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You can try and do a walk in, but FYI
My sister's husband passed away recently and she tried to walk in to find out abotu survivor benefits.
they told her they do not do walk-ins anymore.
You must call and get an phone appointment for someone to call you back in a few days.
Not sure if all SS offices do this but just an FYI
You can try and do a walk in, but FYI
My sister's husband passed away recently and she tried to walk in to find out abotu survivor benefits.
they told her they do not do walk-ins anymore.
You must call and get an phone appointment for someone to call you back in a few days.
Not sure if all SS offices do this but just an FYI
Not sure where this is at but the one we go to takes walk in's and really as already suggested the best way to go. On SOME items, they do ask to set up an appointment when it requires someone with specialized knowledge but they will set it up for you while you are there. You then come back for the appointment.
Just as a note, ALL the people we have dealt with at the SS offices are very professional, helpful, a really a pleasure to deal with............
You can try and do a walk in, but FYI
My sister's husband passed away recently and she tried to walk in to find out abotu survivor benefits.
they told her they do not do walk-ins anymore.
You must call and get an phone appointment for someone to call you back in a few days.
Not sure if all SS offices do this but just an FYI
Not true in my area. All three SS offices I have visited here have waiting rooms with a number system, guard, and people sitting there. They definitely take walkins, although some issues may require you return with more documentation which happened to me twice. No big deal. You'll never get the correct info from a phone agent anyway, and will need to return again even if you do make an appointment.
When I had SS credit my missing earnings, I saw someone at the window who told me what I needed, and she then set another appt. for me to come back w/necessary paperwork to see her again. I saw her the second time, too. They wanted me to see someone else when I returned, but I got a bad vibe from the second agent and insisted on seeing the one I had seen the first time.
When I did the benefit recalc two years ago, the window guy at the downtown office set up an appt. for me at the main downtown office, and I came back next week. If I had called, I would have been forced to drive 45 min. to my "local" UE office instead of the one 7 minutes away and also try to explain to phone agent what it was I was trying to do. No thanks.
Signing up for Part B can be done wherever you walk in. I did, came in with Evidence of Creditable Coverage, signed the form and was on my way. Same with opting out. They just need to have you sign the form and explain to you all the pitfalls. You don't need an appointment for that.
I prefer to walk in and come back before I will ever navigate the recorded message/wrong answer purgatory of the 800 no. 'Course if you have a half day's drive, that's another story. For me, it's easy to go back.
Just walk in. That's the best way.
Last edited by Ariadne22; 08-01-2012 at 02:21 PM..
Where I live, I can't call the local office directly to make an appt...I have to call the 800 #. So I called yesterday and spoke with yet another agent. She said because I had already sent in a letter, there was nothing they could do for me at the local office that isn't already being done, because the wheels should have already been put in motion to make the correction (let's hope). She said to call back in 30 days to see what the status is, although they have 60 days to correct it. If it's not corrected in 30 days, then I'll go in person to the local office, no matter what they say. One minute to make a mistake, 60 days to correct it. Gee, if I did that at my job, I'd be fired. And some people want the government to handle our health care??? Hey, I realize they are dealing with millions of people but still....you'd think an agent could just go into my account and correct it on the computer, but I guess not. Oh, the agents are very polite but basically they can't do anything to fix a problem themselves, I take it they can only answer questions.
One minute to make a mistake, 60 days to correct it. Gee, if I did that at my job, I'd be fired. And some people want the government to handle our health care??? Hey, I realize they are dealing with millions of people but still....you'd think an agent could just go into my account and correct it on the computer, but I guess not. Oh, the agents are very polite but basically they can't do anything to fix a problem themselves, I take it they can only answer questions.
Well I can tell you with our experience with the private health care insurance providers, I'll take Medicare/SS everytime. The difference I have found is the Gov. employees want to help, the private ones don't and want to make it as hard on you as possible as not to have to pay out.
I am guess you wrote a letter and with it in process, if someone went in and made changes it could get messed up further.
Where I live, I can't call the local office directly to make an appt...I have to call the 800 #. So I called yesterday and spoke with yet another agent. She said because I had already sent in a letter, there was nothing they could do for me at the local office that isn't already being done, because the wheels should have already been put in motion to make the correction (let's hope).
Wrong. No way it should 60 days to process. If you would visit a SS office, the unenrollment would take effect the following month. In 2009, I enrolled in Medicare Part B at the SS office on September 6th. It was effective October 1.
This is what you should do now.
Go into the local office - without an appointment.
Take a number.
See someone at one of the windows, inform them you wish to unenroll in Medicare Part B.
Ask for Form CMS-1763.
Fill it out.
Listen to the agent tell you about all the pitfalls of unenrolling in Part B.
Insist the agent submit the form.
That way you've covered all your bases in the event your first letter gets misunderstood or lost.
Based on what SS has said, I would be sending in the OFFICIAL FORM:
Quote:
Terminate enrollment with Medicare Part B
Updated 03/02/2012 12:51 PM | ID# 1499
How do I terminate my enrollment with Medicare Part B when I have other health insurance?
