Frank Carta, Medicare Insurance Broker

Answer: What state do you actually reside in?

Most plans in Michigan have out of network coverage for 3 - 6 months for Michigan snow

birds.

Answer: A broker works with several carriers of Medicare Advantage and Medigap plans, where as

an agent may be appointed with only one carrier. Not always, but likely.

Answer: Absolutely. Medicare Advantage plans have Fitness membership perks. When I meet with a client it is important for me to point that out as a reward for the client's diligence.

Answer: If a licensed physician is using AI, and a person is diagnosed with a verifiable condition as a result, it would make sense to me that no matter how the condition was verified, the condition has to be medically me treated (such as robotic or non-invasive surgeries).

Answer: That is an intelligent question, and I would like to text you the answer, but I am not very good

at texting. You do have the option to contact me if you choose, and I would be honored to

communicate with you if you do. Who knows, we might just have a valuable conversation.

Answer: That is an intelligent question, and I would like to text you the answer, but I am not very good

at texting. You do have the option to contact me if you choose, and I would be honored to

communicate with you if you do. Who knows, we might just have a valuable conversation.

Answer: That is an intelligent question, and I would like to text you the answer, but I am not very good

at texting. You do have the option to contact me if you choose, and I would be honored to

communicate with you if you do. Who knows, we might just have a valuable conversation.

Answer: That is an intelligent question, and I would like to text you the answer, but I am not very good

at texting. You do have the option to contact me if you choose, and I would be honored to

communicate with you if you do. Who knows, we might just have a valuable conversation.

Answer: That is an intelligent question, and I would like to text you the answer, but I am not very good

at texting. You do have the option to contact me if you choose, and I would be honored to

communicate with you if you do. Who knows, we might just have a valuable conversation.

Answer: That is an intelligent question, and I would like to text you the answer, but I am not very good

at texting. You do have the option to contact me if you choose, and I would be honored to

communicate with you if you do. Who knows, we might just have a valuable conversation.

Answer: That is an intelligent question, and I would like to text you the answer, but I am not very good

at texting. You do have the option to contact me if you choose, and I would be honored to

communicate with you if you do. Who knows, we might just have a valuable conversation.

Answer: That is an intelligent question, and I would like to text you the answer, but I am not very good

at texting. You do have the option to contact me if you choose, and I would be honored to

communicate with you if you do. Who knows, we might just have a valuable conversation.

Answer: That is an intelligent question, and I would like to text you the answer, but I am not very good

at texting. You do have the option to contact me if you choose, and I would be honored to

communicate with you if you do. Who knows, we might just have a valuable conversation.

Answer: You have asked a very intelligent question.

Texting wears me out, but you have another option and since I am better at oral communications, than texting, and cannot ask you to call me, but you do have the option

initiate oral communications if you wish to do so. I am looking forward to hearing from you

if you wish to choose. If I do not hear from you, have a blessed day!

Answer: Texting wears me out, but you have another option and I am better at oral communications.

I am not allowed to ask you to call me but you have that option to initiate yourself if you wish to do so.

Answer: Texting wears me out, but you have another option and I am better at oral communications.

I am not allowed to ask you to call me but you have that option to initiate yourself if you wish to do so.

Answer: Texting wears me out, but you have another option and I am better at oral communications.

I am not allowed to ask you to call me but you have that option to initiate yourself if you wish to do so.

Answer: Texting wears me out, but you have another option and I am better at oral communications.

I am not allowed to ask you to call me but you have that option to initiate yourself if you wish to do so.

Answer: You have asked a very good question! I am happy to communicate orally. Texting is not as fun.

Since I am not allowed to ask you to call me, you have another choice. I will be honored to answer all of your questions orally but texting wears me out.

Answer: Hello! Your question is a very good one. I am better at oral communications than texting.

Texting takes too long and I get dozens of questions. Your option but I am not allowed to

ask you to call me.

Answer: She would have to be legally appointed to make your medical decisions. Is she capable of assuming that position?

Answer: Some clients require a clearer picture of the costs associated Medicare and how they can

manage them. Some struggle to understand and I get that. It is ok. When you talk to an agent/broker you may benefit by bringing along a trusted companion who has your best interests at hand because a good friend knows you and may be able to help you understand better. If you still do not understand, you should probably have a legally appointed guardian for your medical decisions.

