When to Sign Up for Medicare

It's important to know the deadlines for when to sign up for Medicare.
It’s important to know the deadlines for when to sign up for Medicare.

It’s important to know the deadlines for when to sign up for Medicare and the penalties that can be imposed for late enrollment.

Here are the important dates for Medicare enrollment:

  • You can initially enroll in Medicare during the seven-month period that begins three months before you turn 65.
  • If you continue to work past 65, sign up for Medicare within eight months of leaving the job or group health plan or penalties apply.
  • The six-month Medicare Supplement Insurance enrollment period starts when you’re 65 or older and enrolled in Medicare Part B.
  • You can make changes to your Medicare coverage during the annual open enrollment period, from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7.
  • Medicare Advantage Plan participants can move to another plan from January 1 to March 31 each year.

Medicare Parts A and B Deadline. Individuals who are getting Social Security benefits, may be automatically enrolled in Parts A and B, and coverage starts the month they turn 65. However, those who haven’t claimed Social Security must proactively enroll in Medicare. You can first sign up for Medicare Part A hospital insurance and Medicare Part B medical insurance during the seven months that starts three months before the month you turn 65. Your coverage can start as soon as the first day of the month you turn 65, or the first day of the prior month, if your birthday falls on the first of the month. If you fail to enroll in Medicare during the initial enrollment period, you can sign up during the general enrollment period between January 1 and March 31 each year for coverage that will begin July 1. Note that you might be charged a late enrollment penalty when your benefit begins. Monthly Part B premiums increase by 10% for each 12-month period you delay signing up for Medicare, after becoming eligible for benefits.

If you or your spouse are still working after age 65 for an employer that provides group health insurance, you must enroll in Medicare within eight months of leaving the job or the coverage ending to avoid the penalty.

Medicare Part D Deadline. Part D prescription drug coverage has the same initial enrollment period of the seven months around your 65th birthday as Medicare Parts A and B, but the penalty is different. It’s calculated by multiplying 1% of the “national base beneficiary premium” ($32.74 in 2020) by the number of months you didn’t have prescription drug coverage after Medicare eligibility and rounding to the nearest 10 cents. That’s added to the Medicare Part D plan that you choose each year. As the national base beneficiary premium increases, your penalty also goes up.

Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan Deadline. These plans can be used to pay for some of Medicare’s cost-sharing requirements and some services that traditional Medicare doesn’t cover. The enrollment period is different than the other parts of Medicare. It is a six-month period that starts when you’re 65 or older and enrolled in Medicare Part B. During this open enrollment period, private health insurance companies must sell you a Medicare Supplement Insurance plan, regardless of your health conditions. After this enrollment period, insurance companies can use medical underwriting to decide how much to charge for the policy and can even reject you. If you miss the open enrollment period, you’re no longer guaranteed the ability to buy a Medicare Supplement Insurance plan without underwriting, or you could be charged significantly more, if you have any health conditions.

Medicare Open Enrollment Deadline. You can make changes to your Medicare coverage during the annual open enrollment period from October 15 to December 7. During this period, you can move to a new Medicare Part D prescription drug plan, join a Medicare Advantage Plan, or stop a Medicare Advantage Plan and return to original Medicare. Changes take effect on January 1 of the following year.

Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Deadline. Participants can move to another plan or drop their Medicare Advantage Plan and return to original Medicare, including purchasing a Medicare Part D plan, from January 1 to March 31 each year. You can only make one change each year during this period, and the new plan will begin on the first of the month after your request is received.

Reference: Yahoo News (July 27, 2020) “Medicare Enrollment Deadlines You Shouldn’t Miss”

 

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Medicare Basics: What to Know

Many clients who are retiring or suffering job loss face key decisions about their healthcare. These Medicare basics will help make those decisions.

Medicare is a commonly misunderstood government benefit.  With so many baby-boomers retiring and especially with the impact of COVID-19 on the economy, many clients are faced with important decisions on their healthcare.  For that reason, I wanted to cover some Medicare basics to help readers understand these issues.

If you’re 65 or older and lose your job, you can keep your employer-based health insurance under a federal law known as COBRA. However, it also could be more expensive. In addition, COBRA coverage isn’t qualifying insurance in place of Medicare, and if you miss some deadlines for enrolling in Medicare without having the right coverage, you could pay life-lasting penalties, explains CNBC’s recent article entitled “What to know about getting Medicare if you are 65 or older and lost your job.”

Another critical Medicare basic is that Medicare isn’t free. However, if you find yourself currently with no employer-based insurance, it may be your best option. There are also ways to lower your costs, if your income has dropped a lot.

