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Is Medicare Mandatory?

5K views 104 replies 33 participants last post by  Pony 
#1 ·
There is a snotty little adolescent living in my head. Today, she had quite the response to the mail I received from Socialist Insecurity regarding my impending birthday and Medicare sign up.

I'm on DH's insurance, and it is very good insurance. I certainly don't need to fork over $170/month for Part B.

I don't think I need Part A, either.

Called SSA and lost an hour and 9 minutes of my life to talk to someone who is obviously on meth. Talked faster than someone who had 3 triple shot lattes. The gist of his response to me was, "Sign up for Part A. It don't cost nuthin', and you don't have to use it."

So why do I have to sign up for it? Is it mandatory?

"Yes, it is."

No, it's not. Somewhere along the line, it appears that B becomes mandatory, but WTAH? WHY?

So now I am debating whether to sign up for A while declining B, or to fill out the special form Mr Brilliant at the SSA emailed to me, excusing me (for now) from applying for Part A.

I just resent the repeated financial rape of Medicare and all its "perks" that are foisted upon us.
 
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#9 ·
Yes. I was told that there is a permanent penalty for failing to sign up of 1% per month. A friend told me of a guy who didn't feel he needed medicare so he didn't sign up for 3 years. He now has a 36% penalty each month.

I would definitely check to see if your current insurance satisfies their exceptions AND get it writing. You could look on the medicare site to get you started.
 
#3 ·
Is Medicare Mandatory?
I have no idea.

Medicare is a part of SS, and SS is not mandatory for anyone. Everyone who has an SS policy had to voluntarily ask for a policy.

I am a retired US servicemember. My family and I are on Tricare. My ID card expires on my 65th birthday. The ID card office told me this it to force me to come into their office that week, so they can sign me up for Medicare. I suspect that for me, as a voluntary SS policyholder and US servicemember, I will be forced to be on Medicare.
 
#4 · (Edited)
For most people, Medicare is critical. Understanding it is a different question and problem.

You might try calling an insurance broker. There are a few that publish videos on youtube and seem to know their stuff. They make a commission if you sign up for an Advantage plan, a Medigap plan, or a drug plan, but I have always found them willing to answer questions.

You also need to check and make sure you can stay on your husbands policy once you are eligible for Medicare. If I remember correctly, I think most policies have a clause asking if a person is eligible for Medicare or other insurance.

If you do have to go on Medicare, make sure you understand the program because your initial plan choice may be almost impossible to change in the future. Because I had my aortic valve replaced, I can't change plans without going through underwriting.
 
#13 ·
For most people, Medicare is critical. Understanding it is a different question and problem.

You night try calling an insurance broker. There are a few that publish videos on youtube and seem to know their stuff. They make a commission if you sign up for an Advantage plan, a Medigap plan, or a drug plan, but I have always fund them willing to answer questions.

You also need to check and make sure you can stay on your husbands policy once you are eligible for Medicare. If I remember correctly, I think most policies have a clause asking if a person is eligible for Medicare or other insurance.

If you do have to go on Medicare, make sure you understand the program because your initial plan choice may be almost impossible to change in the future. Because I had my aortic valve replaced, I can't change plans without going through underwriting.
I think everyone goes through underwriting. I know when I was thinking of changing to a more expensive, all coverage plan I had to.

If all you're doing is going from one Advantage plan to another there shouldn't be any issues with switching.
 
#5 ·
Technically it is not mandatory. HOWEVER, if you do not sign up when you are first eligible, the PTB ding you for an extra 10% for every year you don't sign up. And that is a forever ding.

Not only that, but if you refuse Medicare, they withhold your Social Security. No Medicare, No Social Security.
Great program , huh? Shouldn't be legal, since it is YOUR Social Security, but there it is.

