Medicare Before Social Security
Medicare Before Social Security
I will enroll in Medicare at age 65 but will defer drawing Social Security until age 66 or later.
If this is the case, how are deductions for Medicare Part B premiums handled? Is a bank draft from your checking account acceptable? Or do you have to pay in another way (check, credit card, etc.)?
I called Social Security to ask this question but must have talked to a newbie because he didn't know the answer.
Thanks.
If this is the case, how are deductions for Medicare Part B premiums handled? Is a bank draft from your checking account acceptable? Or do you have to pay in another way (check, credit card, etc.)?
I called Social Security to ask this question but must have talked to a newbie because he didn't know the answer.
Thanks.
Last edited by fandango on Thu Sep 01, 2011 6:57 am, edited 1 time in total.
Yes, you can set up autopayments from your bank account for Medicare. Mine are paid monthly. You should be aware that your premiums may be higher than if paid from SS deductions. That's because premiums were not raised for those paying from SS deductions the last two years, but were for those paying their own premium. Now that I'm starting SS and paying thru deductions, I learned that I'll still be paying the higher premium. So maybe your premium will be higher than for existing Medicare beneficiaries who have been paying through SS deductions - I don't know for sure.
"Life can only be understood backward; but it must be lived forward." ~ Søren Kierkegaard |
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"You can't connect the dots looking forward; but only by looking backwards." ~ Steve Jobs
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This doesn't seem fair, especially as the FRA for collecting SS continues to slowly rise beyond 65 and more and more people choose to begin collecting SS at 66 or 67 while opting to enroll in Medicare at 65.Lbill wrote:Yes, you can set up autopayments from your bank account for Medicare. Mine are paid monthly. You should be aware that your premiums may be higher than if paid from SS deductions. That's because premiums were not raised for those paying from SS deductions the last two years, but were for those paying their own premium. Now that I'm starting SS and paying thru deductions, I learned that I'll still be paying the higher premium. So maybe your premium will be higher than for existing Medicare beneficiaries who have been paying through SS deductions - I don't know for sure.
It is lousy but not horrible if for a short time the recipient has to pay a little more for Medicare but once that recipient is in both programs the higher Medicare premium remains surely is.
The medicare premium goes up every year (as it follows the cost of health care). However, if you are collecting social security, your medicare premiums are deducted (the point of the original question, sort of). When SS has no COLA, the net after medicare SS benefit is held harmless; you get the same SS check, so the medicare withholding doesn't go up even though the true medicare premium does. This has happened the last two years. There are now three levels of premiums being paid depending on what year you started social security.
Once the SS COLAs kick in (like at the end of this year), the premiums will go up for those currently being "subsidized" to match everyone else. [That is my understanding from reading the law] No one is locked into a lower rate forever.
Once the SS COLAs kick in (like at the end of this year), the premiums will go up for those currently being "subsidized" to match everyone else. [That is my understanding from reading the law] No one is locked into a lower rate forever.
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As others have noted, you get quarterly bills. They come from a slightly-mysterious-to-me entity called the CMS, "Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services." They are regional... and the bills, logo, and general appearance of the mail are not identical from region to region!
I know this is going to scandalize Bogleheads, but for Medicare, Medigap, and Medicare Part D, I just pay for the whole year at once--send a check for the entire balance for the rest of the year, even though that wasn't called out as an option. Yes, I'm foregoing all the interest that money could be earning.
The magic time to get this stuff done is the three-month period before your 65th birthday. I've already forgotten the procedure but I did it online and it was surprisingly smooth and easy.
The Medicare ID card is the cheapest and cheesiest thing I've ever seen. A real disappointment. Thin flimsy matte-surface cardboard with some crappy red-white-and-blue stripes on it. My Social Security card with those Corinthian columns and SSA eagle and shield looks classier. Heck, my SuperCuts 9=10 card looks classier.
I know this is going to scandalize Bogleheads, but for Medicare, Medigap, and Medicare Part D, I just pay for the whole year at once--send a check for the entire balance for the rest of the year, even though that wasn't called out as an option. Yes, I'm foregoing all the interest that money could be earning.
Yes. It is called "Medicare Easy Pay"--"If you want to sign up for Automated Clearing House (ACH), automated premium payment deductions from your checking or savings account, call 1-800-MEDICARE," it says here.Hondo wrote:Does anyone know if this can be paid by automatic bank draft?
