NEED to find Primary Care Physician in AZ

[Spiky Bugger]

Mr Sue is younger than I. When I turned 65, I had to switch to Medicare primary. What would have been my "only" insurance became my secondary. Our premiums dropped by several hundred per month...AND...his employer reimburses me for my Medicare premiums. I now have zero copay for office visits and most of my meds are $5 or $10.

 

[southernlady]

https://www.ssa.gov/medicare/
Applying for Medicare
When you apply for Medicare, you can sign up for Part A (Hospital Insurance) and Part B (Medical Insurance). Because you must pay a premium for Part B coverage, you can turn it down. However, if you decide to enroll in Part B later on, you may have to pay a late enrollment penalty for as long as you have Part B coverage. Your monthly premium will go up 10 percent for each 12-month period you were eligible for Part B, but didn’t sign up for it, unless you qualify for a special enrollment period.

If you’re eligible at age 65, your initial enrollment period begins three months before your 65th birthday, includes the month you turn age 65, and ends three months after that birthday. However, if you don’t enroll in Medicare Part B during your initial enrollment period, you have another chance each year to sign up during a “general enrollment period” from January 1 through March 31. Your coverage begins on July 1 of the year you enroll. Click here for more information: https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10043.pdf

So yes, BUT. If he doesn't get it this time it will be 2018 before he can and July 2018 before it would go into effect. So match that with your timeline before turning it down.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

​

I probably need to check ONE MORE TIME, as I have been given conflicting advice, about whether he is automatically enrolled in Medicare, but he won't have to switch to Medicare until I stop working or we decide (when I turn 65 in 20 months) that Medicare is a better deal (and that could depend on what Trump and his minions do to it).

Just make sure...with your HR. They would be remarkably generous to pay for a policy that covers everything when all they would have to do to be good sports is pay for a secondary policy and cover 10-20% of the costs. But maybe this is one of those times when you got lucky. (You are overdue, you know.)

 

[DianaCox]

We've had an analysis done by a SS expert - he's not going to collect Social Security until I turn 66 (in August 2019). At that point, he will start to collect his SS at the enhanced rate for waiting until being nearly 68 years old (which will be about $1700/mo), and I will start collecting my spousal benefit, which will be half of his rate at 66 (or about $750/mo); I intend to continue working part time until I turn 70 (Aug 2023), at which point I'll start collecting what is currently $3600/mo, so we should be getting around $5300/mo in SS when I turn 70.

Unless Trump and his minions steal it from us.

Regarding getting part B later:

If you (or your spouse) are currently working, and you're covered by an employer or union group health plan based on that employment, ask your employer or union benefits administrator if they require you to sign up for Medicare. If the employer doesn't require you to sign up for Medicare right away, you can sign up later during a Special Enrollment Periodwithout a late enrollment penalty.
~~~
If you are age 65 or older, you or your spouse are still working and you are covered under a group health plan based on that current employment, you may not need to apply for Medicare medical insurance (Part B) at age 65. You may qualify for a "Special Enrollment Period" (SEP) that will let you sign up for Part B:

• During any month you remain covered under the group health plan and your, or your spouse's, current employment continues; or
  
  
• In the eight-month period that begins with the month after your group health plan coverage or the current employment it is based on ends, whichever comes first.
  
  Exception: If your group health plan coverage or the employment it is based on ends during your initial enrollment period for Medicare Part B, you do not qualify for a SEP. Your initial enrollment period starts three months before the month you attain age 65 and ends three months after the month you turn 65.
  
  
• If your group health plan coverage is based on severance or retirement pay and the job your coverage is based on ended in the last eight months.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

We've had an analysis done by a SS expert - he's not going to collect Social Security until I turn 66 (in August 2019). At that point, he will start to collect his SS at the enhanced rate for waiting until being nearly 68 years old (which will be about $1700/mo), and I will start collecting my spousal benefit, which will be half of his rate at 66 (or about $750/mo); I intend to continue working part time until I turn 70 (Aug 2023), at which point I'll start collecting what is currently $3600/mo, so we should be getting around $5300/mo in SS when I turn 70.

Unless Trump and his minions steal it from us.

Regarding getting part B later:

If you (or your spouse) are currently working, and you're covered by an employer or union group health plan based on that employment, ask your employer or union benefits administrator if they require you to sign up for Medicare. If the employer doesn't require you to sign up for Medicare right away, you can sign up later during a Special Enrollment Periodwithout a late enrollment penalty.
~~~
If you are age 65 or older, you or your spouse are still working and you are covered under a group health plan based on that current employment, you may not need to apply for Medicare medical insurance (Part B) at age 65. You may qualify for a "Special Enrollment Period" (SEP) that will let you sign up for Part B:

• During any month you remain covered under the group health plan and your, or your spouse's, current employment continues; or
  
  
• In the eight-month period that begins with the month after your group health plan coverage or the current employment it is based on ends, whichever comes first.
  
  Exception: If your group health plan coverage or the employment it is based on ends during your initial enrollment period for Medicare Part B, you do not qualify for a SEP. Your initial enrollment period starts three months before the month you attain age 65 and ends three months after the month you turn 65.
  
  
• If your group health plan coverage is based on severance or retirement pay and the job your coverage is based on ended in the last eight months.

A lot of latitude for employers.

It wasn't Medicare that demanded I enroll. It was his employer. The cost of our coverage is...are you sitting down?...for him and a dependent UNDER 65 is $2775.23/mo. But because I am over 65, and Medicare covers the lion's share of things, our coverage is $1968.44/mo. (Employer pays $1485. monthly toward the cost.)

But the savings is that my Medicare cuts our policy costs by $806.79/mo. I pay a hundred and something to Medicare, and the employer even reimburses that.

Mostly, I have better coverage for less money with Medicare.

Mr Sue turns 65 next November. If rates don't change, our coverage drops to <$1200./mo and the entire premium will be covered by employer. Depending on congress, of course.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

THAT was the good news.

In 2017, I turn 70 1/2. That means I must take IRA distributions...we don't need that $ right now, probably will later...and pay income tax on them.

Granted, we are making less money than when we were working, tax rate should be less, so it all worked out staying with traditional rather than Roth. But it irritates me that I have to take the distributions, because the money will disappear.

 

[DianaCox]

@Charris - where are you? I've tried to find another PCP, but so far, all I've got is a referral to someone downtown, who probably doesn't know the DS anyway - and too far!