[Incorrect] Deduction for Part D Premium

[joannwilkie]

I have been fighting this for about 4 years. Social Security Part D is deducting an amount that is NOT my premium. Long story short, this year, I just got a notice for next month (2025) they show a 48.30 coming out, even though I have a 0 Premium with Wellcare for the second year now. I have spoken to Social Security, Medicare (who informed me that Silver Script is getting the money) and Silver Script.
Social Security points the finger at Medicare and says they cannot do anything. Medicare doesn’t show it on their records so can’t do anything, and Silver Script says there is no active policy, so they cannot help.

This is the largest amount they have done this with. I am at my wits’ end trying to find a way to solve this!

[nisiprius]

Tell Social Security to stop deducting your premium? It's an option, not a requirement. You have the option of paying the insurer directly. Once you get them out of the loop, it may be easier to straighten things out.

[joannwilkie]

I have tried that (several times.)
My point is: I HAVE A ZERO DEDUCTIBLE PLAN, and money is being deducted.
Have spoken to SS, Medicare and Wellcare. Several times.
They each point the finger at the other.

I have an appt. to go to the SS office, but the girl on the phone at SS said I’d just be wasting my time, as it is not their problem.

I don’t know who to go to at this point.

[sailaway]

I have tried that (several times.)
My point is: I HAVE A ZERO DEDUCTIBLE PLAN, and money is being deducted.
Have spoken to SS, Medicare and Wellcare. Several times.
They each point the finger at the other.

I have an appt. to go to the SS office, but the girl on the phone at SS said I’d just be wasting my time, as it is not their problem.

I don’t know who to go to at this point.

$0 deductible is NOT the same as $0 premium being deducted. Have you verified the premium on your plan? Your wording is confusing to this point and important to straighten out before taking to any representatives again.

[Supergrover]

Zero deductible is not the same thing as Zero Premium. Maybe I am misunderstanding something here…

[sailaway]

Zero deductible is not the same thing as Zero Premium. Maybe I am misunderstanding something here…

Can I just add that if this does turn out to be the problem, I am saddened that the SS reps couldn't explain it properly.

[Supergrover]

Zero deductible is not the same thing as Zero Premium. Maybe I am misunderstanding something here…

Can I just add that if this does turn out to be the problem, I am saddened that the SS reps couldn't explain it properly.

It IS sad, but we all have to learn these things. Just like “co-pay” and co-insurance.”

[RudyS]

Can I just add that if this does turn out to be the problem, I am saddened that the SS reps couldn't explain it properly.

It IS sad, but we all have to learn these things. Just like “co-pay” and co-insurance.”

OP said in their first post that SilverScripts said there was no active policy. All very strange.

[capran]

Sure hope that doesn't happen to us. Did you not get any verification from your old Part D provider and your new Part D provider? We switched for 2025 from Aetna Silver Script (which had gone from 1.80 to over 35), and got notification from Wellcare Value script PDP that we would be with them for 2025 with the zero premium. That would really suck if you were accepted from the zero cost plan of one company and still charged for a more expensive plan from the company dropped. We won't know for sure until we start getting a lagging payment.

[delamer]

Congressional offices have staff whose job it is to resolve these types of problems.

That’s your next step, “constituent services.”

[joannwilkie]

SO SORRY…MY ERROR. I HAVE A 0 PREMIUM PLAN.
YET THEY ARE TAKING ALMOST 50.00 OUT FOR MY PART D PREMIUM!

[BogleTaxPro]

$48.30 would not match an irmaa premium, but it does sound like the kind of number that would come from a late enrollment penalty. Especially because you said it goes up a little every year and you've been paying for years. Did you apply for part d coverage after you turned 65? If so, did you provide evidence of creditable coverage for the gap? This would, indeed, be something you need to work with Medicare on, not SSA.

[joannwilkie]

Nope. We applied on time, but last year enrolled both during enrollment time, but Wellcare didn’t start COVERAGE until 3/1.
I need someone to review the entire policy and enrollment, but no one wants to help.
Have written to Congressman again.

We’ll see…..

[nisiprius]

Clicking around suggests that deducting the premium from the Social Security benefit is actually managed by the insurer, not Social Security or Medicare.

If so, the blame is SilverScript's, and they are the folks you need to fight. But you may need to push on Medicare to give you something written you can show to Silverscript to prove that they are the ones taking the money. Does $48.30 match your SilverScript premium when you DID have the SilverScript policy? Can Medicare give you any information, like the SilverScript policy or plan number that the money was being paid to?