The magic time to get this stuff done is the three-month period before your 65th birthday. I've already forgotten the procedure but I did it online and it was surprisingly smooth and easy.
The Medicare ID card is the cheapest and cheesiest thing I've ever seen. A real disappointment. Thin flimsy matte-surface cardboard with some crappy red-white-and-blue stripes on it. My Social Security card with those Corinthian columns and SSA eagle and shield looks classier. Heck, my SuperCuts 9=10 card looks classier.
Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen nineteen and six, result happiness; Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds ought and six, result misery.
P.S. Everyone who turned 65 in 2010 paid the same medicare premium in 2010 whether in SS or not. That is the same as what those you turned 65 in a previous year who were not collecting SS paid. Only those who turned 65 before 2010 and were collecting social security before 2010 paid the subsidized rate (but there are a lot of them).
Everyone who turns or turned 65 in 2011 pays the same medicare premium whether in SS or not. That premium is higher than the premium paid by those who turned 65 in 2010 or earlier and were collecting SS at the beginning of 2011.
Thus there are three premiums:
2011
2010 locked-in
2009 locked-in
All this should go away at the end of this year when there is a SS COLA (except possibly for someone with a really small SS benefit, where the increase in the benefit is less than what would be the increase in the medicare premium paid).
Everyone who turns or turned 65 in 2011 pays the same medicare premium whether in SS or not. That premium is higher than the premium paid by those who turned 65 in 2010 or earlier and were collecting SS at the beginning of 2011.
Thus there are three premiums:
2011
2010 locked-in
2009 locked-in
All this should go away at the end of this year when there is a SS COLA (except possibly for someone with a really small SS benefit, where the increase in the benefit is less than what would be the increase in the medicare premium paid).
I don't find them that mysterious, but they have one of the worst web sites ever.nisiprius wrote:As others have noted, you get quarterly bills. They come from a slightly-mysterious-to-me entity called the CMS, "Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services."
https://www.cms.gov/
If you click on about CMS, to see what they do, it is just as bad.
https://www.cms.gov/home/aboutcms.asp
CMS, as it says at the top, is a part of Health and Human Services. Medicare is part of the Social Security Act, but obviously has something to do with health services.
P.S. I once called SSA about my medicare premium and was told to call CMS. CMS does answer the phone and helped disabuse me of my misunderstanding of the premium.
Thanks for the information everyone.
I was surprise that SS did not collect its own premiums.
I checked out the CMS website. Not exactly user friendly.
I read some of the entries several times and came back blank. Written in excellent bureaucratese.
Looks like CMS would be a good target for Congress to direct some of their cost reduction/efficiency efforts.
I was surprise that SS did not collect its own premiums.
I checked out the CMS website. Not exactly user friendly.
I read some of the entries several times and came back blank. Written in excellent bureaucratese.
Looks like CMS would be a good target for Congress to direct some of their cost reduction/efficiency efforts.
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Check out www.medicare.gov for more user friendly information.
If you are on Part B before claiming SS benefits, be careful of duplicate premium charges when you start your SS benefits. You pay the Part B (and/or D) premiums quarterly in advance, and when your first SS check is deposited the Medicare premium may include a month you have already paid by check and the same may happen in the following month.
Of course, you can eventually get the problem resolved with a direct deposit of the duplicate premium months. When it happened to me it only took around 10 phone calls and 7 months to receive the refund, despite the fact that SS understood from Day one what had happened.
Don't know for sure what you can do to prevent this from happening. In my case, anticipated this might happen and sent a letter to prevent it, but it happened anyway.
Of course, you can eventually get the problem resolved with a direct deposit of the duplicate premium months. When it happened to me it only took around 10 phone calls and 7 months to receive the refund, despite the fact that SS understood from Day one what had happened.
Don't know for sure what you can do to prevent this from happening. In my case, anticipated this might happen and sent a letter to prevent it, but it happened anyway.
Your social security check you get is for the previous month. Medicare premiums are withheld in "advance." Your September benefit check is for August and has your September medicare premium withheld.
If you have paid for medicare on our own for October, November, and December, start you social security in December. Your first benefit check will be for December and paid in January; it will have the January medicare premium withheld. Now if you start SS when you turn 70 in November, you don't have a choice.
I went through this from the other side. I was already collecting social security when I turned 65 and the medicare premium was first withheld in the month of my birthday; the benefit was for the previous month, but the premium was for my birthday month. Coverage started on the first of the month I turned 65, although the benefit payment didn't come to me with the medicare premium withheld until the 2nd Wednesday (my day for SS benefits). I guess you can think of it as they pay medicare on the first but you don't get the remaining SS until your regular payment date.
