Call today — to meet & discuss your Medicare Advantage & Medicare Supplement options + Find the best plan for you.
Call today — to meet & discuss your Medicare Advantage & Medicare Supplement options + Find the best plan for you.
I call SS's how-to & when-to sign-up regulations "rules"!
The rules state — you:
Become "eligible" for MediCare the month when turn 65.
You can then decide to sign-up, if you want;
● in either the third, second, or month before 65, the month when, or in either of the three months after.
● for Part A at anytime after 65.
● for Part B only during specific enrollment periods e.g. leaving an employer medical plan.
[This page has info on the steps to sign up !]
There are two exceptions to these sign up rules; A person :
● who started SS benefits more than four months before 65 is automatically enrolled in Part A & B the month eligible.
Note: To avoid contributing to an employer's plan plus paying Part B's monthly cost a person can opt out of Part B.
● under 65 who qualified for SS disability becomes eligible for Part A & B after 24 months of receiving benefits!
* Talking to the Local SS office is usually better! Surveys report individuals received incorrect information when calling SS's main 800 # !
Tell the Local office you want to talk to a Retirement person! Many offices, including New London, are not setting up in person appoitments but do set a time for a telephone appoitment.
When talking ask about:
● Completing your application for Part B and activating Part A.
● SS's options to pay your share of Part B monthly cost. B's base is $164.90 a month in 2023.
Background on paying your Part B's costs:
● Part B's $164.90. base is 25% of MediCare Part B's overall costs across the US divided by the number of individuals covered by Part B.
● Your monthly cost will be higher if the AGI on your IRS 1040, from two years ago, is above 97k for a Single filer & 194k for Joint. There are five income levels above the up to 97k base. Each level adds an additional monthly cost to the $164.90!
A back and forth conversation about signing up, with a local SS Retirement person, has many advantages. However,
SS also offers an on-line MediCare sign-up option — on this SS page It's:
● Somewhat complicated so I recommend being careful.
● Not recommended when leaving an employer plan after 65! — Call John [ Google voice (860) 451-9793] if questions on why. .
Note: When your Sign-up application is complete — MediCare calls you "entitled" [not enrolled ]. Coverage is then available for medically necessary treatment or services:
● Part A — inpatient care in a hospital.
● Part B — covers the many kinds of outpatient services.
Entitled is on your MediCare ID card above the date your Part A & B medical coverage started!
The unique number on your ID card is your Medicare Beneficiary Identifer:
● Each person's MBI has 11 upper case letters & numbers:
- ● 4 a — then 3 more a — then 4 more.
● To avoid confusion between certain numbers and letters the MBI does not use letters S, L, O, I, B, and Z to eliminate confusion between letters and numbers such “0” and letter “O”.
This page has a picture of the ID card and explains the new style ID card.
In addition, to signing up for MediCare SS has good info on - when to start SS benefits. This SS summary may be useful.
Medicare's marketing rules, specifically state all TV ads, other than during the Annual Election Perions in the Fall, are not to imply anyone can call! Ads are to be focused e.g. call if you will soon be "eligible" for MediCare, — are moving, — over 65 and planning to leave an employer medical plan!
Medicare was to require, beginning in Jan 2023, TV ads to be approved before they run. What I have seen — deceptive ads from marketing organizations are still running!
The page on the red link provides factual information on the two types of Medicare Health plans and describes the times you can sign up, called — enrollment periods. These periods are set and regulated at the federal level
Another ongoing TV ad on planning for retirement mentions they also help individuals with Medicare. Then it says - Buy their Medigap plan! [a Medicare Supplement] But:
+ This companies plan is not approved in CT!
A survey found ― 55% of people report being confused about MediCare!
Another survey of individuals over 65 found:
- > 29% do not understand Medicare Advantage Plans
- > 23% do not understand Medicare Supplements
- > only 48% said enrollment was easy.
Tip: Call John C Parker's [Google Voice #] at (860) 451-9793 — If questions about how:
● MediCare works & interacts with a Medicare Health plan
● the when to and how to sign up!
Note: Calling John is just a commitment to talk ― not to enroll!
Medicare's new marketing regulations do not allow me, in certain situations, to talk on a phone about signing up for a Medicare Health plan unless the call is recorded.
Note: This is avoided by meeting in person.
● First — Call the Local SS office — ask to talk to a Retirement person. Tell them the date you will be leaving employer coverage and you want to:
+ Start Part B.
