Bigbass
Dryer sheet aficionado
Husband (69) and I (62) filed for SS back in June.* Everything went smoothly with my phone call with a very friendly and knowledgeable agent.* She was so nice she even offered to take care of my husband's application which was scheduled an hour after mine.* Check online the next day, both accounts showed "approved".* Great!* We can just sit back and wait for our first check, scheduled to be deposited in our account in September.
Two days ago, my husband received a letter from SS, stating "We are withholding all of your monthly benefits beginning September 2021 to recover past due medical insurance premiums.* You will receive $196.20 for February 2022 around March 16, 2022". *ok, there got to be some mistakes here, I'll just call the SS office and clear things up.* Now, right after we applied for SS, the following medicare bill for my husband was incorrect.* He was only billed for IRMAA Part D, no billing for Part B or Part B IRMAA.* I called them to question the bill, was told not sure why, but do worry, it'll be fixed and we'll bill you the correct amount.* I offered to pay the correct amount, but the agent told me she would not recommend that, because it might really mess things up.* Anyways, I thought, ok, we owe three months of Part B and IRMAA.* I can just pay that and be done.* Don't know why they want to withhold almost $10,000.
I called the SS office, was on hold for 45 mins, talked to an agent for about 10 mins and the call was dropped.* I called back, waited another 50 mins before I got someone on the line.* I was told you must not have paid your bills.* I ask them, can you tell me which months were delinquent and how much I owe?* I was told I don't know, you'll have to call 1-800medicare to find out.* I called Medicare, repeated my story, and was told I show your account is current.* Was told to call SS to tell them that my account is current.* I said wait a minute, I believe Medicare informed SS that I was delinquent with my account, that's why they are withholding my payment.* I can't just call them to tell them I'm not delinquent!* Can I speak to a supervisor?* Supervisor got on the phone, I again repeated my story...she took notes and told me she will have someone from the Advanced Resolution Team to call me back. *
The Advanced Resolution Team called me back the next day, left a message on my phone to call them back at 1800medicare.* He said when I call back, key in my husband's medicare #, my call will be forwarded to the Advance Resolution Team and was told this feature will be valid for the next 30 days.* Called 1800medicare keyed in my husband's medicare #, some guy came on the phone.* Again, I repeated my story, and was told by this guy, you must owe taxes or something.* After about 5 mins, I realized I was not talking to someone from the Advanced Resolution Team.* I asked him if he can transfer me to the Advance Resolution Team.* Took him about 5 mins before he transferred me.* I got someone who I can tell knew what she was doing immediately.* She told me this is the second call she got that day with the same issue.* She asks if I have time to stay on the phone with her while she calls SS to do a three way call.* She called the SS office, we waited about 30 mins before someone got on the phone, she repeated my story, SS agent said can I put you on hold?ok...yep, the call was dropped.* The sweet lady from the medicare Advanced Resolution Team apologized and asked if I had time for her to try again or if I would like for her to call me in the morning to try again.* I said if you don't mind, I would like to give it a try again.* She called the SS office again, waited about 10 mins before someone got on the line, repeated the story again.* The SS agent took about 5 mins to check this and that and then said, I'll have to submit this to another group, they will get back to you within 60 working days. *60 working days!?* That'll put us to November?* She said no, Dec 3rd.* I asked should I still appeal this in writing?* She said yes, you have 60 days to do so.* The lady from medicare asked that I stay on the phone and thank the SS agent.* She told me that because my husband filed spousal benefits, his medicare is now under my ss# and she thinks the billing/payment information might not have synced up.* What?* I know my husband is not the first person to ever file for spousal benefits.* How can this happen? *
I found out 1800medicare is a contracted group, they are not Federal workers.* They don't have much access to anything other than billing.* They can't tell you why you are or aren't billed for something.* The lady from the Advanced Resolution Team was great.* Not so much for all the agents from the SS office.
Can't you imagine putting seniors through this kind of crap?* Luckily, we don't need the money, but can you imagine if we did?*
Two days ago, my husband received a letter from SS, stating "We are withholding all of your monthly benefits beginning September 2021 to recover past due medical insurance premiums.* You will receive $196.20 for February 2022 around March 16, 2022". *ok, there got to be some mistakes here, I'll just call the SS office and clear things up.* Now, right after we applied for SS, the following medicare bill for my husband was incorrect.* He was only billed for IRMAA Part D, no billing for Part B or Part B IRMAA.* I called them to question the bill, was told not sure why, but do worry, it'll be fixed and we'll bill you the correct amount.* I offered to pay the correct amount, but the agent told me she would not recommend that, because it might really mess things up.* Anyways, I thought, ok, we owe three months of Part B and IRMAA.* I can just pay that and be done.* Don't know why they want to withhold almost $10,000.
I called the SS office, was on hold for 45 mins, talked to an agent for about 10 mins and the call was dropped.* I called back, waited another 50 mins before I got someone on the line.* I was told you must not have paid your bills.* I ask them, can you tell me which months were delinquent and how much I owe?* I was told I don't know, you'll have to call 1-800medicare to find out.* I called Medicare, repeated my story, and was told I show your account is current.* Was told to call SS to tell them that my account is current.* I said wait a minute, I believe Medicare informed SS that I was delinquent with my account, that's why they are withholding my payment.* I can't just call them to tell them I'm not delinquent!* Can I speak to a supervisor?* Supervisor got on the phone, I again repeated my story...she took notes and told me she will have someone from the Advanced Resolution Team to call me back. *
The Advanced Resolution Team called me back the next day, left a message on my phone to call them back at 1800medicare.* He said when I call back, key in my husband's medicare #, my call will be forwarded to the Advance Resolution Team and was told this feature will be valid for the next 30 days.* Called 1800medicare keyed in my husband's medicare #, some guy came on the phone.* Again, I repeated my story, and was told by this guy, you must owe taxes or something.* After about 5 mins, I realized I was not talking to someone from the Advanced Resolution Team.* I asked him if he can transfer me to the Advance Resolution Team.* Took him about 5 mins before he transferred me.* I got someone who I can tell knew what she was doing immediately.* She told me this is the second call she got that day with the same issue.* She asks if I have time to stay on the phone with her while she calls SS to do a three way call.* She called the SS office, we waited about 30 mins before someone got on the phone, she repeated my story, SS agent said can I put you on hold?ok...yep, the call was dropped.* The sweet lady from the medicare Advanced Resolution Team apologized and asked if I had time for her to try again or if I would like for her to call me in the morning to try again.* I said if you don't mind, I would like to give it a try again.* She called the SS office again, waited about 10 mins before someone got on the line, repeated the story again.* The SS agent took about 5 mins to check this and that and then said, I'll have to submit this to another group, they will get back to you within 60 working days. *60 working days!?* That'll put us to November?* She said no, Dec 3rd.* I asked should I still appeal this in writing?* She said yes, you have 60 days to do so.* The lady from medicare asked that I stay on the phone and thank the SS agent.* She told me that because my husband filed spousal benefits, his medicare is now under my ss# and she thinks the billing/payment information might not have synced up.* What?* I know my husband is not the first person to ever file for spousal benefits.* How can this happen? *
I found out 1800medicare is a contracted group, they are not Federal workers.* They don't have much access to anything other than billing.* They can't tell you why you are or aren't billed for something.* The lady from the Advanced Resolution Team was great.* Not so much for all the agents from the SS office.
Can't you imagine putting seniors through this kind of crap?* Luckily, we don't need the money, but can you imagine if we did?*