Answer: There are options to handling copays that accompany Medicare Advantage plans. I cannot

say for sure that you made a mistake. I would have to assess what benefits you have now

compared to what was available to you before.

Answer: When you relocate you will have a Special Enrollment Period to select a new plan. Medicare alone goes with you, but your plan will change depending on where you move.

Answer: Medicare does not cover long term nursing home care, it only covers skilled nursing care for rehabilitation after a hospital stay. The first 21 days are covered by Medicare but after that

there are substantial copays for a total of 100 days. There are many alternatives to long term

care and it depends on your financial situation, and your willingness to commit to a long-term care plan. There are some exciting plans to consider and LTC has been improving every year.

Answer: If you are asking me, I spend many hours researching plans because of the fact that plans

change from year to year. I want you to have the best plan for your needs.

Answer: No more donut hole. Once your prescription drug costs are above $2,000 for 2025, you

no longer have to pay for your prescriptions.

Answer: Personally, I always check plans to ensure that all my clients' doctors are in that plan. It is better to be safe rather than sorry.

Answer: Medicare covers genetic testing if it is deemed medically necessary to diagnose or treat a

specific condition, such as cancer, and is ordered by a doctor.

Answer: Talk to an agent/broker who is patient and has the ability to understand your personal situation. I have frequently helped beneficiaries deal this stress. There are low cost ancillary plans that

even re-imburse patients to costs associated with hospitalization and chronic illnesses and I

can help you understand those plans.

Answer: I started with a Medigap plan G when I turned 65. By the time I was 68, the cost of the plan

was over $215 a month and the part D prescription drug plan was over $52 a month. I switched to a Medicare Advantage plan and it saved me $thousands. That is my personal experience.

Answer: You have a 63-day window after you turn 65 and have already selected a Medicare Advantage plan to change it to a Guarantee Issue Medigap plan.

Answer: Yes, Medicare Advantage covers acupuncture. Many plans even offer expanded coverage for

acupuncture. What areas of the body are you seeking to receive care for acupuncture?

Answer: Creditable coverage means that your coverage should at least cover what Medicare covers. If your coverage does not cover what Medicare covers than you should apply for Medicare.

What coverage do you have now?

Answer: Did you already receive your part A Medicare Card? If not contact Social Security by

establishing an online account. Or you may call social security. However, for part B

coverage I would have to know if you already have creditable coverage. Do you?

Answer: You should check to see if the discount is better than the plans coverage. Personally, I do

not use the discount coverage because I get a better shake for my dollar with my plan.

Answer: Medicare beneficiaries receive a Medicare Summary Notice every 4 months if they have received services or supplies during that period.

Answer: It sounds like you have a Medicare plan already. Have you contacted your agent/broker? What plan do you have now? I can help you with that information if you are unable to make contact

with your agent/broker.

Answer: There is a lot of information available today on the internet that can help beneficiaries

decide what health specialist to contact. In the future, much more information will be available

to help you make decisions with your specialist.

Answer: Medicare Part A is enough if you do not mind possibly being liable for 20% of the bill.

I always try to make sure that my clients are better off with a Medicare Advantage or a

Medigap plan before I advise them go it alone with part A. Good question.

Answer: By not working with a good agent/broker, you may have problems limited to their knowledge or

their willingness to help you.

Answer: Yes, it is. You will pay $0 for out-of-pocket costs for blood tests that are ordered by a doctor and approved by Medicare with your Medigap plan.

Answer: There is not more 'donut-hole' in 2025. If your out-of-pocket prescription costs are above $2,000 you qualify for catastrophic coverage and do not have to pay for prescription

drugs for the remainder of the year. For 2026, the threshold for catastrophic coverage is

$2,100.

Answer: If your total annual income is below $23,990, you may qualify for a Low-Income Subsidy. I can

help you with that.

Answer: That is an excellent question! If you experienced a "life changing event" such as marriage, death of a spouse, work stoppage/reduction, you could appeal the determination using form SSA-44.

I can help you if interested.

Answer: I love helping people! That is a must if one is going to be an agent. Your agent should never

assume that you know what you do not know. Go ahead and ask me.