We just went through this with my husband. Just because you are 65 you are basically forced to sign up and pay.
They also don't let you pay monthly, it is a great big quarterly chunk they bill you for.
Even though his full retirement age is 67 1/2 and were planning on waiting till then (when he might actually retire) to start Social Security.

If you can prove you have alternative insurance, you can defer it, but they will probably still ding
you for the extra $.
 
#8 ·

I didn’t know anything about a spouse working for a company for fewer than 20 employees could have an effect. Might not apply to your situation.

If your spouse’s company has fewer than 20 employees, then Medicare generally becomes the primary payer at age 65 and the employer’s coverage is secondary. This means that Medicare pays your bills first and the employer’s plan pays only for services it covers but Medicare doesn’t. In this case, if you’re not enrolled in Medicare, you would receive almost no coverage from the employer plan.
 
#10 ·
Yes, but you are retired military. His benefits would have been more if he could have waited until full retirement age.
Although the way things are going, who know if SS will be there by then. It is pretty much a coin flip for lots of people
as to when to take it. He is one of those who probably "can't" retire anyway. He can't stand being home all the time and
I most certainly can't stand having him hovering at home all the time either. Best if he stays busy doing what he loves.
 
#16 ·
I've paid for Medicare for 54 years (since I was 14). So, I'm going to use it. I retired at age 68. Since I had insurance through my employer, I signed up for Part A only (which has no monthly premiums). When I retired, I signed up for Part B (which does have monthly premiums). Before I could get Part B, at age 68, I had to prove that I had health insurance (from age 65 to 68). If I could not provide this proof, I would of had to pay a SIGNIFICANT penalty to get Part B.
 
#17 ·
I'm not talking about a Medicare Advantage plan. I am talking about basic Medicare that is provided directly by the govt.
You don't have to sign up for extras which is what Advantage plans are. That is an extra $ amount on top of what you
pay through SS for Medicare. They may let you pay monthly, but the gov't. does not.
 
#22 ·
Yes, they do. $170 each month comes out of my SS check. For Part B. Advantage Plans don't necessarily mean you pay more than $170 out of your SS. But choose one of the other plans and it could cost more.

Medicare is a complicated convoluted mess. We're at an age where things are more of a challenge when it comes to dealing with stuff like this and the government hasn't helped with all their never ending alphabet of plans.
 
#19 ·
When you first turn 65, you must sign up for Medicare Part A.
You don't have to use it, however.
I did not retire until age 67.5, at that point I began using Part A and activated Part B.
However, that is not enough to save you from bankruptcy if you have a catastrophic illness or injury.
That is where a supplemental policy from a non-government becomes essential. HOWEVER, you MUST do your research and get a good one.
So, the government charges $200/month for Part B, plus I pay $300/month for my supplemental. NOT an Advantage Plan, they suck.
As ex-military I am eligible for USAA insurance. I have their Medicare Supplemental Plan F, and my recent total knee replacement was completely covered. Just the hospital part alone was $138,000!!!
I could have gotten it done by the VA, but there is no way in hell I would let a VA doctor do something that extreme.
 
#21 ·
This is all good to know. I never planned to sign up for Medicare, but I did expect that I would collect social security down the road. I'd rather experience this sting now, than later, while my working life can adapt to the new datum that everything taken out of my check from an employer, for social security, I will never see again.
 
#23 ·
It was quite a surprise. Not happy about the whole situation, but....

They do take it out monthly from SS. I was talking about if you aren't getting SS and have to pay out of pocket.
He didn't want to start his SS until his full retirement age, which is NOT 65. Therefore, in order to sign up for Medicare and NOT get the penalty later, we would get billed for Part B.
Which the gov't. does not let you pay for monthly if you are not getting SS as well.l
 
#25 ·
It was quite a surprise. Not happy about the whole situation, but....