If you have paid for medicare on our own for October, November, and December, start you social security in December. Your first benefit check will be for December and paid in January; it will have the January medicare premium withheld. Now if you start SS when you turn 70 in November, you don't have a choice.
I went through this from the other side. I was already collecting social security when I turned 65 and the medicare premium was first withheld in the month of my birthday; the benefit was for the previous month, but the premium was for my birthday month. Coverage started on the first of the month I turned 65, although the benefit payment didn't come to me with the medicare premium withheld until the 2nd Wednesday (my day for SS benefits). I guess you can think of it as they pay medicare on the first but you don't get the remaining SS until your regular payment date.
This thread is very timely for me and spouse. She reaches FRA in December, so we are going in later this month to have her sign up for spousal benefits beginning in December (first check in early January). I will simultaneously doing a "file and suspend" on my own benefits. Unfortunately, she gets her CMS bill in November and will have to pay Medicare premiums for the period Dec-Feb. It sounds like she may pay for January and February twice! We will need to ask the SSA rep about this problem when we signup. For those who have encountered this problem, who do you contact to get it rectified?sscritic wrote:Your social security check you get is for the previous month. Medicare premiums are withheld in "advance." Your September benefit check is for August and has your September medicare premium withheld.
If you have paid for medicare on our own for October, November, and December, start you social security in December. Your first benefit check will be for December and paid in January; it will have the January medicare premium withheld. Now if you start SS when you turn 70 in November, you don't have a choice.
I went through this from the other side. I was already collecting social security when I turned 65 and the medicare premium was first withheld in the month of my birthday; the benefit was for the previous month, but the premium was for my birthday month. Coverage started on the first of the month I turned 65, although the benefit payment didn't come to me with the medicare premium withheld until the 2nd Wednesday (my day for SS benefits). I guess you can think of it as they pay medicare on the first but you don't get the remaining SS until your regular payment date.
Edit: would it be better to start wife's benefits in November? This might result in a slightly lower benefit, but would eliminate the problem of paying premiums twice for January and February.
Glenn
I wonder what would happen if she paid only 1/3 of the bill when it came. Would they cover December and then send you a second notice for the other two months? Then her SS will kick in and she won't have to make that final payment. I wonder whom you could ask.dcnut wrote:This thread is very timely for me and spouse. She reaches FRA in December, so we are going in later this month to have her sign up for spousal benefits beginning in December (first check in early January). I will simultaneously doing a "file and suspend" on my own benefits. Unfortunately, she gets her CMS bill in November and will have to pay Medicare premiums for the period Dec-Feb.sscritic wrote:Your social security check you get is for the previous month. Medicare premiums are withheld in "advance." Your September benefit check is for August and has your September medicare premium withheld.
If you have paid for medicare on our own for October, November, and December, start you social security in December. Your first benefit check will be for December and paid in January; it will have the January medicare premium withheld.
Of course, this all assumes that I am correct. I think I am, but you would have to double check.
Thanks, sscritic. I will certainly look into this possible solution. The other possible solution is to start her benefits in November instead of December (the month she achieves FRA). I don't know how much her monthly benefit will be reduced by starting a month early, however.sscritic wrote: I wonder what would happen if she paid only 1/3 of the bill when it came. Would they cover December and then send you a second notice for the other two months? Then her SS will kick in and she won't have to make that final payment. I wonder whom you could ask.
Of course, this all assumes that I am correct. I think I am, but you would have to double check.
Glenn
Everything is a fraction of her PIA (full amount at FRA). For a retirement benefit, the reduction is 5/9 of one percent for each of the first 36 months (and more for months above 36). Start one month early, and you get 895/900 = 179/180 of the PIA. They actually use fractions (not decimals) before rounding down the answer, but the decimal answer is "Ivory": 99.44%. I guess you asked for the reduction, so that is 5/900 = 1/180 = 0.56% rounded.donut wrote: The other possible solution is to start her benefits in November instead of December (the month she achieves FRA). I don't know how much her monthly benefit will be reduced by starting a month early, however.
Sorry, I couldn't help myself with the Ivory Soap reference. It just slips out whenever I hear 99 and 44 one-hundreths (percent pure).