Answer: It depends on what you are paying for them now. I enjoy making comparisons to what a

client is paying now to the plans that are available in their area, then you will have the facts.

Answer: You will still have coverage. Your providers may not be happy, but you will not lose your Medicare coverage.

Answer: You are allowed to enroll 90 days prior to turning 65, and your coverage will begin during the first day of the month of your 65th birthday.

Answer: Many plans cover emergency services. If you want to discuss plans, I am open to that. Do

you currently have a Special Enrollment Period?

Answer: Depending on the plan that you have chosen, you can generally receive medical treatment

out of your network without having to pay everything out of your pocket.

Answer: I would have to ask you the name of the medication and find a plan that will provide that

medication for you.

Answer: If a provider drops your Medicare plan, I will make sure that you have a Special Enrollment

period so that you do not lose coverage, and put you in a new plan.

Answer: What preventative services do you have now? What concerns do you have related to your health? Medicare Advantage plans cover all services that Medicare A and B cover and Medigap

covers most.

Answer: Yes. When would you like to have your surgery and what zip code area are you located in?

I can give you several Ambulatory Surgical Surgery Centers.

Answer: It depends on where you are moving. There are many plans that cover rural areas. What zip code are you moving to?

Answer: In order to effectively answer this question, I would like to know if you are currently employed

and still have creditable coverage.

Answer: The best way to avoid scams is talk to an agent who is advertising on the Medicare Agents Hub. A scammer would be foolish to post his picture on an ad and ask for a phone call.

Answer: You qualify for an SEP if you have developed a chronic condition and your plan will begin

the following month.

Answer: Are you applying for Part D because you already have a Medigap plan, or just adding it to

you Medicare A & B?

Answer: Have you applied for part A? Medicare part A is automatically mailed to qualified

recipients. Part B has to be applied for, and recipients get it before the month it takes effect.

Answer: Costs vary depending on the plan. Specifically what plan are you inquiring about and

what zip code area are you in?

Answer: During the ten years that I have been helping Seniors get Medicare Advantage plans, I have

not had one Senior lose a plan. Can you give me a specific circumstance?

Answer: It depends on your medical coverage. If it is creditable coverage, then you are good.

If not, please refer to my previous answers to this topic.

Answer: Your Medicare provider sends out Annual Notice of Changes usually by September of the coverage year.

Answer: You should receive a card from Medicare for Part A which is the hospitalization part of

Medicare that we pay for through Medicare deductions from our paychecks.

Part A does not require you to pay premiums if you have more than 10 years of work credits.

Part B, for the doctors, costs a monthly premium that increases annually. You do not have

to file for Part B unless you do not have creditable coverage from your employer, in which

case you will also be required to have Part D prescription drug coverage.

So, working or not, you must have medical insurance whether it is Medicare or private creditable

insurance coverage.

Answer: You should look into a Pace Program for dad. Pace allows recipients to remain in their home

and receive in-home assistance thus avoiding nursing homes.

Answer: i love people and being competent enough to help people with the many questions that

most people have about insurance in general, is a pleasure to me.

Answer: Of course, if your parents can trust you. I would not want my parents to trust anyone

else more than myself.

Answer: The plan that you select is only as good as the agent/broker. If the agent/broker is not

properly trained, that could be a problem.

Also a good agent/broker will always be available to return your phone call. This can save

beneficiaries a lot of time waiting to talk to a customer support representative at the

insurance company.

Answer: After the introduction, the main thing to remember is that beneficiaries do not want to know

about me. They want me to know about them. Listening to my client is the most important

part of the meeting. Then answer I all questions.

Answer: Insurance companies receive subsidies from the government. The companies use the

subsidies to determine how much coverage they can afford.

Answer: There are a number of plans that include Rx coverage and insurance have different formularies.

Before you select a plan, make sure that your representative includes your drug details so

that you know for sure what if any copays you may have.

Answer: The donut hole has been replace with a limit to prescription drug costs. For 2026

the limit is $2,100 in Rx expenses. After that you pay nothing for covered, in-network

Part D drugs for the remainder of the calendar year.

Answer: Medicare plans have a deductible that is required for hospital stays. Your deductible is

valid for up to 60 days.