-> FYI. Signing up for Part B also activates Part A but it will be backdated six months from your Part B date.
+ Understand the options to pay your share of Part B's monthly cost which is $164.90 in 2023 :
-> it's deducted from SS when receiving benefits.
To avoid Part B's late enrollment penalty:
● Have your employer complete the CMS-L564 form to confirm you had employer medical coverage.
-> The CMS-L564 can be found on this link.
-> The application for Part B, CMS-40B can also be found on this link.
● Return the CMS-L564 to SS when it's signed. Submitting this:
-> approves your SEP to sign-up for Part B.
-> shows you have medical coverage and thus avoid B's late enrollment penalty
BTW — If you were not an active employee on a employer medical coverage you can't just sign up for Part B whenever you want! <—> Federal regulations limit sign up times when past 65 to these periods.
Let's look at:
● What you would pay if just using Part A & Part B (called original Medicare) for treatment/services
MediCare — does not pay MDs or other outpatient providers what might be called their "office rate" for the treatment or service provided nor do they pay 100% of Medicare's approved amount!
● How MediCare's payment system works. The:
— Cost of all the medical treatments and services MediCare has approved, as medically necessary, is reviewed. Then an amount is "assigned" ** for each.
— MDs and other outpatient providers, who agreed to participate, are asked to accept just 80% of the approved amount. This is called — accept "assignment".
** Discounted, often deeply, from retail!
Thus, when an Individual goes for — any:
● Outpatient treatments or services they are responsible to pay 20% of MediCare's approved amount!
Note: At the beginning of each year, Individuals also pay Part B' deductible — It's $226 in 2023.
A large and growing number of medical treatment and services are provided outpatient — so paying 20% could quickly be a Big Risk to your income & savings!
● Hospital based treatment — Part A's coverage is very extensive! MediCare pays for everything "medically necessary" — Each person however is responsible to pay Part A's deductible each time admitted. It's $1,600 in 2023.
Buying one of the two special medical related insurance plans called — Medicare Health Plans, works like — putting an umbrella up over your income & savings!
Note: Buying one of the "special financial protection plan" means — providers will billl the plan and you will not receive a rainstorm of bills for your 20% share!
The pages on these two red links provide information on how these plans work with the MediCare system when receiving medical treatment/service and thus protect your finances:
● Medicare Advantage Plan in New London CT or a
● Medicare Supplement in CT
Each plan has options for different levels of coverage, which will meet your situation / interest / budget.
It would be nice to not have a change of health in the future — BUT in every life we know:
● No one can say an accident won't happen!
● We also know the possibility of an illness, with ongoing and complex treatment, happening is high! Thus, having to pay 20% for a lot of outpatient treatment = significant costs!
Because of the BIG un certainity — it's very important — to buy — either a:
-> Medicare Advantage (MA) Plan approved for New London County
-> Medicare Supplement approved in Connecticut
When you own either option it:
+ + protects your income & savings from big expenses
+ + puts you in control
+ + provides peace of mind which is priceless!
Note: You can change your Medicare Health Plan once a year and a Med. Supp. can be changed at any time!
Whether you'll soon be 65 — or are over 65 and now plan to leave your or a spouses's employer plan call/text John C Parker's Google Voice today (860) 451-9793)
When meeting to talk & eMail info we can:
● Review your situation / interest / budget and which type will be best!
● Increase understanding of plan details and how they work in our area.
Note: Whatever time you need will be available to help you.
> I am told this is a big Help!
● Meet again after you think about what will be best for your situation to sign up!
Then too it's OK to say — now is not the right time!
You can also send questions to me about signing up for a Medicare Advantage Plan or a Medicare Supplement:
● Using the form below or
● To — John@MedicarePlansSECT.com
● Help individuals in Southeastern CT simplify Medicare Health Plans and how they work with MediCare's system.
● Find a plan option, which meets each individual's situation.
John works as:
+ An Advisor — to increase understanding of plan coverage and how they work with physicians & providers in New London County.
+ A Broker — to help individuals select the best plan for them and then, when a period is available, to enroll.
< - - > Medicare regulations now require certain conversations about Medicare Plan benefits over the phone to be recorded.
Note: Meeting in person, which is often more useful, is OK !
< - - > John is licensed in CT (# 644135 ) and does not solicit or sell in other states.