How does Medicare refund premium over payment

[Perryinva]

Based on this thread

https://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f38/ss-at-age-70-and-medicare-easy-pay-115256.html

Those of us that started SS after starting Medicare, have been paying their Medicare premiums via easy pay or quarterly via CC. The CC option means at least I have been getting $2000/yr in points or 2% back. So I start SS next month, but was required to make a quarterly payment that will overlap. How does Medicare refund the difference once the premiums are deducted from SS? Check, DD, CC credit, or an increase in a SS payment (last two seem pretty doubtful)

 

[mathjak107]

we got a refund of iirma charges we appealed and won. they gave it to us back in the next ss payment but that may be different

 

[MichaelB]

Based on this thread

https://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f38/ss-at-age-70-and-medicare-easy-pay-115256.html

Those of us that started SS after starting Medicare, have been paying their Medicare premiums via easy pay or quarterly via CC. The CC option means at least I have been getting $2000/yr in points or 2% back. So I start SS next month, but was required to make a quarterly payment that will overlap. How does Medicare refund the difference once the premiums are deducted from SS? Check, DD, CC credit, or an increase in a SS payment (last two seem pretty doubtful)

Something similar happened to us when we first started Medicare. Overpayments were credited to the account and applied to the balance due of the next billing cycle. No money was returned.

 

[MissMolly]

In my case, it just appeared in my checking account.

 

[Perryinva]

DD would seem to be the obvious answer, and that would be best. Too bad I can’t keep paying quarterly.

 

[Luvtoride]

Slightly different issue with my wife and I. We have been paying a high IRMAA amount since I retired in July 2023. After they finally processed our SSA-44 forms for” Life-Changing Event “ (months later and in fact mine was lost and had to be resubmitted) our IRMAA premiums were reduced to the lowest amount $69.90/month each effective Jan 1, 2024. We are not collecting Social Security yet.
We now each have a large credit on our accounts. I just got off a chat on the Medicare website and the agent confirmed that we will have NO EasyPay payments deducted until the credit is used up and our balance due is over $10. This results in about 5 months of no Medicare payments for either of us. Luckily, I’ve been keeping a detailed spreadsheet of our Medicare premium billings and payments and have a very accurate accounting of our 2024 overpayments. Let’s hope the government’s records are as good and they get this right!