[joannwilkie]

I have nothing from them. I guess I should call and try to get it.

Very interesting. We just got tax forms and they show amount taken for last year’s Part D. (around 200.00).. we had 0 Premium then also.

I will try to schedule a day next week to be on the phone for the day again.

Thanks for your input.

[rossington]

I have nothing from them. I guess I should call and try to get it.

Very interesting. We just got tax forms and they show amount taken for last year’s Part D. (around 200.00).. we had 0 Premium then also.

I will try to schedule a day next week to be on the phone for the day again.

Thanks for your input.

Hello OP,
I’m confused, do you have WellCare’s Value Script Plan? I don’t think they have a Silver Script Plan.

Also again it’s WellCare directly that would be making the deduction but with a zero premium they should not be deducting anything.

Don’t you have an online account with them? Just log on and go to billing to see what is going on.

Having said that, who issued the tax forms that you mentioned? If it is SS or Medicare then it more than likely is some type of late enrollment penalty.

You mentioned this has been going on for 4 years? Did you first enroll in Part D when you originally enrolled in Medicare?

[Golfer--]

Social Security is deducting 35.30 from my Social Security payment per month for IRMMA. Against Part D. My yearly Social Security letter has it listed as a deduction. Just saying this might be what is happening in your case.

[Golfer--]

Social Security is deducting 35.30 from my Social Security payment per month for IRMMA. Against Part D. My yearly Social Security letter has it listed as a deduction. Just saying this might be what is happening in your case.

[joannwilkie]

This is interesting. But we have received no letter.
To test this theory, I’m tempted to try to disenroll from Part D and pay directly.
Sure wish I could talk to someone who could help. It all seems to end with Silver Script, who I was told is getting the money.
They continuously tell me there is nothing they can do since I don’t have an open policy with them.
There doesn’t even seem to be somewhere I can go!

I feel like a dog chasing his tail!

Thanks a lot.

[capran]

This is interesting. But we have received no letter.
To test this theory, I’m tempted to try to disenroll from Part D and pay directly.
Sure wish I could talk to someone who could help. It all seems to end with Silver Script, who I was told is getting the money.
They continuously tell me there is nothing they can do since I don’t have an open policy with them.
There doesn’t even seem to be somewhere I can go!

I feel like a dog chasing his tail!

Thanks a lot.

Please post if anything changes. We too switched from Aetna Siver Script to Wellcare, early in the open enrollment cycle. We got a confirmation letter from Wellcare, as well as the dropping notification Silver Scripts. But when I got my SS benefit update for 2025, they still listed Silver Scripts as a deduction, with the new $35 amount which should not be there since it was dropped. I was hoping SS would make the adjustment but won't really know until we get that first check. and we might have to wait until we return from travels to see what happens with DW's new SS age 70 benefit, as well as if her old plan D is being taken out on her card, which she did since she hadn't been on SS.

[joannwilkie]

This is very interesting. My husb. says someone is getting VERY rich, as he thinks this is done to others. I thought not, until I saw your note.

We to are traveling on the 14th!!!

[delamer]

This is interesting. But we have received no letter.
To test this theory, I’m tempted to try to disenroll from Part D and pay directly.
Sure wish I could talk to someone who could help. It all seems to end with Silver Script, who I was told is getting the money.
They continuously tell me there is nothing they can do since I don’t have an open policy with them.
There doesn’t even seem to be somewhere I can go!

I feel like a dog chasing his tail!

Thanks a lot.

I have no personal experience with them, but I wonder if small claims court could have a role here.

If SilverScripts is getting your money but not providing you anything of value in return (no insurance policy), would you have a case?

[joannwilkie]

I have written to an atty. online. I hope he can help.

Next is to go through 4 years of records for the ENTIRE story.

So many ins and outs……

Thanks

[Golfer--]

Documents are available on your online Social Security account. Documents for 2025 showing the breakdown are viewable. I would imagine prior years are viewable also.

[Pocanutin]

OP: I am experiencing the same thing with Wellcare. My premium should be 0.00 for 2025, but SS is showing a $23.50 deduction. I am following your post with interest.

Likely, I won't be using SS deduction next year.

Regards,

Pocanutin

[jebmke]

Insurance is regulated by the state. Have you contacted the state regulator about this?

