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Medicare Advice


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I'm retiring in a few months.  I could start on Medicare then, but I'm going to stay on my wife's insurance for one more year.

 

Should I apply for Medicare now even though I won't use it until the following year?  I want to make sure I'm in the system, but I don't want to have to pay for anything until I actually need it a year from now.

 

Good advise from any of you who gone through a similar situation would be welcome.  If any of you know of a good website for information, that would also be helpful.

 

 

 

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I signed up for medicare when I turned 65.  Medicare became our secondary  insurance.  I retired a month shy of turning 73 at which point my primary insurance, which I kept, became our secondary and Medicare became the primary.  We pay a ton for both insurances but although both my wife and I have had some serious medical issues my out of pocket expenses have been minimal.  Medicare pays 80% and my other insurance pays 20%.  

At our age our lives revolve around doctors appointments and medical procedures, so I consider our decision to have been a very wise one.

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Check with the company rep for your wife’s insurance. Some insurance companies require that you apply for Medicare at 65. They then become your secondary insurance as DH said. It’s cheaper for them. When I turned 65 my insurance required the change.

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It was against the law for me to pay into social security and medicare back when I was on the P.D. I am fortunate that I have service connected disability while in the military and receive care through V.A. Since my wife worked and payed into the system that made me eligible to receive medicare, but only part A, would have to pay for part B which was around $500 monthly. A few months before I turned 65 I applied for Medicare, but only for part A, not B. Sometime when I will be hospitalized the V.A. will bill Medicare for what is covered under A, and the rest will be on the V.A.

As Cactus Jack said check with your wife's company rep and find out what their advice is for your situation.

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Medicare just signed me up automatically. When I received the package there was an option to drop Part B and it would not cost anything for Part A. Having both as required by my company paid retirement medical cost me starting next month $135. My old company insurance pretty much picks up the secondary and prescription. I gotta say though it surely annoys me that I've paid into Medicare since I started working over the table at 14 to have to pay for the benefit now. Sometimes I think the Welfare types get a much better plan and they don't ever have to work! They even get free medical at the Hosp. It doesn't always pay to be responsible!

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If you decline part B when you are eligible, there is a premium penalty of I believe 10% a year added to the part B cost whenever you do enroll. Part A (hospitalization) happens automatically when you hit the enrollment age. Part A is at no cost to you. I'd Google the Medicare rules. and also discuss with the Social Security folks in addition to your Wife's insurance plan. There is a final safeguard if you reject part B as you have to do it in person at a Social Security office and they will advise you of your options.

 

That said, I'm a retired Federal employee and declined part B for both myself and my wife as my insurance coverage continues as if I was still working. My wife was hospitalized past December and there was some major foul-ups as the stupid hospital submitted a claim for part B which was rejected by Medicare. They then billed me for $6,500; duh! My insurance company squared it away.

 

Church Key

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Went on Medicare at 65 per my company's set up. Insurance from employer went to secondary. it also covers prescriptions, at least for a while longer. Company that bought my original company out is now trying to weasel out of original contractual obligations that they said they'd assume after buy-out. We won in the lower courts, but have lost when it went to next higher court. If this happens watch your insurance coverage carefully, other company's may try the same thing. As it is, I may be looking at trying to get prescription coverage from a private insurer which of course is gonna cost me big time:rolleyes::(:blush:

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