In the most friendly manner possible, with a hint of sarcasm, directed at SSA and not you--it doesn't matter if you are correct or not--it matters if SSA employees know the rules and based on my experience at least one out of three have NO idea what month the premium deducted actually paid for-- and this is based on conversations with several dozen SSA employees, supervisors, specialists, etc. This is the main reason, in my experience, why so many folks have problems with double billing, etc. Also, way too many people think things like this are done by computer-- they're not-- it's GIGO done by individual employees at SSA.sscritic wrote:
Of course, this all assumes that I am correct. I think I am, but you would have to double check.
Whew-- glad I got that off my chest -- thanks SS for indulging me .
Nonnie
I've been paying Medicare premiums monthly with autopay. Am scheduled to begin receiving social security payments in September (First SS payment will be in October). SSA told me that Medicare premiums will now be automatically be deducted from my monthly SS benefit. Based on comments in this thread, I'm concerned that they won't stop autopayment in time and I'll end up double-paying in October. Is there any way to turn off autopay now in order to prevent this possibility?
"Life can only be understood backward; but it must be lived forward." ~ Søren Kierkegaard |
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"You can't connect the dots looking forward; but only by looking backwards." ~ Steve Jobs
Based on her expected benefit and the medicare premium, it appears that the reduction in benefits by starting one month early will only offset two months of extra medicare premiums in 36 months. Since I can easily assume that she will collect benefits for more than 36 months, starting one month early is a losing strategy even if we have to pay for two months of premiums twice.sscritic wrote:Everything is a fraction of her PIA (full amount at FRA). For a retirement benefit, the reduction is 5/9 of one percent for each of the first 36 months (and more for months above 36). Start one month early, and you get 895/900 = 179/180 of the PIA. They actually use fractions (not decimals) before rounding down the answer, but the decimal answer is "Ivory": 99.44%. I guess you asked for the reduction, so that is 5/900 = 1/180 = 0.56% rounded.donut wrote: The other possible solution is to start her benefits in November instead of December (the month she achieves FRA). I don't know how much her monthly benefit will be reduced by starting a month early, however.
Sorry, I couldn't help myself with the Ivory Soap reference. It just slips out whenever I hear 99 and 44 one-hundreths (percent pure).
Glenn
Did you call and ask? I don't have autopay, but presumably you signed up for it. Usually you can sign down the same place you sign up.Lbill wrote:Is there any way to turn off autopay now in order to prevent this possibility?
Google and the SSA say it is called Easy Pay:
https://secure.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0601001025To begin Medicare Easy Pay, the beneficiary must complete an Authorization Agreement for Preauthorized Payments (Standard Form 5510). ...
If a beneficiary wishes to change or stop the monthly bank deduction, a new Authorization Agreement for Preauthorized Payments (Standard Form 5510) must be completed and mailed to:
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
Medicare Premium Collection Center
P.O. Box 979098
St. Louis, MO 63197-9000
NOTE: The authorization agreement may be obtained by calling 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).
I love google in the morning, I love google every night.
P.S. It is probably a little late to stop your Easy Pay for October. Do they take it out on the 1st of each month for the subsequent month's premium?
Alan,Alan S. wrote:If you are on Part B before claiming SS benefits, be careful of duplicate premium charges when you start your SS benefits. You pay the Part B (and/or D) premiums quarterly in advance, and when your first SS check is deposited the Medicare premium may include a month you have already paid by check and the same may happen in the following month.
Of course, you can eventually get the problem resolved with a direct deposit of the duplicate premium months. When it happened to me it only took around 10 phone calls and 7 months to receive the refund, despite the fact that SS understood from Day one what had happened.
Don't know for sure what you can do to prevent this from happening. In my case, anticipated this might happen and sent a letter to prevent it, but it happened anyway.
Who did you finally contact that finally resulted in getting your refund? I would like to avoid having to make ten phone calls if possible. I am assuming that there may be nothing I can do to avoid the double-billing
Glenn
Glenn,
First I started with the SS nationwide 800 #. They immediately understood the problem with a glance at the record, but failed to correct it. Finally, the kicked the problem to the local SS office and they called me. There were a some additional delays, but eventually the local office rep was the one that got the refund direct deposit done.
With just my experience, it is not much of a credible sample to determine what it best to do if the problem surfaces, but I would not wait to see if it self corrects. If I had it to do over, I would do as sscritic suggested, that is NOT pay the full quarterly bill, knowing when you were going to start SS benefits, spousal or otherwise, and recognizing that the SS benefits are paid in arrears but the Medicare is paid in advance.
