Help! I missed the application deadline

[packrat44]

I need help. I missed the application deadline (31 Mar 2011) for filing for Medicare Part B. The Social Security personnel said I could not enroll for this year (starts 1 Jul) unless I had a good excuse why I missed the deadline for filing. Can anyone think of good excuses I might be able to use?

[GregLee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by packrat44 I need help. I missed the application deadline (31 Mar 2011) for filing for Medicare Part B. The Social Security personnel said I could not enroll for this year (starts 1 Jul) unless I had a good excuse why I missed the deadline for filing. Can anyone think of good excuses I might be able to use?

(1) Applicant deceased prior to deadline. (2) Forgot. (3) Application consumed by wildfire prior to sending. (4) Missing calendar page.

[W2R]

Sure, you were in the hospital in a coma, or working undercover in Pakistan, or your father died that day and you were devastated and had to arrange the services and deal with your mother who lost her mind.

But thinking of an excuse that you could actually USE is hard.

Hey Greg, I just saw your excuses. Between the two of us, we're GOOD!

[bbbamI]

Quote:

Originally Posted by packrat44 Can anyone think of good excuses I might be able to use?

Do they talk about this any at all on their website?

[haha]

Quote:

Originally Posted by packrat44 I need help. I missed the application deadline (31 Mar 2011) for filing for Medicare Part B. The Social Security personnel said I could not enroll for this year (starts 1 Jul) unless I had a good excuse why I missed the deadline for filing. Can anyone think of good excuses I might be able to use?

This may be in error. There is a window around your 65th birthday during which you can enroll, 3 months prior to the month you turn 65, and 3 months after the month you turn 65. Also, if you are already drawing SS, it is their responsiblilty to automatically enroll you in pt B. Under special circumstances like coverage at work, you do not need to enroll during this period. In this case I think there is another rule to follow.

So this gives a possible out. Maybe you are working until very recently? Not as good but maybe OK, you had been promised a job offer with coverage, and it fell through?

I learned one thing in a long effort to get SSA to understand my SS payback and restart process -if there is a logical, transparent and correct path A, and an obscure, irrational and incorrect path B, expect the SSA to take pathway B.

Ha

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

Quote:

I learned one thing in a long effort to get SSA to understand my SS payback and restart process -if there is a logical, transparent and correct path A, and an obscure, irrational and incorrect path B, expect the SSA to take pathway B.

Ah, yes. My gummint!

[Bestwifeever]

Just curious--why did you miss the deadline? (Maybe you can save some of us from doing the same!)

[packrat44]

Quote:

Originally Posted by haha This may be in error. There is a window around your 65th birthday during which you can enroll, 3 months prior to the month you turn 65, and 3 months after the month you turn 65. Also, if you are already drawing SS, it is their responsiblilty to automatically enroll you in pt B. Under special circumstances like coverage at work, you do not need to enroll during this period. In this case I think there is another rule to follow. So this gives a possible out. Maybe you are working until very recently? Not as good but maybe OK, you had been promised a job offer with coverage, and it fell through? I learned one thing in a long effort to get SSA to understand my SS payback and restart process -if there is a logical, transparent and correct path A, and an obscure, irrational and incorrect path B, expect the SSA to take pathway B. Ha

Age 66.5 so the near 65 won't work. Waiting until 70 to draw SS so no notification from SS. Quite work on my 62nd birthday. The VA has been taking care of all medical because I have over 50% disabilities. The VA doesn"t cover all medical issues and may be limited for doctors in certain fields and VA hospitals are not always convenient. I would like to have an ace in the hole by having Medicare and Tricare for Life. In order to use Tricare for Life I must have Medicare Part B. SS said they will not charge the penalty of 10% per year that you are late (this penalty is charged for the rest of your life) if you have other medical insurance. However, they do not consider having VA coverage (even at the 100% level) as insurance.

DW is on my case about incurring a penalty that will go on for the rest of my life. I think I might have blown my LBYM status on this one.

[packrat44]

[QUOTE=Bestwifeever;1061794]Just curious--why did you miss the deadline? (Maybe you can save some of us from doing the same!)[/QUOTE


I had inquired back in Nov 2010 and SS sent a form to sign and send back. However, I was told it could not be sent in before 1 Jan 2011 or it would be rejected and that the insurance went into effect on 1 Jul 2011. The paper work got buried and I forgot about it. Found the paperwork today and as I was filling it out I discovered it needed to mailed prior to 31 Mar.

If you start collecting SS prior to 65 they will automatically deduct the Medicare Part B premiums from your benefits. If you elected to wait, there will not be any notification.

[packrat44]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bbbamI Do they talk about this any at all on their website?

They do not tell you what excuses they will accept. However, they do explain the penalties if you are late.

[Bestwifeever]

I'm so sorry you have to deal with this. Maybe if you spell it out to the Medicare people just as you've explained it to us in posts 8 and 9 here? The 50 percent disablity should get some attention.

Also, maybe contact your congressperson's office for help?

[haha]

I understand now. Maybe you can get some help from vets you know who may have faced this too.

I certainly would have considered VA coverage adequate, so I would have missed the dealine too.

Ha