Medicare Dos and Donts

[radioman]

Here are my tips... If you are on SS for any reason wheather its retirement or disability, you are elgible for part A no matter what for free. You DON'T need to pay B or C to get D as long you are covered by someone else like your wife. BUT here is the catch as I found out last year. SSA will try to penalize you for not having part B or C for EACH month you dont have insurance and it adds up to thousands. To combat the penalties is to prove you HAD insurance somewhere else and that starts with documentation. You need to print/keep all records of your spouse covering you with your name and SS and her name and SS on the paperwork. Dont rely on the SSA form to send to her company to fill out and send back to you. The SSA has a publication saying you dont need them to sign the forms, just showing proof of insurance is all you need , but the SSA offices will act like no - its not possible until you show them their OWN publication stating that. I'm filing mine away to keep forever. I had no insurance for almost a year due to this BS and sought help and answers till I found it. I will not bore you with the issues trying to get documentation - but I can tell you this - its important to do it NOW as you have access NOW and you WILL NOT have easy access later. trust me. been there. done that.

 

[lakngulf]

Just be sure to sign up for part "D", prescription plan, even if you don't need it now! I write the checks for my mother's bills, she hadn't signed up for part "D" & at her age, the monthly penalty for not signing up is more than the Humana plan payment. ~~ Lowell

Will do. I have researched the State policies a bit, and I think the drug plan happens there. But not sure.

 

[smstonypoint]

I am now 64 and headed toward Medicare the first of next year. Am interested in experiences you have had dealing with enrolling, selecting options, drug benefits, etc for Medicare. I am not sure whether I should be doing anything now or not. I am on my wife's state government health insurance, and keep thinking they will send me so info, but nothing so far. They will cover something of a supplement.

Any help in how I get started will be appreciated. Thanks.

My wife turns 65 on 12/20 of this year. She is already on SS, so her experience may not be relevant for those who are not yet drawing.

She received her first Medicare-related communication from the SSA on Saturday. It was a form that was to be completed and returned to the SSA by those wishing to apply for financial assistance in obtaining Part D coverage. It looks like you need minimal assets to qualify. I don't remember receiving the form back in 2012 when I turned 65, so this assistance may be via the ACA.

She received her Medicaid card today (8/11) and her coverage begins on 12/1. Her card indicates that she has both Hospital and Medical Insurance. The accompanying material says that she doesn't have to do anything unless she wants to decline Medical Insurance. She doesn't , but if she did, she would have to mail in a form indicating that was the case. The SSA would then issue her a new card saying that she had only Hospital Insurance through Medicaid.

Steve

 

[QRTRHRS]

I took on Social Security at age 62 as part of my early retirement selection. I did the SS enrollment online. At 65 I was automatically enrolled in Medicare and Medicaid. If you want out, its also able to be done online. I selected a Humana Prescription Drug coverage deal and also Humana Supplementary coverage (Plan "F").

After being on these plans 5 months I needed prostate cancer surgery and follow-up care (total bill is now over $121,000). I have paid NOTHING for this and the amount due after 2 months is still ZERO.

Since I took a lump sum buyout instead of a pension, my only 'income' is the Social Security. Since its below a specified yearly amount, many drug companies let you claim poverty, allowing you to get non-covered medicines for FREE (As in Viagra for example). This low income status provides pathways for other benefits fo us po peoples, too.

My wife is also on an "F" plan. She doctors quite a bit and her deductables were running 2-3 grand a year. While the Advantage plans run what 40-50 a month with co-pays, the 130/month for the F plan with no co-pays are a no brainer. She was in ER seven times between Xmas and New Years a few years back. Not one cent out of pocket.

I still have 15 months to go before I get on Medicare. Being pretty healthy, I will probably just go with an Advantage plan.

If I understand correctly, the government dictates what each plan offers no matter the insurance company you choose to buy from. The cost is not fixed however. Someone correct me if I am wrong. It's been awhile since I helped my wife wade through the paperwork.

 

[MacLawn]

Whew, great post! Navigating this SS mess is not easy. I've been studying it for a few years before I turned 65 last January. Went to my local office and got on Medicare and the hospital part, forgot wha' it's called. All this B, C, D, F mess, reminds me when I was in high school!

Anyway, just last night, I submitted my SS retirement form online to begin getting my gubmint checks starting 2/15. Does anybody know if that means I'll start receiving checks in February or when? My guess is it'll be March 1.

Let's hang in boys, we're gonna make it. I think.

 

[lakngulf]

Whew, great post! Navigating this SS mess is not easy. I've been studying it for a few years before I turned 65 last January. Went to my local office and got on Medicare and the hospital part, forgot wha' it's called. All this B, C, D, F mess, reminds me when I was in high school!

Anyway, just last night, I submitted my SS retirement form online to begin getting my gubmint checks starting 2/15. Does anybody know if that means I'll start receiving checks in February or when? My guess is it'll be March 1.

Let's hang in boys, we're gonna make it. I think.

I think they will let you know when to expect first payment. After that it depends on your birthday to determine the time each month that the money will hit your account.

 

[randy41]

i applied and asked for it to start in january. they say they will start paying me back the money they borrowed over the past decades in the middle of february. don't know a thing about medicare except that they say it is too soon to apply and i should wait until next year. i turn 65 in 5/15.