[joannwilkie]

If I can find out who to speak to, I will.

We recently received a 1099 Tax Form showing that, for last year, (same situation) 197.00 was taken out for Part D Premium.
I read that Part D Premium can be deducted from taxes.

I wonder if submitting this form with my Tax Return and deducting this amount will mess up my Tax Return.

[capran]

If I can find out who to speak to, I will.

We recently received a 1099 Tax Form showing that, for last year, (same situation) 197.00 was taken out for Part D Premium.
I read that Part D Premium can be deducted from taxes.

I wonder if submitting this form with my Tax Return and deducting this amount will mess up my Tax Return.

Do you really have enough deductions including medical expenses to itemize? Remember, medical expenses that are over 7.5% of your income are deductible. And with the significantly higher standard deduction, itemizing might not make sense. (2 over age 65 MFJ standard deduction for 2024 taxes is $32,300 I believe).

[goaties]

This might be a "thing" with SilverScript. Here's something I saw on the Medicare subReddit just yesterday:

https://www.reddit.com/r/medicare/comme ... m_for_the/

Sounds like a situation very similar to yours. And the post includes what they did about it. Maybe it will work for you too? Hope so.

[MakesCents]

This is interesting. But we have received no letter.
To test this theory, I’m tempted to try to disenroll from Part D and pay directly.
Sure wish I could talk to someone who could help. It all seems to end with Silver Script, who I was told is getting the money.
They continuously tell me there is nothing they can do since I don’t have an open policy with them.
There doesn’t even seem to be somewhere I can go!

I feel like a dog chasing his tail!

Thanks a lot.

Please post if anything changes. We too switched from Aetna Siver Script to Wellcare, early in the open enrollment cycle. We got a confirmation letter from Wellcare, as well as the dropping notification Silver Scripts. But when I got my SS benefit update for 2025, they still listed Silver Scripts as a deduction, with the new $35 amount which should not be there since it was dropped. I was hoping SS would make the adjustment but won't really know until we get that first check. and we might have to wait until we return from travels to see what happens with DW's new SS age 70 benefit, as well as if her old plan D is being taken out on her card, which she did since she hadn't been on SS.

I also switched from Silver Script to Wellcare and the new January payment letter listed the amount Silver Scripts would have been deducting had I stayed with them. I see a 'paid early' ss bank deposit, which shows a total that would have included the Silver Scripts deduction. Hmmm

EDIT
Just got off the phone with Silver Scripts, yes, they do see that I'm not enrolled any longer. The CSR told me she would submit the info to SS, that I'm not enrolled and that the premium that was taken out needs to be refunded. Now, whether SS does that, or if it's up to SilverScripts I have no idea. The CSR said it would be up to SS <shrug>.
MakesCents

[joannwilkie]

Interesting.

I just dropped off documents showing what MY records show. They show the Part B OF 185.00 deducted and Part D 48.30 deducted and the net which is what I am paid.

Do you think they will believe me?

By the way, I traveled downtown and was able to just drop off these docs. When I called to schedule an appointment, they have NONE.
None available, and her calendar only went up to beginning of March.

Is there a trick to getting an appointment?

[ncdcpa]

A few years back, I was hearing that some office have shorter queues than others, and people had luck trying nearby towns.

[joannwilkie]

AFTER I made an appointment at a nearby office, they called me back and said I had to go to another office whose District I was in.

[MakesCents]

I don't know if my phone call to Silver Scripts will work, but at least it's a start.

I feel for you dealing with this for so long.

I would go back to Silver Scripts - point out that you have not been a member for many years but the premiums have still been deducted from your SS.
Do you have your old card or I.D. number by chance? Any paper records with numbers on it?

Since this is just Jan, (and I saw your post) I still had my old card with member I.D. number - and was able to provide it and the CSR found it quick enough and saw that I wasn't enrolled, but previously was.
Now, whether any resolve will come from my phone call is anyone's guess.

Seems like Silver Scripts is dropping the ball and in your case, has been for a while!

MakesCents

[Pocanutin]

Make cents:

I called Aetna (Silver scripts) earlier today and this is exactly what they told me..that SS would refund my premium for this month. Aetna did indeed confirm for me that I was no longer subscribed with them.

I have all of the evidence that I need (I think) so that I can be ready to confront SS if required.

Someone at Silver Script/Aetna) definitely dropped the ball on this one.