They do take it out monthly from SS. I was talking about if you aren't getting SS and have to pay out of pocket.
He didn't want to start his SS until his full retirement age, which is NOT 65. Therefore, in order to sign up for Medicare and NOT get the penalty later, we would get billed for Part B.
Which the gov't. does not let you pay for monthly if you are not getting SS as well.l
Someone already mentioned this. This subject is moving so fast it's hard to keep up.

I think it was Danus that said if her hubs could prove he had insurance through his employer he didn't have to pay the penalty. If your hubs does not have health insurance then he would pay the penalty.
 
#27 ·
Part "A" is free, you do need to sign up for part "B" if you don't have altenative insurance,otherwise you will get dinged with a penalty, Same thing with Part "D" which is a drug plan. My wife being on SS for years due to disability was signed up for part "A" which was free, I had a qualifiying medical and prescription plan through my work, so she didn't have to sign up for that until I retired B" which we pay for, now for prescription we signed up for the cheapest plan they had which is about $8 a month, we found out that by using GOODRX.com we save more than what insurance covers. We still get some savings, but my advice is look up your drug on GOODRX and see what it cost is compared to whatever you have, CVS is the most expensive drug store out there. Now I also signed up for PART"G" which is a supplement and so far have been very happy with that. So far all I had to pay is the Medicare Deductible which is a bit over $200 each and they have been covering everything else. So yes medical is expensive, but both Part "B" and Part "D" are coming down a bit for 2023, it is better than the plan I had while working. So I'm paying about $170 a month for each of us for part "B", $8 a month for Part "D" prescription and another $221 a month for both my wife and I supplemental Insurance. Which I get through AARP United Healthcare. If anyone needs a good agent to talk to I can reccomend someone who I deal with. He should be able to help or at least answer questions, I know he can work in both OHIO and PA, and some other states too. His name is Mike Yost and his phone number is 330-518-8876, tell him David Rissel sent you.
 
#30 ·
This is all well and good and I know it is a good idea to have health insurance. However, there are some people
who do not have it and never have had it. Nice that the gov't "offers" insurance when you get old, but I do not
appreciate having it forced on us. It is like age mandated insurance. Which, unless everyone is mandated insurance,
why does someone who is turning 65 get made to purchase it? That was pretty much my whole issue with the whole
thing. Yeah, I would love to have great insurance, but I don't like the gov't telling me that just because I hit a certain
age I HAVE to have it.
Off the top of my head there isn't anything else that has an age requirement where suddenly you are forced to pay
for something whether you want it or not.
 
#82 ·
This is all well and good and I know it is a good idea to have health insurance. However, there are some people
who do not have it and never have had it. Nice that the gov't "offers" insurance when you get old, but I do not
appreciate having it forced on us. It is like age mandated insurance. Which, unless everyone is mandated insurance,
why does someone who is turning 65 get made to purchase it? That was pretty much my whole issue with the whole
thing. Yeah, I would love to have great insurance, but I don't like the gov't telling me that just because I hit a certain
age I HAVE to have it.
Off the top of my head there isn't anything else that has an age requirement where suddenly you are forced to pay
for something whether you want it or not.
Mainly because when you age, you'll suddenly find out that you have health issues that needs covering regardless of your ability to pay or not. That's one reason why I'm hoping the USA eventually has Universal Health system in place some day.
 
#31 ·
If you draw a check you are signed up for Medicare. Yes you can get just part A but there is a catch. If at any time later on you want to get part B or D(prescription) you will be penalized. The penalty gets larger the longer you go. That penalty means that your monthly premium will be higher.....forever. I know people that are paying double what their premium would have been had they signed up at the beginning.
 
#33 ·
I am in that situation right now. I have been on disability a few years and already negotiated the Medicare mess.

Once you turn 65, or you have been on disability long enough to get Medicare you must sign up for part A. When I had to do it I was able to find the part where part A is required but I don't have that in front of me right now. Part A doesn't cost anything but it automatically becomes your primary HOSPITALIZATION coverage.