Eg effective SS month of December, first check is in January and the Medicare deduction covers January. You would then directly pay the premium only through December on the quarterly billing.
First I started with the SS nationwide 800 #. They immediately understood the problem with a glance at the record, but failed to correct it. Finally, the kicked the problem to the local SS office and they called me. There were a some additional delays, but eventually the local office rep was the one that got the refund direct deposit done.
With just my experience, it is not much of a credible sample to determine what it best to do if the problem surfaces, but I would not wait to see if it self corrects. If I had it to do over, I would do as sscritic suggested, that is NOT pay the full quarterly bill, knowing when you were going to start SS benefits, spousal or otherwise, and recognizing that the SS benefits are paid in arrears but the Medicare is paid in advance.
Eg effective SS month of December, first check is in January and the Medicare deduction covers January. You would then directly pay the premium only through December on the quarterly billing.
Thanks, Alan. Your advice (along with sscritic's) seems sound, but I will discuss this topic with the local SS rep when we sign-up later in Sept.Alan S. wrote:Glenn,
First I started with the SS nationwide 800 #. They immediately understood the problem with a glance at the record, but failed to correct it. Finally, the kicked the problem to the local SS office and they called me. There were a some additional delays, but eventually the local office rep was the one that got the refund direct deposit done.
With just my experience, it is not much of a credible sample to determine what it best to do if the problem surfaces, but I would not wait to see if it self corrects. If I had it to do over, I would do as sscritic suggested, that is NOT pay the full quarterly bill, knowing when you were going to start SS benefits, spousal or otherwise, and recognizing that the SS benefits are paid in arrears but the Medicare is paid in advance.
Eg effective SS month of December, first check is in January and the Medicare deduction covers January. You would then directly pay the premium only through December on the quarterly billing.
Glenn
I paid Medicare premiums quarterly by check before I started Social Security in 2007.
As I recall, I telephoned either Social Security or Medicare once to ask about the double payment, and the person who answered the phone assured me that the overpayment would be refunded without my doing anything to claim it. Indeed, it was. I don't remember how long it took.
As I recall, I telephoned either Social Security or Medicare once to ask about the double payment, and the person who answered the phone assured me that the overpayment would be refunded without my doing anything to claim it. Indeed, it was. I don't remember how long it took.
Yesterday DW and I reported to the local SS office to sign up for benefits. We have both been on Medicare for a year or more. DW signed up for spousal benefits starting in December (her FRA), and I did a file-and-suspend. Because of the file-and-suspend, we had a supervisor in addition to the regular rep, which was very good. When I mentioned the problem of paying double Medicare premiums for two months, the supervisor recommended that we pay the full invoice when we get it in November. She claimed that the overpayment refund would be automatic, and that it should take only three months or less.Jeanz wrote:I paid Medicare premiums quarterly by check before I started Social Security in 2007.
As I recall, I telephoned either Social Security or Medicare once to ask about the double payment, and the person who answered the phone assured me that the overpayment would be refunded without my doing anything to claim it. Indeed, it was. I don't remember how long it took.
Glenn
In my experience, you should be extremely careful getting advice from your local SS office. We followed their incorrect advice and it took almost a year to get things straightened out. We have found the people who answer the national 800 number are much more reliable.dcnut wrote:Thanks, Alan. Your advice (along with sscritic's) seems sound, but I will discuss this topic with the local SS rep when we sign-up later in Sept.
We found our local SS office gives incorrect advice, most often does not answer the phone, will not return phone calls if they do answer, do not "own up" to their mistakes, and are unaware of their own systems. Dealing with them is like reading "Dilbert".
Jeff
Paying Medicare Premium
If Medicare coverage starts on January 1, what month would you expect the first quarterly billing to arrive for the Part B premium? I applied for Medicare three months in advance and already have the ID card. Retirement benefits have not yet been started.Alan S. wrote:You pay the Part B (and/or D) premiums quarterly in advance . .
Thanks for any information.
Enjoying the Outdoors
Re: Medicare Before Social Security
I previously did a file and suspend and have been paying my Medicare premium quarterly. Last week I visited the SS office and unsuspended. The clerk advisised me to pay only one month of my next quarterly Medicare bill representing January's premium. My SS benefits will begin in January but the first check will be received in Feb. and will have the Medicare premium deducted that month and from then on.
If an idea did not arrive in a person's mind via logic, it cannot be changed by logic.