If you are re-admitted to the hospital in 60 days, your deductible may still be valid.

People get Hospital Indemnity Plans because the plan pays you direct, separately from

your medical bills. It may come in handy if you have a hospital stay.

Answer: If you are not collecting Social Security, you may pay for your part B directly to Medicare.

However, if you still have creditable medical coverage, you are in good shape until you

lose that coverage due to retirement or plan cancellation, in which case you would sign

up for part B when your coverage stops. Other than that, your Medicare insurance is not

dependent on when you receive Social Security.

Answer: This is a very good question.

If you have creditable medical coverage from your employer, you are not required to purchase

part B until you lose your creditable coverage.

For 2026, part B coverage costs about $205 per month and can be deducted from your social

security checks.

When you lose your coverage for whatever the reason, retirement or discontinuance of the plan,

you have time to choose a Medicare plan. If you wait too long to select coverage, you may

be required to pay a fine. So, do not wait long after your plan is discontinued or lost due

to retirement.

Answer: Although ambulance services are covered under Medicare, there are co-pays that the

benefactor pays. The $300 that you were charged is much lower than the actual cost

of that service. You may view the total charge for the service on you monthly statement

of costs by your Medicare provider.

Answer: Life Insurance is a separate matter from Medicare.

Life Insurance is received by your benefactors and can be used for their own personal use, tax-free, serving as a bequeathment to the ones that you love.

Term Life Insurance is less expensive, making larger amounts of coverage more affordable.

Since Term is valid for a period of 10, 20 or 30 years, the premium can stay level if you

purchase the right term policy, but when the term ends the premium goes up. So, most

people only purchase Term Life to cover mortgage debts, or planned savings in the event

that the insured passes before the insured lives long enough to complete the savings plan.

This way their loved ones can pay off a mortgage or fulfill the lost income due to the inability

of the insured to fulfill the savings because of a loss of life.

Whole Life Insurance costs more than term but it is permanent insurance, as long as the

owner of the policy continues to make the premium payments.

Indexed Universal LIfe is different in that it can build up large amounts of cash value that

can double as an option to be used for education, emergency loans and even in some

cases as a retirement income.

Answer: Yes. Medicare has vision care coverage.

With many Medicare plans you can receive an allowance for eyeglasses.

There are generally co-pays that you may be required to cover, but the insurance coverage

is well worth it. Many Medicare plans do not require a premium for the coverage.

Answer: Yes, you can use your Health Savings Account (HSA) to pay for Medicare premiums and

other qualified medical expenses tax-free after you retire.

Eligible expenses include premiums for Medicare Parts A, B, C (Advantage) and D, as well

as deductibles and co-pays. However, you cannot use your HSA for Medical Supplement

(Medigap) premiums.

Key Rules for Using and HSA with Medicare:

Stop Contributions: Once you enroll in Medicare, you can no longer contribute to your HSA.

Qualified Expenses: Funds must be used for qualified medical expenses, which include

Medicare Premiums (excluding Medigap), long-term care insurance, and dental/vision

services.

Tax-Free Usage: You can pay for these expenses tax-free, even if you are over 65.

Non-Qualified Expenses: If you use finds for non-qualified expenses after age 65, you

will pay income tax on the withdrawal, but no penalty.

Retroactive Penalty Warning: Medicare Part A of often retroactive by up to 6 months. If

you contribute to your HSA during this retroactive period, you may fact a 6% tax penalty

on the excess.

Answer: A Medicare agent should be able to answer any questions that you have, saving you much

research time. Medicare agents are also responsible to the Centers for Medicare Services for

their answers and conduct. There are numerous plans available with different prescription

drug coverage, co-pays and deductibles. It is important to be informed of these before you

sign up for a plan. Incidentally, plan members have until March 31, 2026 to make a change

to their plan.

Answer: You asked a very good question.

At first look it may not seem like a lot, but many plans have a built-in dental plan that

covers $2,000 of dental costs, as am built-in plan. However, you may add another $2,000

for $37.50/month boosting your coverage to $4,000.

Many procedures are handled including, fillings, crowns, partials, and dentures.

What plan do you currently have? (Some plans have better coverage)

Frank Carta