You really have to be careful with this kind of thing!!!! I would call the 800medicare info line. I call later in the evening, and don't have to wait in line to talk to someone.

I would call several times during the week, to get clear on your answers from different reps.!!!!

Medicare.gov has information too. It's not always easy to use, but it has answers to all sorts of questions like this. I've called the IRS 800 number with simple questions and they told me they didn't know...told me to go pay a lawyer for the answer.

I've been thinking of backing out of part B myself. I can't afford copayments anymore, so I don't use it much. I wind up paying more into it than I get out of it. If you try to get back into it at a later date, that's when they fine you by raising your monthly "premium" forever.

That's really deranged in my opinion...making someone pay a monthly penalty for the rest of his or her life...that alone is enough to make me want to get out of it.

Phil you would call Social Security to arrange for the dis enrollment. 1 800 772 1213 is the national number.

There should be no penalties now or in the future as long as she is covered under your employers insurance.

They should allow her to re enroll in Medicare at any time as long as she does not wait more than 8 months after losing the employer coverage.

We called SSA and spoke with a rep who made the arrangements. It was necessary to sign and return a form, but that was it.

Reinstating part B is simple although it would require proof of coverage at the time of application.

I'm too young to qualify for Medicare so staying with an employee plan is a necessity. I plan to keep my wife on as long as I can.

yu said she was not getting SS how can you sigh her up for part b... The best thing is to keep her on your plan.. I am still confused

getting SS is not a prerequisite for Medicare pt B. They bill you rather than withhold premiums from monthly SS payments.

I decided it would be a good idea to sign her up for B as a preventative measure when I was quite sick. If I would have gone on to greener pastures, she would have been uninsured immediately following my last breath.

My demise no longer seems immanent so we are comfortable withdrawing from part B.

ROZIA, I will attempt to answer your question.

You have to reach the age of 65 in order to get medicare. You automatically get Part A which is the Hospital. Part B covers the doctors and this can be coverage from your spouses' insurance as is the case here. It is called supplemental insurance. If you choose to take Part B, the premium is deducted from your SS payment. If a person opts out and doesn't have coverage then there most likely will be a penalty when they decide to start Part B

BUT, You can wait as long as you want to start drawing SS. You can start early at 62 or you can wait until you are 70 or maybe older. It is strictly a personal choice on a person's part based on their financial position. There are numerous reasons why people delay drawing SS.

I started mine at age 65 when my medicare kicked in.

My apology if I did not understand your question.

Re: the age at which a person can receive Medicare. Please check out the thread in the link below. As i said there is more to this than a one line answer. Please read my answer there.

Have a beautiful holiday season, all



http://www.dailystrength.org/c/Medicare/forum/15095782-age

Lilellie , I am on Medicare so I know all about it... His wife is not of medicare age ..

Sorry ROZIA, It was not my intention to indicate that you weren't knowledgeable about medicare.

I think that I over explained why SS and being on or off of it had nothing to do with getting medicare coverage.

no problem lilellie

Philo85,

Hopefully you have received an answer to your Part B situation. In 2010 the only way your wife could have been eligible for Part B is if she was 65. If she was younger than 65 then she either has been declared disable (receiving disability benefits for 24 months) or has End - Stage Renal Disease (Kidney failure).

Before you make any changes check with your company's Human Resource Department to determine if the company's Group Insurance Plan will reenroll her. Typically when employees and their spouse leave the Group Insurance Plan and enroll in Medicare, they do not re enroll them. If your company allows reenrollment make should they provide you with a letter confirming that the insurance is "credible coverage. This means that their Group Insurance is comparable to Medicare. Keep this letter in safe place for future reference.

If the Insurance is "credible" then your wife is eligible for a Special Enrollment Period when she reenroll in Medicare.

Special Enrollment Period (SEP). You can delay enrollment in Part B without penalty if you were covered by employer health insurance through your or your spouses current job when you first become eligible for Medicare. You can enroll in Medicare without penalty at any time while you have group health coverage and for eight months after you lose your group health coverage or you (or your spouse) stop working, whichever comes first.

For each 12-month period you delay enrollment in Medicare Part B, you will have to pay a 10 percent Part B premium penalty, unless you have insurance from your or your spouse's current job

Let me know if you have any additional questions.