Ep.#117: Lewis Benefits Solutions

We sit down with Chris Lewis of Lewis Benefits Solutions to cut through Medicare noise and explain what seniors and soon to be retirees should really look for when choosing coverage. We also talk about business setbacks, why local guidance matters, and how Chris helps clients compare options across multiple carriers. 

• what Lewis Benefit Solutions offers across senior benefits, Medicare, annuities, final expense, individual health insurance and group benefits 
• Chris Lewis’s career path from entrepreneurship and higher education leadership to insurance guidance 
• why Medicare feels confusing and how constant ads and calls shape bad decisions 
• common Medicare misconceptions including the myth that Medicare is free 
• how to think about Medicare Advantage versus Medicare supplement plans and out of pocket risk 
• why extra perks like OTC and grocery benefits can hide tradeoffs 
• lessons from failure, blind spots and building a support network in business 
• how to reach a local resource who can review plans across multiple carriers 

www.lewisbenefitssolutions.com

Transcript

Welcome To Good Neighbor Podcast

SPEAKER_00 0:00

This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Susanna Hodges.

SPEAKER_02 0:12

Welcome. And with me today is Chris Lewis. Chris is the owner of Lewis Benefit Solutions. Welcome, Chris. Thank you for being with me.

What Lewis Benefit Solutions Does

SPEAKER_01 0:21

Well, welcome. Thank you so much, Susanna, for having me today.

SPEAKER_02 0:24

Well, tell me about your business. What does Lewis Benefit Solutions do?

SPEAKER_01 0:29

We are a health, life, and senior benefit insurance company. We focus primarily on a lot of senior benefits, Medicare, annuities, final expenses, but we also work with individuals on health insurance as well and family insurance plans, as well as also we work with companies on group benefit offerings as well.

Chris Lewis Career Journey

SPEAKER_02 0:53

Okay. Well, how did you get into this type of business? What does your career journey look like?

Why Seniors Need A Guide

SPEAKER_01 1:00

My career journey has had an interesting trajectory. I've done several things, I've been an entrepreneur, I've worked in the private sector. I worked uh for about eight years in higher education administration, uh, starting with the Alabama Community College System, a move to the Illinois Community College System, and then the Colorado Community College Systems, serving in several roles from uh interim college president, vice president of workforce development, academic affairs. Uh, but the past several years, I have actually worked for an automotive trade association where I've worked with companies and worked with automotive OEMs across the globe, being responsible for uh the Southeast, Southwest portion of the United States and Mexico. But uh more than 12, 15 years ago, I actually ran a small business, a nonprofit for small businesses. And at that time, there was a lot of confusion around the Affordable Care Act. So we began to work with companies about succession planning, group benefits. I actually at that point in time had a securities license, life and health, but really work with companies. Uh, this go around, I decided to come back because I have a father who's 92 years of age. And I see the confusion that all of the different uh health insurance changes are having on that on that demographic. And so I decided to really begin to get back into the space, number one, to be able to provide information uh for my own father. And then as I also get closer to retirement age, to begin again to be more informed myself. And then I really realized that there were so many people uh that are in that demographic that are approaching retirement or in retirement that need someone that could sit down with them, help them understand the different changes that are out there, and can help them to get to the right plan that's best for them.

SPEAKER_02 2:48

Okay, so it seems like you've kind of narrowed your focus to the senior community.

SPEAKER_01 2:54

I do. I do a lot more. I actually work with another group. We work with large businesses on group benefit. But for me, I do many other things, but I really enjoy working with seniors because again, today there is a lot of confusion. Again, uh they're they're confused. They see so much. They're unendated.

SPEAKER_02 3:12

There is a lot, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 3:14

They're unendated with commercials all the time. Um, you know, you don't, they really don't understand, and sometimes it's confusing for us to know what's true, what's not true. So, what I would really like to do is to sit down with individuals, particularly here in in regions that I can they can touch me, feel me, see me. And I and I bring out my laptop, everything that I have. I represent multiple carriers. So let's look at what you're seeing and let's look at what's the truth. What's the difference in those plans?

Medicare Myths And Plan Tradeoffs

SPEAKER_02 3:42

Um, what are some of the things you're seeing out there? What are some of the common misconceptions people are having?

SPEAKER_01 3:50

Well, no, there are a lot of common misconceptions. Number one, when it comes to Medicare, people think that it's free. Uh one, that is a myth. It is not free. Um, it is not free. Another thing that people see many times, they they are sometimes the marketing, they're persuaded to believe that they see these over-the-counter benefit ads, and you know, they can get these, they get groceries. You know, one of the things I try to tell uh my clients is that number one, they those resources are available. However, if they're giving you something on one end, do you understand what they're taking away on the other end?

SPEAKER_02 4:26

Right.

SPEAKER_01 4:26

And so many times it's that you know, the misconception is free, that there are things out there that benefits seniors, and they are, but there's more to the story than what many times they're seeing on the TV. And sometimes the phone calls, again, you know, they're getting calls no matter how much they might try to block them or put them in spam. They find a way to get to those seniors. And so, what we want to do is sit down with them and just really let them understand. And particularly what I like to do is the individuals who are approaching uh retirement to let them understand number one, what are your choices? Their Medicare Advantage is there. Uh, it is, it can be cheaper for you, uh, but there's more risk. And are you aware of what those financial risks are? There could be more options. And then there's the Medicare supplement plan. Do you understand that? Do you understand that if you decide to uh sign up for a Medicare Advantage plan where there's more out-of-pocket risk, but there are also hospital indemnity plans that you can make want to look at uh that cost a little money, but it could also help you to buffer some of the out-of-pocket exposure that's there. And so, really, just trying to do a detailed assessment and provide information so that the individual can make the best long, short and long-term decision that's best for them.