Best of luck to us all!!

P.S I am ready to wager that there are many in our situation.

P

[capran]

Make cents:

I called Aetna (Silver scripts) earlier today and this is exactly what they told me..that SS would refund my premium for this month. Aetna did indeed confirm for me that I was no longer subscribed with them.

I have all of the evidence that I need (I think) so that I can be ready to confront SS if required.

Someone at Silver Script/Aetna) definitely dropped the ball on this one.

Best of luck to us all!!

P.S I am ready to wager that there are many in our situation.

P

Do you think that if this happens (having a silver script deducted from our SS for 2025 even though not enrolled), we could just copy the letter we got from Silver Script stating we are not enrolled after Jan 1 2025, and send that to Social Security, rather than waiting for Silver Script to send it in, since that is apparently not happening? DW has been having her Silver Script put on her CC since up until this month she was not taking her SS. But I'm sure I'll still be getting my silver script deducted from my social security, since that was included on my Social Security annual benefit notification. (and won't be home until after Jan and Feb SS payment comes in.)

[Pocanutin]

Capran:

The CR at Aetna told me that when SS sent them a check for my premium that they (Aetna) refused it noting that I was no longer subscribed to their plan.

That's when I was told that SS would refund my premium, as if it would occur automatically sometime within this month (or next)

P

[djsander2022]

Happened with my wife as well. Switched from silver script to well care and still got the Aetna premium deduction. She called Medicare and they said yeah it’s wrong and they’ve been getting a lot of these. They said if it’s not corrected to call SS. The conspiracy theorist in me says Aetna didn’t want to give up the money and just didn’t tell SS they were cancelled. Aetna can make a lot of money off all those incorrect deductions sent to them. I would think it should have came from Medicare as that’s where the sign ups and cancellations occur. Who knows. We figure give it a couple months and phone calls and if it’s not straightened out then we will call our congressional constituent rep as somebody else suggested.

[MakesCents]

djsander2022

The CRS rep at Silver Scripts told me she was putting in a request to notify SS. Ummm, wasn't that done before when changing Part D providers on the Medicare website?
Conspiracy or not, it certainly seems like someone dropped the ball at Silver Scripts. If I were you I'd contact Silver Scripts (with your ID card number) to make sure they contact SS to stop billing.

And for the poor OP, my gosh. for so long.
I'm sure SS has settled up the $$ with Silver Scripts, forwarding her premium to them. I sure hope she gets her money back Plus.

Yes, pocanutin, I bet there's more of us and wish us all luck.
I wanted to do deductions from SS to make it easier, but won't do so in the future.

MakesCents

[capran]

Capran:

The CR at Aetna told me that when SS sent them a check for my premium that they (Aetna) refused it noting that I was no longer subscribed to their plan.

That's when I was told that SS would refund my premium, as if it would occur automatically sometime within this month (or next)

P

Thanks. Guess we'll call Silver Scripts when we get back to the states and have access to our old enrollment numbers. Didn't bring it with us, as we thought when we received notification of drop that it also would have been sent to Social Security. It's cocktail hour. LOL

[cheese_breath]

It seems to me Wellcare is the culprit. I also signed for the Wellcare 2025 zero premium plan, and I just received the SS form stating they will be deducting $60.60 for my monthly Part D payment. That's the new premium for the BCBS plan I had last year. My guess is Wellcare hasn't notified Social Security of our new premiums.

I haven't received this year's first SS payment, so I'm hoping it gets cleared up before then. But from what I'm reading here I'm not optomistic.

[rossington]

***The moral of the story is have your Part D provider automatically deduct any premium from one of your personal accounts. Don't get SS involved.***

[neilpilot]

***The moral of the story is have your Part D provider automatically deduct any premium from one of your personal accounts. Don't get SS involved.***

Better yet, simply pay directly and avoid any deductions. Last year I paid $6 to WellCare in early January. Haven’t yet paid the $0 bill for 2025.

[goaties]

***The moral of the story is have your Part D provider automatically deduct any premium from one of your personal accounts. Don't get SS involved.***

Better yet, simply pay directly and avoid any deductions. Last year I paid $6 to WellCare in early January. Haven’t yet paid the $0 bill for 2025.

Indeed. These problems seem due to the too-many-cooks problem: the for-profit insurer, SS, and Medicare. And they're all pointing fingers at one another. Best to avoid, if you can.

