It’s open-enrollment season, and if you’re sorting through health insurance options, you’re not alone. In this episode, John sits down with insurance expert Julie Davidson to walk through what ranch families need to know before choosing a Marketplace plan, from how subsidies actually work to what those deductibles and out-of-pocket numbers really mean.

Julie breaks down why your modified adjusted gross income is the key number that drives your subsidy, why calling to enroll is almost always better than doing it online, and what to watch for if you’re choosing between work-provided coverage and Marketplace options. John and Julie also talk through real-world considerations like prescription costs, family deductibles, HSA-eligible plans, and why Medicaid isn’t always the safety net folks assume it is.

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In this episode, we cover:

• How open enrollment works and why your modified adjusted gross income drives your subsidy
• The pros and cons of Marketplace options vs. employer plans, and when to call instead of enrolling online
• How to think about deductibles, out-of-pocket maximums, HSAs, and choosing the right level of coverage
• What to watch for with prescription costs, plus tools like GoodRx
• Why insurance should be viewed as risk protection, not a prepaid health plan
• How to avoid surprise bills and tax-time subsidies gone wrong

Connect with Julie:

• Send her an email at juliedavidsonhccc@gmail.com

Connect with Ranch Right:

• HealthCare.gov
• GoodRx
• Healthpilot
• Subscribe on YouTube
• Follow on Instagram @ranchrightllc
• Follow on Facebook
• Check out the website

Resources & Links:

• Book a Free Discovery Call to Learn More
• Ranching for Profit
• Ranching.FYI
• Wally Olson, Olson Ranch LLC

Most ranchers know their cow herd, but not everyone truly knows their inventory. In this solo episode, John breaks down why keeping track of what you own is one of the most overlooked (and most profitable) skills in ranching.

Whether you run stockers or a cow-calf operation, knowing your inventory helps you make smarter sell/buy decisions, manage your assets like an investor, and keep your operation flexible in a changing market. John walks through simple, hands-on ways to track and tag animals so you always know what you’ve got, from age breakdowns and pregnancy status to an easy color-coded clip system that makes sorting and marketing decisions faster and clearer.

If you’ve ever found yourself saying “I think we’ve got about…,” this episode is for you.

Make sure to hit subscribe/follow so you never miss an episode!

In this episode, I cover:

• Why inventory awareness is the foundation of asset-based ranch management
• How to tag and track cows for smarter marketing decisions
• The importance of age breakdowns and pregnancy status in herd planning
• Managing three-year-olds and maintaining cow condition through the winter
• How to make better decisions with less complexity and more clarity

Connect with Ranch Right:

• Subscribe on YouTube
• Follow on Instagram @ranchrightllc
• Follow on Facebook
• Check out the website
• Check out all of our past webinars here

Resources & Links:

• Book a Free Discovery Call to Learn More
• Ranching for Profit
• Ranching.FYI
• Wally Olson, Olson Ranch LLC

When should you sell your cattle, and how do you know if it’s the right move? In this episode, host John Haskell sits down with Wally Olson, longtime rancher and sell/buy marketer, to dig into the mechanics and mindset behind selling cattle well.

From recognizing when your cattle are overvalued to choosing between selling in the country, through the sale barn, or on a video auction, Wally breaks down the numbers and the “why” to make smarter selling decisions. John and Wally also unpack real-world factors like shrink, commissions, and freight costs, as well as how to use tools like scales, slides, and contracts to protect your margins.

Make sure to hit subscribe/follow so you never miss an episode!

In this episode, we cover:

• How to identify overvalued and undervalued cattle in your herd
• The hidden costs of different selling options (and how to manage them)
• Why relationships with sale barn managers and buyers matter
• Practical strategies for building confidence in pricing and marketing decisions

Connect with Wally:

• Check out his website

Connect with Ranch Right:

• Subscribe on YouTube
• Follow on Instagram @ranchrightllc
• Follow on Facebook
• Check out the website

Resources & Links:

• Book a Free Discovery Call to Learn More
• Ranching for Profit
• Ranching.FYI
• Wally Olson, Olson Ranch LLC

Mentioned in this episode:

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