Part B, C, D and whatever other letters they use is not mandatory as long as you have equitable coverage. If you have insurance through your employer, a severance package or a spouse's employer you do not need to sign up for other Medicare letters. If you do not have other equitable coverage after you become eligible for part B and a prescription plan, you will be penalized according to however long you have gone without coverage. You will pay the penalty forever after. If you are hospitalized after becoming Medicare eligible, part A is your primary insurance. Anything not covered will be submitted to your other insurance which is your secondary insurance.

I'll see if I can find the information later.
 
#38 · (Edited)
I am in that situation right now. I have been on disability a few years and already negotiated the Medicare mess.

Once you turn 65, or you have been on disability long enough to get Medicare you must sign up for part A. When I had to do it I was able to find the part where part A is required but I don't have that in front of me right now. Part A doesn't cost anything but it automatically becomes your primary HOSPITALIZATION coverage.

Part B, C, D and whatever other letters they use is not mandatory as long as you have equitable coverage. If you have insurance through your employer, a severance package or a spouse's employer you do not need to sign up for other Medicare letters. If you do not have other equitable coverage after you become eligible for part B and a prescription plan, you will be penalized according to however long you have gone without coverage. You will pay the penalty forever after. If you are hospitalized after becoming Medicare eligible, part A is your primary insurance. Anything not covered will be submitted to your other insurance which is your secondary insurance.

I'll see if I can find the information later.
Penalized as in they send you a bill in the mail which you have to pay on threat of further action? Freeze your accounts, put a lien on your house, auction it off and leave you homeless in the street?


PS; OK I did some research because there seems to be some confusion here. You are not mandated to sign up for any part of medicare according to what I read. If you LATER attempt to sign up, you will have to pay a penalty [ I E a higher premium ].

If you collect social security, they may automatically enroll you in part A and if there is a premium, they'll take it out of your monthly check.
 
#36 ·
Ok, I found the Medicare site. Part A is not madatory (they said it was when I got stuck with it). COBRA or an ACA plan is not equitable coverage.

Here is the site.


I am still covered by hubby's employer. His HR representative had to contact their underwtiter's department to see if I would still be eligible for their insurance. They said yes so I am covered that way.
 
#37 ·
Very timely discussion as this is coming up for me in 2023. I retired from a Fortune 100 company and kept my insurance through the retiree benefits, both DH and I have good coverage at a reasonable cost. As I am beginning this discussion for our situation - I will turn 65 first and my retiree insurance can no longer be my primary insurance - I must go to Medicare but, if I do, then my retiree insurance has the option to become my Part B and Rx coverage - DH can remain on my retiree insurance until he also turns 65 and then it starts for him. I have not investigated costs yet and we do not yet draw SS.
 
#41 ·
Thanks so much for the respomses!!

Will have to contact DH's employer next week. Problem there is, the woman who did the insurance walked off the job a couple of weeks ago. Guess she got tired of having to do her job, plus the job of the other woman who left almost a year ago.
 
#44 ·
Why on earth would anyone WANT Medicaid?
Medicaid is totally different than Medicare. Medicaid is for people dependent upon welfare who don't have a job that has medical insurance benefits, or otherwise are unable to obtain insurance.
Medicaid is the bottom of the barrel for health care and many, many doctors will not even accept it as the re-payment rate is so low.
 
#50 ·
This depends highly on your location. If you live near a big city you will find many doctors that accept Medicaid and nearly all hospitals accept Medicaid patients. There are different Medicare/Medicaid plans and different plans have different participating providers.

I know a few people that had big health issues taken care of through Medicaid.
 
#46 ·
I could be mistaken but it seems the SSA wants to exert whatever control they're able to over as many aspects of our lives as they possibly can.

I'm convinced that most of the bureaucracies ceated to run the country are more interested in self-perpetuation and their own growth.

Sorry - slept in so only had 1 coffee thus far. Perhaps my cynical side needs more caffeine . . .;)
 
#47 ·


 
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