Wellness

[151949]

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@nyc1 wrote:

If you enroll for Medicare at your 65th birthday, but still plan to work for several more years,  how does that work?   Do you have Medicare but are actually insured through your employer as long as you're working?  Thanks.

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If you are insured at work and don't want medicare yet you can just get the part A - which is free and wait to sign up for part B - the part you pay for. If you want to go ahead and get A&B then I would think your health ins. would work like a supplement. You can call SS and ask them about it.

[Mmsfoxxie]

@nyc1, in my case, I received my Medicare part A card at age 65 but applied for Medicare part B (the one that you pay for) when I retired at age 68.  Prior to retirement, I had full medical insurance from my employer.

[Mmsfoxxie]

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@Mmsfoxxie wrote:

@nyc1, in my case, I received my Medicare part A card at age 65 but applied for Medicare part B (the one that you pay for) when I retired at age 68.  Prior to retirement, I had full medical insurance from my employer.

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I couldn't edit my post to add that you should call the department of aging in your state and get the most correct answers about this and other questions related to aging.

[BLH]

Part A pays the hospitals and Part B pays the doctors.

[SeaMaiden]

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@151949 wrote:

If you retire on disability you can get medicare before 65 - two years after your disability claim is approved. Otherwise , yes, you must be 65. If you retire before 65 then you could either go on COBRA - very expensive - from your employer or go to the Health marketplace thru Obamacare.It is illegal to be without health insurance since the ACA , you must show proof of insurance when you file your income taxes now.

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yes. I  was offered after my disability was approved. I am 60. I declined it as I have a great medical insurance through my husband right now. They would have taken another $189 out of my disability check for the medicare. I will reinstate it later  when I feel I need it.  No need to have two insurance.

[Nightowlz]

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@Caligurll wrote:

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@Nightowlz wrote:

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@Q4u wrote:

You are eligable to get Social Security at 62 but many opt not to get in for a few years because their payments will be larger if they wait.

Medicare is a health program for Seniors and everyone is eligible at 65 (no earlier), but you have to enroll.  As stated it doesn't automatically start  but the eligibility to enroll starts at 65.  It will cover approx 80% of health expenses and most everyone tries to get a supplemental insurance plan to cover the 20% that Medicare does not cover.

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How far in advance before turning 65 do you enroll? DH is sick of working. I want him to retire at 62 because I want to move. We don't want to pay for expensive health ins until we both turn 65. When the time comes I will have to do my homework on supplemental ins.

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@Nightowlz

You can apply 3 months before your 65th birthday.  It becomes effective the month you turn 65, at the beginning of that month.  It takes about 5-10 minutes to apply online, and within 3 weeks you get your Medicare card.  I was surprised at how quick and easy the whoe application process is.

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Thx for the info. I was just curious how it worked. I guess we still have several years before we are eligble. So many things can change by then.

[Nightowlz]

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@151949 wrote:

If you retire on disability you can get medicare before 65 - two years after your disability claim is approved. Otherwise , yes, you must be 65. If you retire before 65 then you could either go on COBRA - very expensive - from your employer or go to the Health marketplace thru Obamacare.It is illegal to be without health insurance since the ACA , you must show proof of insurance when you file your income taxes now.

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Well we won't be paying Cobra rip-off prices. If the Obamacare is expensive we won't be buying that either. If we have to do without until we reach 65 that's what we will probably do. I know you have to show proof on your taxes but we won't have proof if we don't have it. What are they going to do come pick us up & throw us in jail? I think not. I have 2 brothers & a sister that don't have health ins. 1 is on disability the other 2 are not. I also know several people that don't have health ins. I figure if the republicans take over next you Obamacare will go bye bye.

[Nightowlz]

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@dancingwoman wrote:

I started getting my SS last year at 64...I got a letter last month from Medicare (and a Medicare card) saying that I was automatically enrolled because I'm already collecting SS...and that in July...my bday month they will start taking Medicare premiums out of my SS....DW

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That's good to know. Maybe they just don't want people to know you can get on it earlier. 

[Nightowlz]

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@maestra wrote:

@I am retiring @ 63 and we will have to COBRA until I can get on Medicare.

Yes, it's expensive, but I like my oncologists and specialists.

We'll see, perhaps we may go on ACA. We're not sure what will happen w/a new administration and/or changes in ACA.

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I think if the republicans take over the Obamacare will go bye bye. No way would I pay Cobra prices.

[Nightowlz]

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@Ms X wrote:

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@151949 wrote:

If you retire on disability you can get medicare before 65 - two years after your disability claim is approved. Otherwise , yes, you must be 65. If you retire before 65 then you could either go on COBRA - very expensive - from your employer or go to the Health marketplace thru Obamacare.It is illegal to be without health insurance since the ACA , you must show proof of insurance when you file your income taxes now.

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I just wanted to clarify something.  You don't need to go through the ObamaCare exchanges.  Another option is to buy directly from the insurers.  If you qualify for a subsidy, I think you must go through the exchanges.

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I guess the subsidy is for low income people so no we would not qualify. We have never qualified for any of those entitled benefits. I doubt I would pay the price they want if we went direct. We will just have to be uninsured for several years.