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Re: Medicare Before Social Security
I filed for Medicare last month (waiting for SS) and the SS office worker said nothing about how to pay the premiums and asked for no banking account information. How do I make sure someone didn't drop the ball and then blame me? Do they send a bill in Dec (when my Medicare starts) and I pay it then for the quarter in advance?
d.r.a., not dr.a. | I'm a novice investor; you are forewarned.
Re: Medicare Before Social Security
You can arrange for a monthly deduction from a checking account. They send a monthly statement.
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Re:
My last interaction with a SS office was quite literally traumatizing, I nearly had a breakdown afterwards (and I'm usually a very mild mannered "let things roll off your back" sort of person). Some of them may be better, but in all seriousness I dread my next interaction with them.jsl11 wrote:We found our local SS office gives incorrect advice, most often does not answer the phone, will not return phone calls if they do answer, do not "own up" to their mistakes, and are unaware of their own systems. Dealing with them is like reading "Dilbert".
Re: Medicare Before Social Security
I just called 1-800-Medicare to discuss the billing for Part B when retirement benefits have not yet started.dratkinson wrote:I filed for Medicare last month (waiting for SS) and the SS office worker said nothing about how to pay the premiums and asked for no banking account information. How do I make sure someone didn't drop the ball and then blame me? Do they send a bill in Dec (when my Medicare starts) and I pay it then for the quarter in advance?
They indicated that billing is around the 10th of the month. That would suggest November 10 for someone starting in December since they bill in advance. The billing is for three months but there may be an option for one month. There is also an option to use EasyPay which can debit a checking account. I requested the EasyPay package which is being sent out.
Enjoying the Outdoors
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Re: Medicare Before Social Security
Thanks, that must be it. EasyPay sounds like the way to go. Guess I'm just waiting for the mail now....KAWill70 wrote:I just called 1-800-Medicare to discuss the billing for Part B when retirement benefits have not yet started.dratkinson wrote:I filed for Medicare last month (waiting for SS) and the SS office worker said nothing about how to pay the premiums and asked for no banking account information. How do I make sure someone didn't drop the ball and then blame me? Do they send a bill in Dec (when my Medicare starts) and I pay it then for the quarter in advance?
They indicated that billing is around the 10th of the month. That would suggest November 10 for someone starting in December since they bill in advance. The billing is for three months but there may be an option for one month. There is also an option to use EasyPay which can debit a checking account. I requested the EasyPay package which is being sent out.
Update (10 Nov). Received a bill in the mail yesterday. Double-checking to ensure it is not a clever scam letter before sending payment.
The automatic bank draft would be easy, but the chance to use a cash-back CC is tempting. Plus, what better use do I have for my cache of Forever Stamps?
To echo InterPlanetJanet's SS visit trauma, on my first office visit, I had very low expectations. Why? Just for grins, drop "80121" into the SS website and to find my local SS office. When you get there, the unmanned (at the time) office receptionist's desk has prominent displayed fliers giving you directions to the new SS office. What's the problem with that?
- 1. The office location is a private business and not associated with the government.
2. The SS office moved 11 years ago!
3. Instead of updating the SS website (multiple requests ignored), the government relies on the private business to continue directing new SS clients to its 11-yo new SS office.
But so far, things seem to be going better than I originally expected. Hope it stays that way. (Fingers crossed.)
d.r.a., not dr.a. | I'm a novice investor; you are forewarned.
Re: Medicare Before Social Security
I sent in my quarterly Medicare payment on June 15, 2017 (PRIOR to starting Social Security) for the 3rd qtr (July, Aug, Sept) of 2017. I had applied in May to start my Social Security in July 2017, so I got my first Social Security check in August 2017 (for July 2017). Of course, there was a deduction from the Social Security check for my monthly Medicare payment (for August 2017). This means that (by sending in the qtrly payment in June (for July, Aug, Sept) I had OVERPAID for 2 months of payments. WITHOUT ME DOING ANYTHING ON MY PART, I received the refund check for the extra 2 months of payments in LESS THAN 3 MONTHS!!!
Re: Medicare Before Social Security
Thanks for reviving this thread. Hopefully someone knows the answer to this. I pay part B quarterly but will file a restricted application in July of 2018 at my FRA when my wife files for her own benefit. Will SS transition to taking out my part B premiums from my restricted application check (1/2 of wife's PIA) or will I still be paying the bill due to it not being "my" benefit?