If you wish to terminate your enrollment, talk to us and we will help you submit a signed request for termination or Form CMS-1763. Termination is a serious decision if you wish to re-enroll later, you may have to pay a surcharge.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) requires, when possible, a personal interview be conducted with everyone who wishes to terminate entitlement. Therefore, we do not offer form CMS-1763 online. We will help you fill out the form in-person or on the phone so we can make sure you understand the consequences of termination.
After the interview, a Social Security representative will give you a letter outlining the consequences of voluntary termination, the date your coverage will end and of the right to withdraw the termination request before coverage ends.
Termination of Medicare Part B will be effective at the end of the month following the month that you file the termination request.
For an interview, you can call us at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday or contact your local Social Security office.
I have a question on signing up for Medicare while still working. I plan to work until 66 but was thinking of signing up for Medicare at 65 (Medicare would start Jan 2013). My coverage at work is very good but not cheap, but probably Medicare plus the extra coverage would be more, but I'm hoping not that much more.
I thought it would help to get this Medicare thing taken care of and my getting used to it before I retire, so I would have one less thing to worry about, because when I retire I will have an adjustment money-wise and plan to move to a new area within 6 months of my retiring. That is alot to cope with all at once, at least for me.
Plus, if anything happened at work (got laid off, etc.), I would be all set with my health care.
Does it make sense financially to join Medicare before I retire? I would think with Medicare starting at 65 and retirement age for alot of people is 66, that some of you might have had to make the same choice. Thanks!
so sorry for duplicate post!
I am a licensed insurance agent, so I see a lot of these situations. First of all, Part A (Hosp insurance) is FREE. You should always take that. If you are not currently receiving a SS check, you would need to apply for Medicare (Part A, B or both) thru SS (1-800-772-1213). Should you start up your SS, they will deduct $99.90/mo for Part B (you take A & B). If you do not accept SS, you would receive a qtrly invoice that you need to pay. If you live in area where there are lots of options, then it might be to your benefit to look into a Medicare Advantage plan or Medigap in your area. Judging from your stats, I surmise that you live in San Diego Cty. Options there are good, but not as rich as Orange CTy or LA Cty. Most MA plans in SD have at least a $20/mo premium in addition to Part B and relatively high copayments.. Without knowing what you are paying every month for your company coverage and its benefits, it's hard to really gauge it. The MA plans typically use Sharp and Scripps in your area. If your coverage is rich and you have low copays, there is no harm in keeping employer coverage and Part A only as long as you are ACTIVELY employed while receiving the coverage.
This comes from Medicare & you handbook and describes the coordination of benefits:
How Other Insurance Works with Medicare When you have other insurance (like employer group health coverage), there are rules that decide whether Medicare or your other insurance pays first. The insurance that pays first is called the “primary payer.” The one that pays second is called the “secondary payer.”
Use this chart to see who pays first.
Note: In some cases, your employer may join with other employers or unions to form a multiple employer plan. If this happens, only one of the employers or unions in the multiple employer plan has to have the required number of employees for group health plan to pay first.
If you have retiree insurance (insurance from former employment)..Medicare pays first.
If you’re 65 or older, have group health plan coverage based on your or your spouse’s current employment, and the employer has 20 or more employees..Your group health plan pays first.
If you’re 65 or older, have group health plan coverage based on your or your spouse’s current employment, and the employer has less than 20 employees..Medicare pays first.
If you’re under 65 and disabled, have group health plan coverage based on your or a family member’s current employment, and the employer has 100 or more employees..Your group health plan pays first.
If you’re under 65 and disabled, have group health plan coverage based on your or a family member’s current employment, and the employer has less than 100 employees..Medicare pays first.
If you have Medicare because of End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD)..Your group health plan will pay first for the first 30 months after you become eligible to enroll in Medicare. Medicare will pay first after this 30-month period.
"How large is your employer?" is the question here. Larger employer: They pay first, Medicare 2nd.
Smaller employer (less than 20), Medicare pays first, employer coverage pays 2nd. Only fair, right?
If you decide to take ONLY Part A (FREEBIE), you shouldn't feel like it would be difficult to get it later. I hear that a lot. Again, as long as you are ACTIVELY employed, you only need a Letter from your HR dept showing that you are actively working and need your Part B at a date that you select. There is NO late sign up penalty in this situation. As an example, I went to a client's home (66 yr old in Aug) on July 13. When there, we phoned up SS together. They mailed him a packet that he would need to complete and send back. I just now checked the Marx system and he shows up now with Part A 8-1-2011 AND Part B 9-1-2012. YAY!. He is now qualified to enroll into an Med Advantage plan.
Thanks for the additional information. I'm going to call SS again and ask aboutt his Form CMS-1763 and see what they say. Isn't this crazy? Enrolling in Part A should be the simplest thing ever.
I've had private insurance all my adult life and never had any major issues with coverage, even with several surgeries, etc. I guess I have been lucky, but things always got straightened out over the phone.
well, I got a form in the mail (I knew being the gov't that there just had to be a form to fill out), so I signed it and sent it in. My fingers crossed this will take care of the issue!
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