Life Outside Insurance

SPEAKER_02 5:40

Very good. Very good. Well, let's uh talk about you for a minute, Chris. What do you like to do for fun when you're not helping people with their insurance decisions?

SPEAKER_01 5:50

Well, I'll tell you what, I um I have a little small place uh in Opalica where I have a little pun that I'm trying to make sure that we're trying to raise it and grow the fish. And then uh I'm I'm from Birmingham, Alabama, but I found myself as I'm getting older that I'm enjoying some of the rural benefits. And so uh we have a little cabin that we have here that we that we actually have as an Airbnb, and we have some livestock that we're trying to work with Tuskegee University on to put a couple of uh maybe some sheep and uh and also maybe some other livestock. But I have uh I have two daughters, but I have a two-year, two and a half-year-old grandson, and so really get the chance to he keeps you busy, yes. He actually his mother's getting ready to get deployed to Kuwait, and I'm gonna uh we will have him for six months, and so just really uh pouring myself into him, getting letting him get an opportunity to learn how he caught his first fish uh Friday when he was visiting. And so just seeing the excitement in his eyes from from having that uh is is is really is just really exciting. So getting a chance to get a chance to spend time with him and letting him maybe touch some of the animals and move from there, that's really an excitement to me.

Failure And Building Support

SPEAKER_02 7:00

Okay. Well, you know, part of the reason I do this podcast is because I like to encourage people to go into business and to follow that dream of uh ownership and and business ownership and you know, similar to what you're doing there, and a lot of times, you know, there are obstacles you have to overcome when you're doing that. So, what are some of the obstacles that you have overcome either personally or in your business that's made you a better person or your business stronger?

SPEAKER_01 7:30

Well, the reality is that failure is inevitable. Um, if you're going to, you know, if you're going to want to go into business for yourself, um, you have to be prepared that you're going to make some mistakes. Uh, but that's okay. Uh, because learning from those mistakes is probably the most valuable thing that you can do. I know many times uh I had another business for uh many, many years ago, and people would see the success. Uh, and even when I was a president of a college, uh, people would see that and they would want to inspire you to do those things. And I would tell people that when you're running a business or when you're running a college, you know, your eyes are glued to looking in front of you, like a pilot flying the plane. You're looking in front of you. The reality is that you know there's a lot of stuff that's happening behind you that you can't see. And so sometimes uh, you know, you're gonna take some arrows in the back of your back that are gonna cause injury. And what you're trying to do is insulate yourself with the right people that can support you, that you know, for the things that you can't see, that hopefully they're you know they are there to shield, protect, block, and inform you moving forward. So I always tell people that it's okay to fail, but as you fail, try to also surround yourself with people and resources that can help you be stronger from those failures. Because those failures are not failures, they're just learning experiences, they're learning experiences.

Local Multi Carrier Approach

SPEAKER_02 8:48

Absolutely. That's wonderful advice. Well, what is one thing you wish people knew about Lewis benefit solutions that they may not realize?

SPEAKER_01 8:57

Well, again, we are a local company based here in Opalika. Uh again, I carry multiple carriers. I started off many years ago. I mean, I first started United Healthcare, but I have United Healthcare, I have Humana, Signa, Aigna, Devoted, hopefully soon to have Viva as well. But we are working right now with numerous carriers to make sure that it's not about the insurance company, it's about actually uh the insured, getting the best solution for them. And so I'm here. Again, I am your local resource that uh uh we want to be a solid foundation and resource for this community. And so we want people to call us, reach out to us, allow us to service them to the best of our ability. And if I don't have the answer, and I won't have all the answers, however, we will make sure we work within our network to find the right answer for you.

How To Contact Chris

SPEAKER_02 9:50

All right. Well, what are some ways that people can reach out and learn more about you?

SPEAKER_01 9:54

They can either call at 334-401-2053, or they can send an email to info at Lewisbenefit Solutions.com, or they can email me directly at C A Lewis, which is L D W I S 516 at gmail.com.

SPEAKER_02 10:22

All right. Well, it has been a true pleasure talking to you, Chris, and learning about as well.

SPEAKER_01 10:27

I missed go to my website, Lewis.

SPEAKER_02 10:30

Oh, yeah, that's important one.

SPEAKER_01 10:31

All right, Lewis Benefits Solutions.com. There's also a contact us page there as well that they can go directly to my agent page at that location as well.

SPEAKER_02 10:40

All right. Lewisbenefit solutions.com.

SPEAKER_01 10:43

You got it.

SPEAKER_02 10:44

All right. Well, I've enjoyed talking to you and learning about your business. Thank you for being with me.

SPEAKER_01 10:49

No, thank you so much for having me.

Nominate A Local Business

SPEAKER_00 10:52

Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast Auburn. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to gnpauburn.com. That's gnpauburn.com. Or call three three four four two nine seven four zero.