Re: Medicare Before Social Security
I think Medicare will immediately start deducting from your Social Security spousal payment if Medicare does what it did to us. My wife started Part A (in August 2016, when she turned 65) and Part B on January 1, 2017 -- we have a family HDHP so she was making catch-up HSA contributions until 2016 when we prorated her catch-up for that year. We were billed Medicare Part B premiums quarterly in 2017 and paid by credit card, through the third quarter (July, August, Sept) of 2017. I applied for Social Security retirement benefits in July 2017 at 63 plus, and started receiving my WEP-reduced payment in August. My wife filed a restrictive application when she reached 66-FRA in August.vested1 wrote: ↑Sun Sep 10, 2017 9:28 am Thanks for reviving this thread. Hopefully someone knows the answer to this. I pay part B quarterly but will file a restricted application in July of 2018 at my FRA when my wife files for her own benefit. Will SS transition to taking out my part B premiums from my restricted application check (1/2 of wife's PIA) or will I still be paying the bill due to it not being "my" benefit?
After wife filed, a SS case officer called her to confirm her restricted application and said since we already paid her Medicare Part B premiums for the months of August and Sept and since the amount of her monthly spousal benefit (WEP-reduced at my FRA-PIA) was less than the amount of her IRMAA Medicare Part B premium that Medicare would make a year end adjustment. In the future, Medicare Part B premium will only be billed once a year for her, as we were told it would be a modest amount -- think it would be less than $400.
In any event, we haven't received a 4th quarter bill from Medicare; but wife has received a new Medicare card -- her first card had her Social Security number; the new one has my Social Security number followed by the letter "B".
Re: Medicare Before Social Security
I hope you're right, but my situation is a bit less complicated than yours. I simply would like to know if SS will begin deducting my part D premium from the monthly check they send me once my restricted application is active, rather than requiring me to pay it separately. This is a concern because of previous comments that said increases in part B are tied to whether or not the amount is being deducted from your SS benefit. It wouldn't cause me to alter my delaying strategy but it would be nice to know.ChrisC wrote: ↑Sun Sep 10, 2017 10:03 amI think Medicare will immediately start deducting from your Social Security spousal payment if Medicare does what it did to us. My wife started Part A (in August 2016, when she turned 65) and Part B on January 1, 2017 -- we have a family HDHP so she was making catch-up HSA contributions until 2016 when we prorated her catch-up for that year. We were billed Medicare Part B premiums quarterly in 2017 and paid by credit card, through the third quarter (July, August, Sept) of 2017. I applied for Social Security retirement benefits in July 2017 at 63 plus, and started receiving my WEP-reduced payment in August. My wife filed a restrictive application when she reached 66-FRA in August.vested1 wrote: ↑Sun Sep 10, 2017 9:28 am Thanks for reviving this thread. Hopefully someone knows the answer to this. I pay part B quarterly but will file a restricted application in July of 2018 at my FRA when my wife files for her own benefit. Will SS transition to taking out my part B premiums from my restricted application check (1/2 of wife's PIA) or will I still be paying the bill due to it not being "my" benefit?
After wife filed, a SS case officer called her to confirm her restricted application and said since we already paid her Medicare Part B premiums for the months of August and Sept and since the amount of her monthly spousal benefit (WEP-reduced at my FRA-PIA) was less than the amount of her IRMAA Medicare Part B premium that Medicare would make a year end adjustment. In the future, Medicare Part B premium will only be billed once a year for her, as we were told it would be a modest amount -- think it would be less than $400.
In any event, we haven't received a 4th quarter bill from Medicare; but wife has received a new Medicare card -- her first card had her Social Security number; the new one has my Social Security number followed by the letter "B".
