Funny that this thread pivoted to another medicare/MA debate! IMO, preauths/precerts just delay care and treatment.
DH is retiring (well, he will find something else to do to feel useful) in 6 weeks, but fortunately he will be getting a small package. He had submitted for the payroll folks to d/c much of the withholding he had set because he had reached limits, but they haven’t yet implemented his request and it’s a bit messed up. Hopefully it will get fixed before he goes. We are also in the process of getting onto Medicare B. Not able to track the status of the application on line b/c we already have Medicare A. Calling SS involved a 45 min wait time on hold, and then they told us we had to call the local office. Yet another 45 minute wait. The people at the main SS number said they had to act on the application within 10 business days. The person at the local office said not to expect anything before 30 days! And we have to get Medicare B in place and pick our supplemental before current benefits end. We cannot COBRA or will be subject to a 10% penalty forever. This system is broken.
You weren’t kidding about being “simplistic”. I suspect that with the increased SALT limit from $10k to $40k, it will be more optimal to switch from standard to itemized, as I live in a state with high income + property taxes. However, I am unsure of the specific degree of savings. The calc doesn’t answer this type of question. It seems to only support more basic tax calculations.
I would line up your supplement coverage and part D coverage for the start date you want.
Medicare will ‘backdate’ a coverage card saying Medicare A and B after one has a Medicare A. I know because that happened to DH.
I retired right at 65 and my Medicare card was A & B from the get-go. I got my card on time.
We wanted to start DH’s Medicare A & B Oct 1, but because that was still in his initial enrollment period, he needed to start it Sept 1 and have 1 month overlap with my private insurance coverage.
We didn’t get DH’s Medicare A & B card electronically until the last week in December, and it was dated effective Sept 1.
We later got billed for the extra months of DH’s Medicare part B coverage.
Medicare/SS local office had ‘messed up’ his file, it got bumped to regional and the system kept saying “in process” because no one wanted to work on it. It was messed up because initial enrollment ‘rules’ supersede other Medicare rules and the local office person either didn’t know or wasn’t aware that this particular application for change from Medicare A to Medicare A & B was in this initial enrollment window/rules. We initially wanted his Medicare B to begin Oct 1 but needed to have it be Sept 1. Medicare system could not ‘handle’ breaking that ‘rule’. Oh, Medicare later said they could have done something else on their system to have Oct 1 work - but we didn’t need to draw this out – it was best to pay the extra for overlap on the Medicare B (we didn’t pay overlap on the supplement billing from our private insurance). At the time, the overlap on Medicare B cost us $170.10 for that one month.
I finally got the head of the local office to contact regional several times over 2 days and it got corrected at the end of Dec. DH had MD appointments in January (for paroxysmal A Fib brought on from Covid vaccinations). He later had a surgical cardiac ablation which largely cured the A Fib. To say I was stressed out about this Medicare A & B on DH is an adequate statement.
If he had needed any care between Oct 1 and the end of Dec, I would have needed to tell medical providers to suspend billing because of the Medicare issue.
With Part D, you just verify that you will not have any other drug coverage on the date you want to start that. Had no problem getting our Part D cards and automatic monthly billing out of our checking account.
We had no trouble getting our private insurance B supplement set up - got the cards for us and automatic monthly billing out of our checking account.
We used the same insurance company we had with our employers for our supplement - so we just worked directly with them on the phone once we got a packet. We had choices on coverage with them (they have a Medicare Advantage plan as well) but we went with the traditional/original Medicare type of plan.
SIL (in TN) used an agent to help them determine the best plan for them. Both SIL and BIL are morbidly obese with related health issues, and so far they are happy with their plan/coverage.
Hopefully you will get your DH’s Medicare A and B card - but it also is good to know the initial enrollment rules (to make sure you are not indicating an enrollment time for Medicare B that would violate the open enrollment rules.
You can actually see the card online and download a copy before receiving in the mail once it is approved.
That definitely makes zero sense, not that I don’t believe that it’s true. How incredibly frustrating to have to wait so long. I signed up for A and B at the same time last year, and I had an approval email within a week or two.
The statement “I signed up for A and B at the same time last year, and I had an approval email within a week or two” says it all. A lower-level trained clerk can get this approval processed.
I had same speedy experience as I signed up for Medicare A and B, along with SS right at age 65. Processed quickly.
It is other situations (B after having A for a while) and other situations around that. THAT is the issue - either the staff isn’t getting to it to review and process, or other things are going on.
Oh, I wasn’t questioning you or what you were told. It’s just that I think it’s dumb that it’s taking longer just because you already have Part A. I worked in process oriented jobs, and breakdowns in the process like this one drive me nuts!
