enroll without penalty at a later date. Can you confirm this? When must I enroll?

A. As long as you and your wife are covered under your employer’s health plan, you can delay enrolling in Medicare until you are not covered by your employer.

If you enroll in Part B at age 65, you will be subject to Part B premiums and you may lose your ability to enroll in a Medigap enrollment plan later, or be subject to penalties for late enrollment. The special period to enroll in Medicare after your employment ends is “during the eight-month period that begins after the employment ends or the coverage ends, whichever happens first.”

I suggest you obtain “Medicare and You 2024, ” the official U.S. government Medicare handbook, which is available at no cost at https://www.medicare.gov/medicare-and-you. read more

Health insurance premiums keep rising and many employees carry high-deductible plans that mean bills of $100 or more for a visit to the doctor.

Meanwhile, the CEOs of the top 10 health insurance companies were paid between $13 million and $22 million in total compensation in 2022, including salary, bonuses and other pay, according to a Connecticut Office of Legislative Research report, issued Feb. 5.

Those 10 companies cover more than 60% of the commercial health insurance market, with the largest, UnitedHealth Group, covering almost 18% of market share, the report states. That’s 53 million people covered. Its CEO, Andrew Witty, took home $20,865,106 in 2022.

He wasn’t the highest paid, however. Joseph Zubretsky, CEO of Molina Healthcare, with only 2.16% of the market, was paid $22,131,256. His company covers 4.2 million people.

UnitedHealth Group had $324 billion in revenues in 2022. Molina Healthcare had just under $32 billion, the report states.

“I’m not an expert in executive compensation. I don’t know how this compares to executive compensation, but it certainly doesn’t seem fair,” said Sean King, acting state healthcare advocate. read more

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When you become self-employed, you join millions of other business owners hoping to materialize their dreams. However, navigating the murky waters of self-employment can be challenging, especially during the early stages.

While there are no guarantees in business, there are some strategies that could increase your chances of success, especially financially. Here are a few mistakes to avoid as a self-employed person.

1. Not delegating or prioritizing

Self-employed people often act as their own stunt doubles in their business during the incipient stages because of budget constraints. However, trying to do it all on your own may be a mistake, says Ronne Brown, owner of Girl CEO and Herlistic in Washington, D.C.

“We have to understand that we go fast by ourselves, but we go far as a team,” she says. For people who feel they can’t afford to delegate, Brown says to keep your expenses low until you can afford to do so.

If you do decide to delegate, it’s key to spend your dollars in ways that help your business grow. To do this, people should consider focusing on the business operations and systems versus just aesthetics, Brown says. Doing this effectively often requires prioritization. read more

Walt Disney World is offering discounted theme-park admission to Floridians under the heading of Florida Resident Discover Disney Tickets. One variation of the deal ends up costing $59 per day and the eligible dates fall after the Easter/spring break season and into summertime.

The four-day version of these Discover Disney tickets is $235 plus tax. The three-day ticket is $219, which works out to $73 per day.

There are add-on options for park hopping per ticket (totaling $259 to $275, depending on number of days purchased), water parks and Disney golf courses available.

The normal price of a one-day ticket for Florida residents for the rest of 2024 ranges between $109 and $164, depending on date and park selected, according to the official Disney World website.

Discover Disney tickets can be used between April 2 and Sept. 28, and advance park reservations are required. It’s one park per day unless the park-hopping option is purchased.  The tickets do not have to be used on consecutive days. The tickets are not transferrable. read more