by Guest » Thu Mar 28, 2013 08:32 pm
I am 65 in one month and applied and received Medicare. I am still employed as a SC State employee with excellent Blue Cross coverage that includes a "Part D" prescription drug coverage. Therefore, I only enrolled in Medicare Part A. I was surprised when I received a bill for 3 months of Medicare Part A premiums. I did not realize you have to pay for Medicare at a cost of about $100 a month. Is this normal?
Posted: Fri Mar 29, 2013 12:23 am Post Subject:
I was surprised when I received a bill for 3 months of Medicare Part A premiums. I did not realize you have to pay for Medicare at a cost of about $100 a month. Is this normal?
This has to be a mistake. There is no premium for Medicare Part A if you are fully insured under Social Security. If you do not have the required 40 credits, but have 30-39 credits, the Part A premium is $243 per month in 2013. With less than 30 credits, the premium is $441 per month.There is a premium for Part B for everyone enrolled in that portion of Medicare. For most people it is $104.90 per month in 2013, but can be substantially higher for persons with high incomes. I believe this is what you are being billed for.
If you are not yet receiving Social Security Retirement benefits, you have to pre-pay your Medicare Part B premiums. Once you begin receiving SS Retirement benefits, the Part B premiums will be automatically deducted from each payment.
As long as you remain covered by your employer's health insurance as an active employee, you may reject Medicare Part B. If you have not already done so, go to your local Social Security office and make that election. You have up to 3 months following the month in which you turn age 65 to do so, but doing that sooner, rather than later, will save you a lot of grief.
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