SPECIALIZING IN HEALTH INSURANCE BENEFITS HOLIDAY 2006
YOUR NEWS TO USE     Health Insurance and Getting Your Money’s Worth Medicare Part D Deadline Chocolate = A Healthy Heart? Men, Migraines, and Another Headache Holiday Dinner “Hangover” Thanks! Medicare Part D Deadline Maybe you already signed up for Medicare Part D, the prescription drug benefit plan, or maybe you did not. Either way, experts strongly urge that every Medicare recipient take a second look. Those already in a plan may want to consider a change during the current sign-up period, Nov. 15 through Dec. 31. Those who are still on the fence about whether to join a plan may want to enroll now, before the penalties for delayed enrollment increase significantly. Specializing in Health Insurance Benefits R. Kashmiry & Associates is a certified broker for Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in handling the Medicare Advantage and Blue MedicareRx plans. We believe all employers and employees ought to be able to get the same quality health care benefits and affordable rates available to big companies. R. Kashmiry & Associates, Inc. has the tools to do it. We've designed a framework of strength, flexibility and affordability that offers a real health care solution for small and large businesses. We are a complete employee benefit design company located in Boardman, Ohio. In addition to working with various state associations, we provide service to over 1,000 out of state clients.   If you have questions or comments, drop us an email, info@rkashmiry.com, or phone, 800. 860.6295. Visit our website at www.rkashmiry.com	Happy Holidays! This is such a hectic time of year -- we just wanted to briefly touch base with you. Our quick phone questionnaire/survey on our service to our clients was helpful to us -- and hopefully also to you. R. Kashmiry & Associates -- your go-to health care insurance source -- is committed to excellence and will be following up on the issues you talked about. Health Insurance and Getting Your Money’s Worth Our survey of clients found a couple of recurrent themes – concerns about the rising cost of health care, and the complexity of health insurance plans. We appreciate your feedback — and we are listening to you. One of the best ways for us to help you reduce cost is to provide several options for you to compare premiums and coverage. R. Kashmiry & Associates will assist you in person, on the phone, or by email. Our service obligation is to give you the information and tools you need to choose. We also can help you get your money’s worth by working with you on the in’s and out’s of complicated insurance situations. R. Kashmiry & Associates has an experienced staff that uses special direct phone lines to health care providers. That is a big help in cutting through red tape with claims problems, billings issues or any other question. Our policy at R. Kashmiry & Associates is to return your phone calls within 24-hours. Please feel free to phone us 1.877.860.6295. Chocolate = A Healthy Heart? Sweet medical news for chocoholics! Researchers at the highly respected Johns Hopkins University report a little chocolate – anything from chocolate ice cream with chocolate chunks to chocolate chip cookies-- can cut the risk of a heart attack. Call it a variation of a “an apple a day…”, but a bit more tasty. What originally started as a study on aspirin and heart disease wound up with this sidebar result when some participants could not – or would not – give up their chocolate. The researchers found a chemical in cocoa beans had a biochemical effect similar to aspirin in reducing blood platelet clumping. That clumping can cause a fatal heart attack if a clot forms and blocks a blood vessel. Research Diane Becker emphasizes that chocolate “does not have anywhere near the magnitude of the effects of a single baby aspirin a day. But it does help a little bit.” So there you have it – and just in time for the holidays! Source: Johns Hopkins University and Reuters Men, Migraines, & Another Headache Men who suffer from migraines may be saying -- “Enough already!” Now comes word from the American Heart Association that men who experience migraines are at a higher risk of heart problems. According to the new study – those men have a 24-percent increase of suffering from major cardiovascular disease, and a 42-percent higher risk of suffering a heart attack. Holiday Dinner “Hangover” The "turkey coma" is a medical reality. It is not just that you are relaxed and stuffed after your holiday dinner. That snooze on Grandma's couch “watching” the football games is the result of some interesting neurological and physiological processes. Large amounts of carbohydrates found in potatoes, bread stuffing, candied yams, etc. help the body produce serotonin, a chemical in the brain that has a calming effect. Because the traditional holiday dinner is such a large meal, people often skip breakfast and lunch. So the sudden overload of food into the digestive system on an empty stomach sends the body's production of insulin into overdrive, depleting blood sugar and making you sleepy. Some people even top it all off with alcohol. So it is no wonder you are napping after holiday dinner. Source: www.meredy.com/nursetips/holidayhealthtips.html Thanks! Again Happy Holidays to you and your loved ones! We hope we offered a few helpful tidbits today. Our goal is to say what we mean -- and mean what we say. If you have questions or comments, drop us an email, info@rkashmiry.com, or phone, 877.860.6295. Please feel free to forward this eNewsletter to anyone who might find it useful. Remember, it's all "Just For The Health Of It!"