So you *can* pay the whole year's part D premium at once. That's great! Is there any way to tell, at sign-up time, which companies allow this? (I'll put WellCare on my list!)

[MakesCents]

It seems to me Wellcare is the culprit. I also signed for the Wellcare 2025 zero premium plan, and I just received the SS form stating they will be deducting $60.60 for my monthly Part D payment. That's the new premium for the BCBS plan I had last year. My guess is Wellcare hasn't notified Social Security of our new premiums.

I haven't received this year's first SS payment, so I'm hoping it gets cleared up before then. But from what I'm reading here I'm not optomistic.

Wellcare seems to be a common thread in it.
But I'm not so sure that Wellcare is the culprit. (>shrug?) It is interesting that your BCBS plan is billing, perhaps you signed up late in the process or they didn't catch up?

I signed up with Wellcare and had them direct bill me. They did send a welcome, info on logging on and a coupon payment booklet. I opted to pay the premium in a yearly fashion. So they were aware. And Medicare, in a call, said I have Wellcare with direct billing.

But it was the Silver Script plan that has continued to bill through SS. And the CSR at Silver Scripts apologized, yeah, maybe just being nice, and said she would notify SS. Perhaps it was already done and fell through the cracks and she resubmitted it? Don't know.
Miscommunication there?
Apparently it's somewhere, ha.
But I've learned my lesson from the OP , I'll pay my part D separately, as I do with supplemental.

I hope the OP has a good outcome and lets us know!

MakesCents

[cheese_breath]

Wellcare seems to be a common thread in it.
But I'm not so sure that Wellcare is the culprit. (>shrug?) It is interesting that your BCBS plan is billing, perhaps you signed up late in the process or they didn't catch up?

I signed up with Wellcare and had them direct bill me. They did send a welcome, info on logging on and a coupon payment booklet. I opted to pay the premium in a yearly fashion. So they were aware. And Medicare, in a call, said I have Wellcare with direct billing.

But it was the Silver Script plan that has continued to bill through SS. And the CSR at Silver Scripts apologized, yeah, maybe just being nice, and said she would notify SS. Perhaps it was already done and fell through the cracks and she resubmitted it? Don't know.
Miscommunication there?
Apparently it's somewhere, ha.
But I've learned my lesson from the OP , I'll pay my part D separately, as I do with supplemental.

I hope the OP has a good outcome and lets us know!

MakesCents

I signed up October 15, not late in the process.

And I don't think BCBS is billing me. They sent me a letter after I signed up for Wellcare saying their coverage would be discontinued on January 1. Social security is set up to continue your previous plan unless you select a new one. So I think somehow, social security doesn't know I changed plans, even though my Medicare account does.

My 'wild guess' (and I admit it's a wild guess) is that maybe Wellcare didn't inform them of my new premium, or the premium field they sent was corrupted. But for now, I just wait until my first SS payment to see what happens.

[MakesCents]

Cheese_breath
Yep!
Hopefully this all gets figured out.
Sorry, didn't mean billing you, should have said that it looks like taking out of SS.

fingers crossed
Especially for the original poster - out of a lot of money apparently - deducted from the SS checks.
Your guesses are as good as mine.
MakeCents

EDIT
Tried via internet to find the chain of command, sort of, who is responsible for notifying who, in this 3 way thing - with mixed results. It seems, from what I found, which was sparse, that it's on the insurance companies.
Could be wrong, as not much info was found.

[cheese_breath]

Cheese_breath
Yep!
Hopefully this all gets figured out.
Sorry, didn't mean billing you, should have said that it looks like taking out of SS.

fingers crossed
Especially for the original poster - out of a lot of money apparently - deducted from the SS checks.
Your guesses are as good as mine.
MakeCents

If it doesn't I'll be in the same situation ad OP in a few months.

[burbankil]

I spoke with a rep from Silver Script yesterday and in the conversation she finally indicate that the notifications to Medicare/Social Security were being sent this month! That to me is ludicrous as I made the change back in October to Wellcare. Seems the issue is Aetna/Silver Script.

[CuriousReader]

My recent social security statement showed the Silver Script amount of $44.90 to be deducted from my January payment rather than the expected $0 Wellcare amount. I see a $44.90 one time payment dated today listed on my SS page. I think this is the correction and I'm assuming my January Social Security check arriving Monday will be correct. So thank you to those who called in--it looks like they may be correcting this.