I'm worried about reaching age 65 and what the government will forced me to do. (Canada, spouse)

[naeem5]

I'm on social security disability and my review is July 2014 at age 64.
I may be taken on disability, no one knows how the medical problems will go between now and then.
However, my current benefit is $1060 and my social security will be less than that, a good bit less.

I'm concerned about what I have heard, that at age 65 you are forced to accept Medicare part B and they will take it out of your check as a way of forcing you.

I'm eligible for Medicare part B now and can not afford it. It does not pay for the 3 main medical problems I have. It's cheaper to pay the doctor visits, injections, and meds out of pocket.

But, social security has a rule that for every year you are eligible for medicare part B, and don't take it, you are penalized 10% each year in premiums. My medicare part B will run me about $212 a year with the penalties between now and age 65. This would be over 25% of my social security benefit if I am forced to pay for part B. To pay it now to avoid the 10% per year penalties is no good, because I can not afford it now, it does not cover my medical, and they increase the premims any way each year, so my premium might be more than $212.

Does anyone have any answers for this matter where the government takes the medicare part B premium out of your check and leaves you with nothing but enough to pay the rest of the bills and wait on death?

Who can afford 25% of their check for "just" the premium, not to mention the out of pocket meds, co-pays, deductables and limits (suppose Medicare will cover $100 of a service and the doctor charges $125, the patient has to pay the extra $25 plus the 20% of the $100).

[texdav]

Your penalized if you don't take it when you signup because like all insurance its a pool. Not just pay when you need it like all insurance. A typical office visit by my mother inlaw whcih cost noramlly 100 dollars cost here 9.50 lst tie i went with her. The cost are much less than what a fodtor charges otherwise and contolled by medicare law. You will get a CMA medicare statem,ent that shows what was billed;what was allowed and your portion. The doctor can not by law charge anymore than what it says without losing his right to treat and bill medicare patients.You need to check with medicar ebecuse it much cheaper than paying full services cash cost as long as its a medcially accepted treatment.

[naeem5]

for me to pay them the premium for the next 5 years would be a waste of money.
I'm not paying for medicare pat B now because I can not afford it, it does not pay enough of my medical expenses. My medical conditions are not covered.

I want to find a legal way to prevent them from forcing it on me at age 65. I can not afford to pay 25% of my retirement check for medicare part B.

[livecontent]

Accept the situation because that is the program. I am on Social Security Disability and have Medicare part B. I do not see why anyone would refuse that benefit, knowing that when you elect, you will pay more. It is an insurance fund pool--some people collect more than others. It "insures" you against a major loss. You may not need it now--but you may need it someday--that is the nature of insurance; you cannot just look at it from month to month, year to year.

You are social security disability. I have no idea where you get the idea that "..my current benefit is $1060 and my social security will be less than that, a good bit less..." Your payments will not change when you reach 65, it will just convert from Social Security Disability Insurance to Social Security Retirement Insurance.SSDI pays you what you would have normally been paid if you have reached your statutory age of retirement.

Also a payment of 1060 would make you eligible for the government to pay all or part of your part B, depending on your financial assets. So, if you really cannot afford the payment--you may never had to pay it anyways in the past or pay it in the future?????

I would not worry about a review at age 64. It is just a administrative procedure. Even if they determine that you are no longer disabled, you will have a period of time to appeal with your benefits intact for re-determination; you probably so close to age 65 or 66 and receive social security,if that is your social security retirement age.

Livecontent

[MaryleeII]

II've been on SSDI for almost 25 years. I was on Part B, then, somehow, it got dropped or somehow I just wasn't on it anymore. I never use Medicare, anyways, I'm on my dh employer's insurance.

So, I understand if I take out Part B now (I think I haven't been on it for about 5 years), they will take that much out of my current checks?

[Escort Rider]

I must be missing something here, because I thought one had to be 65 to be eligible for Medicare; therefore, the eventual penalties for non-enrolment would not start until age 65? Perhaps one can be eligible before then if one is disabled. Is that what you folks are saying?

Another thing puzzles me: The OP states that Medicare does not cover her three main medical conditions. I have never heard of Medicare not covering a medical condition. Isn't a doctor's visit a doctor's visit regardless of the condition? And prescribed medications, aren't they the same? Please enlighten me.

[knoxgarden]

She's been on Social Security Disabilty. On that, Medicare coverage starts 2 years after you are eligible. Disability is basically early retirement, with Medicare, etc.
Medicare does not cover vitamins, even the prescription ones your doctor wants you to take. The high-dose prescription versions are expensive. I get mine from Canada. A whole lot cheaper.
There are a lot of "conditions" and medications Medicare doesn't cover. Usually things like homeopathic medicine, biofeedback or acupuncture that is excluded by many insurance companies. Medicare covers most of what regular insurance companies do and excludes pretty much the same things.

[livecontent]

Originally Posted by Escort Rider

I must be missing something here, because I thought one had to be 65 to be eligible for Medicare; therefore, the eventual penalties for non-enrolment would not start until age 65? Perhaps one can be eligible before then if one is disabled. Is that what you folks are saying?

Another thing puzzles me: The OP states that Medicare does not cover her three main medical conditions. I have never heard of Medicare not covering a medical condition. Isn't a doctor's visit a doctor's visit regardless of the condition? And prescribed medications, aren't they the same? Please enlighten me.

If you are determined to be disabled under the Social Security Program, you will be eligible for Medicare. However, there is a big problem. One must be receiving disability benefits for two years and then you are able to enroll in Medicare. In addition, if you are disabled, Social Security has a waiting period for 5 months and you receive your disability payment starting the 6th month. So, you have to wait 29 months to receive Medicare.

That is why short disability is important which is insured for six months to cover the initial waiting period. In addition, Cobra extension of employer health care can be extended, if you are determined to be disabled, to cover the time until Medicare coverage.

There are some exceptions to the rules with some diseases that are so severe as in ALS, Lou Gehrig Disease. You would then receive Medicare from the date of disability.

Medicare,just like any insurance, has rules of coverage of medical problems, approved prescriptions, approved procedures and approved durable medical equipment. However, for one to state that Medicare does not cover my Medical Problems??? The OP would have to tell us.

Livecontent

[texdav]

She seems confused looking at her projected cost. Unless she makes over 85,000 the cost is like 96.00 dollar a month for part B; over that like 110 a month. Sounds like she has a condition not recognise as a medical condition or the treatment is not or both.

[lenora]

From the SSA website:

If you are 65 or older and are covered under a group health plan, either from your own or your spouse’s current employment, you have a “special enrollment period” in which to sign up for Medicare Part B. This means that you may delay enrolling in Medicare Part B without having to wait for a general enrollment period and paying the 10 percent premium surcharge for late enrollment. The rules allow you to:

• Enroll in Medicare Part B any time while you are covered under the group health plan based on current employment; or
• Enroll in Medicare Part B during the eight-month period that begins following the last month your group health coverage ends, or following the last month employment ends—whichever comes first.

Special enrollment period rules do not apply if employment or employer-provided group health plan coverage ends during your initial enrollment period.
If you do not enroll by the end of the eight-month period, you will have to wait until the next general enrollment period, which begins January 1 of the next year. You also may have to pay a higher premium, as described in General enrollment period for Part B. People who receive Social Security disability benefits and are covered under a group health plan from either their own or a family member’s current employment also have a special enrollment period and premium rights that are similar to those for workers age 65 or older. (italics added)