Re: Medicare Before Social Security
You're talking about the hold harmless provisions of Medicare and Social Security -- that's another question; I do know that hold harmless does not apply to IRMAA and that Medicare, by law, must deduct Part B payments from Social Security retirement payments. Perhaps you can find your answer here https://www.medicareinteractive.org/get ... -provision. Or perhaps you can do some research and post what you find.vested1 wrote: ↑Sun Sep 10, 2017 10:37 amI hope you're right, but my situation is a bit less complicated than yours. I simply would like to know if SS will begin deducting my part D premium from the monthly check they send me once my restricted application is active, rather than requiring me to pay it separately. This is a concern because of previous comments that said increases in part B are tied to whether or not the amount is being deducted from your SS benefit. It wouldn't cause me to alter my delaying strategy but it would be nice to know.ChrisC wrote: ↑Sun Sep 10, 2017 10:03 amI think Medicare will immediately start deducting from your Social Security spousal payment if Medicare does what it did to us. My wife started Part A (in August 2016, when she turned 65) and Part B on January 1, 2017 -- we have a family HDHP so she was making catch-up HSA contributions until 2016 when we prorated her catch-up for that year. We were billed Medicare Part B premiums quarterly in 2017 and paid by credit card, through the third quarter (July, August, Sept) of 2017. I applied for Social Security retirement benefits in July 2017 at 63 plus, and started receiving my WEP-reduced payment in August. My wife filed a restrictive application when she reached 66-FRA in August.vested1 wrote: ↑Sun Sep 10, 2017 9:28 am Thanks for reviving this thread. Hopefully someone knows the answer to this. I pay part B quarterly but will file a restricted application in July of 2018 at my FRA when my wife files for her own benefit. Will SS transition to taking out my part B premiums from my restricted application check (1/2 of wife's PIA) or will I still be paying the bill due to it not being "my" benefit?
After wife filed, a SS case officer called her to confirm her restricted application and said since we already paid her Medicare Part B premiums for the months of August and Sept and since the amount of her monthly spousal benefit (WEP-reduced at my FRA-PIA) was less than the amount of her IRMAA Medicare Part B premium that Medicare would make a year end adjustment. In the future, Medicare Part B premium will only be billed once a year for her, as we were told it would be a modest amount -- think it would be less than $400.
In any event, we haven't received a 4th quarter bill from Medicare; but wife has received a new Medicare card -- her first card had her Social Security number; the new one has my Social Security number followed by the letter "B".
Re: Medicare Before Social Security
Spouse has a minimal SS benefit which is not sufficient to pay Part B premuim; "hold harmless" provision does not apply in that case either. They bill for the balance once a year.
Re: Medicare Before Social Security
No, my question never had to do anything with IRMAA or a spouse with a low paying work history. I just thought that there must be many here that have filed a restricted application and would know how that effects the Medicare part B bill, whether it's paid outside of the SS benefit or deducted from the benefit once the restricted application begins. I was hoping someone in that situation could answer my question. I'll also try to find out elsewhere.
Re: Medicare Before Social Security
According to an answer on this website https://maximizemysocialsecurity.com/wi ... l-benefits and another I just read, the premium for Medicare part B will transition to being deducted from my restricted application payment once I begin receiving the check after I file for it at FRA. It also mentions that I will receive a new Medicare card with my wife's Medicare # with a suffix of B1. It mentions the Medicare number is my wife's SS #, but cards are changing next year to a format that doesn't provide the SSN. She will turn 65 when I turn 66 (same day) so her new card when it comes will not have her SSN on it. Once I file for my own benefit at age 70 I will get a new Medicare card displaying my own Medicare ID number.
The answer also says that "hold harmless" applies once the restricted application begins, which was the other part of my question. The reference in the link doesn't help, but I'm sure the correct reference exists in the SS Administration website somewhere. Hold Harmless for a restricted application doesn't apply if your income is over $170,000 a year for a couple.
The answer also says that "hold harmless" applies once the restricted application begins, which was the other part of my question. The reference in the link doesn't help, but I'm sure the correct reference exists in the SS Administration website somewhere. Hold Harmless for a restricted application doesn't apply if your income is over $170,000 a year for a couple.
Re: Medicare Before Social Security
Funny, my two posts said all of what you posted. I guess you didn't realize the question you were asking. Have a good day and I'm out of here.vested1 wrote: ↑Sun Sep 10, 2017 1:24 pm According to an answer on this website https://maximizemysocialsecurity.com/wi ... l-benefits and another I just read, the premium for Medicare part B will transition to being deducted from my restricted application payment once I begin receiving the check after I file for it at FRA. It also mentions that I will receive a new Medicare card with my wife's Medicare # with a suffix of B1. It mentions the Medicare number is my wife's SS #, but cards are changing next year to a format that doesn't provide the SSN. She will turn 65 when I turn 66 (same day) so her new card when it comes will not have her SSN on it. Once I file for my own benefit at age 70 I will get a new Medicare card displaying my own Medicare ID number.
The answer also says that "hold harmless" applies once the restricted application begins, which was the other part of my question. The reference in the link doesn't help, but I'm sure the correct reference exists in the SS Administration website somewhere. Hold Harmless for a restricted application doesn't apply if your income is over $170,000 a year for a couple.