Among Friends

[BunSnoop]

10 weeks ago I applied online for Medicare Part B through a Special Enrollment application for my husband.

As I heard nothing after about 7 weeks I called and the person I spoke to said he would see if he could "bump it up".

I called again again a few weeks later and that person said he "completed" the application and I should receive something in the mail in 7 - 14 days confirming Part B coverage.

I called again and was told when the other person "completed it", it still needs to be reviewed by a supervisor - allow at least another week.

IF it gets completed within the next couple of weeks, the process took about 3 months.  When I checked on line as to how long it takes Medicare to process the application it mentions about 2 - 8 weeks.

Just curious, has anyone else had an experience similar to mine with about a 3 month timeframe to get an application for Medicare Part B through a special enrollment finalized?  Thanks!

[NicksmomESQ]

  @BunSnoop  My DH & I both applied via telephone appointment at the same time.He enrolled through the SEP. DH was  told he had to fax certain documents to confirm he had credible coverage.The next day he got his employer to complete the forms & faxed them to SS. 
 
 We got an acceptance letters in the mail 4 weeks later. However, we checked our online SS accounts after 3 weeks & saw that our applications for Part B were approved.

 If you don't hear anything soon,I would go down to your local office. Make an appointment first, so you get sufficient time to work out any issues.

[wagirl]

OMG------I have been going thru the grueling process of getting my Medicare part B reduced---I found out at the end of last year that it would be going up about $400 a month as I earned $135,000 in 2021!!! WHAT????!!!! I did???!!!!  Not according to my income taxes that I filed----so I had to submit all sorts of records of proof that I didn't ---still hasn't been resolved. Going on 6 months now--got some of the records back but nothing yet about any reduction. And I do call,  but wait almost an hour each time and get the---we will send you something in the mail---spiel. But I will get refunded for the difference--that's something--just don't know when!!

[hckynutjohn]

I have dealt with the IRS/SS, and Medicare. The IRS acts quickly depending on the direction. SS was pretty simple for me also. Medicare has been different and I think it depends on Inbound versus Outbound.

hckynut 🇺🇸

[Josmad]

I'm in a Medicare group on Facebook and they are saying that It is averaging about 90 days to process part B applications.

[Nightowlz]

DH did both of ours online. He had to answer questions at first to identify himself. It came up with it's not correct but it was correct. He called a number to get it fixed. The guy he talked to said it always does that. He finished it online from there.  He said it took around 7 weeks. 

[happilyretiredgirl]

@BunSnoop I had always heard you needed to apply for medicare at least 3 months prior to turning 65 for Part A .  It took that long for me when I applied and when I decided to retire I also applied 3 months prior for Part B.  It took 3 months for both Part A and Part B to be conpleted for me and my husband when we applied.  

[patbz]

@wagirl: Call your Congressman, he/she can expedite this at this point( taking too long).

[wagirl]

@patbz ---really??? Never heard of that----also got the ---we are short staffed and we lost a couple of our staff ---spiel too. and I'm sure that is a thing since the pandemic really screwed up the system. Will think about it tho---

[BunSnoop]

Thank you @Josmad.  It makes me feel slightly better the timeframe of 90 days is also what others are experiencing.  I keep worrying that maybe something is wrong with ours and it perhaps got "stuck" in their system.