Provided that you have at least a 10-year work history, you’ll have no premiums to pay for Medicare Part A, which covers hospital stays, skilled nursing, hospice and certain home health services. If you don’t satisfy the eligibility requirements for it being premium-free, you could pay up to $458 per month for coverage. Either way, Part A’s deductible is $1,408 per benefit period, with some caps on benefits.

Part B covers outpatient care and medical supplies. It has a standard monthly premium of $144.60 in 2020, but higher earners pay more. There is also a $198 deductible in 2020. Once you meet the deductible, you’ll typically pay 20% of covered services. You are allowed eight months to sign up for Part B, once you lose workplace coverage.

You can get a standalone plan to have with original Medicare, or you can get an Advantage Plan (Part C). These plans are offered by private insurance companies and typically include prescription drug coverage. If you select this, your Parts A and B benefits will be delivered via the insurer offering the plan (which may or may not have a premium).

A Part D drug plan covers prescriptions. The average cost for this coverage in 2020 is roughly $42 a month, but high earners pay extra for their premiums. The maximum deductible for Part D is $435 in 2020.

If you already have Part A and are enrolling in Part B because of a job loss, there is a form that you and your ex-employer should complete to avoid late-enrollment penalties, by making certain that you had qualifying coverage during the period of time you were eligible for Part B but weren’t enrolled.

Another important issue of Medicare basics is what Medicare excludes from cover.  Consider how you’ll pay for items like dental work, routine vision, or hearing care. It also excludes long term care, cosmetic procedures and overseas medical care.  Clients often mistaken the skilled nursing facility rehab component of Medicare with long term care insurance, so see here for more detail on that.  https://galligan-law.com/long-term-care-whats-it-all-about/ 

Seniors frequently use original Medicare and a supplemental policy (“Medigap”) to help cover out-of-pocket costs, such as deductibles and coinsurance. Medigap policies are standardized, regardless of which insurance company sells them and your location. However, the premiums can differ from insurer to insurer and among locations. Therefore, it is critical that you know the differences you may see when evaluating your options. Look at a carrier’s premium rating system, its claims history and its customer service ratings.

If you go with an Advantage Plan, dental and vision coverage may be included. Note that these plans have their own copays, deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums.

Reference: CNBC (June 26, 2020) “What to know about getting Medicare if you are 65 or older and lost your job”

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Different Kinds of Powers of Attorney

Many people know they should have a Will, but Powers of Attorney (POAs) may be even more important because they assist you during your lifetime.

Many people recognize they should have a Will.  But, in many situations, the most important planning document may be a well-drafted power of attorney as described in The Miami News-Record’s recent article entitled “Power of attorney options match different circumstances.”

When a person can’t make his or her own decisions because of health, injury, or other circumstances, a power of attorney (POA) is essential. A POA is implemented to help their loved ones make important decisions on their behalf. It helps guide decision-making, enhances comfort and provides the best care for those who can’t ask for it themselves. A POA permits the named individual to manage their affairs.  Unlike a Will, the client themselves are at risk if they don’t have a POA.

To know which type of POA is appropriate for a given circumstance, you should know about each one and how they can offer help. Now, keep in mind there more different kinds of powers of attorney than what I discuss here, but these apply to virtually everyone at some point.

Durable Financial Power of Attorney. This is the most common and is the default for most planning. These give a person decision making authority limited to the powers provided in it.  The term “durable” means that it continues to be in effect when you are incapacitated.

Some of the key issues to determine are whether you give the agent the ability to make gifts, including to whom they can gift, the ability to change beneficiary designations, change your estate planning documents and other issues.

Springing Power of Attorney. One key issue of the POA is when it starts.  For example, it can be effective immediately upon the execution of the documents, or it can start once the POA creator becomes incapacitated.  This is a “springing” power of attorney because it “springs” into action upon the event of incapacitated.   Some people may not feel comfortable granting someone else power of attorney, while they’re healthy. This POA takes effect only upon a specified event, condition, or date.

Medical Power of Attorney. Especially in a hospice setting, it permits another person to make medical decisions on the patient’s behalf, if they lose the ability to communicate. This includes decisions about treatment. In this situation, the agent takes the role of patient advocate and communicates with the physicians.

Limited Power of Attorney. This POA provides the agent with the authority to handle financial, investment and banking issues. It’s usually used for one-time transactions, when the principal is unable to complete them due to incapacitation, illness, or other commitments.  The most obvious example is a limited POA for real estate transactions.

Powers of attorney are far more complex and important than people realize, and the law changes on them frequently.  There are many other reasons to update your estate plan as well such as described here https://galligan-law.com/twelve-reasons-to-update-your-estate-plan/   If you don’t have this document, ask a qualified elder law or estate planning attorney to help you create one.

Reference: The Miami (OK) News-Record (July 7, 2020) “Power of attorney options match different circumstances”

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