Canadian Duals - Avoiding PDP LEP

[DS4]

Forget the Part D LEP.
My bigger worry would be if they have to pay the +10%/month penalty for enrolling late in Part B at age 65. Generally, only Employer Group Health Plans will qualify for the waiver of the +10%. They are over 65, US cits, lived in a foreign country, and, not eligible for SS benefits???
Do they both already have their Medicare id cards?
Or, did they both just apply?

 

[LostDollar]

now I see the basis for ds4's concern.

I was wrong with a previous comment and deleted it.

Medicare is not included in reciprocal social security arrangements.

https://www.ssa.gov/international/Agreement_Pamphlets/documents/Canada.pdf

Page 10:

Although the agreement between the United States and Canada and the understanding between the United States and Quebec allows the Social Security Administration to count your CPP or QPP credits to help you qualify for U.S. retirement, disability or survivors benefits, the agreement does not cover Medicare benefits. As a result, we cannot count your credits in Canada or Quebec to establish entitlement to free Medicare hospital insurance.

 

[Markthebroker]

Canadian Duals

Violence is never the answer.

 

[somarco]

Forget the Part D LEP.
My bigger worry would be if they have to pay the +10%/month penalty for enrolling late in Part B at age 65. Generally, only Employer Group Health Plans will qualify for the waiver of the +10%. They are over 65, US cits, lived in a foreign country, and, not eligible for SS benefits???
Do they both already have their Medicare id cards?
Or, did they both just apply?

You just keep on hitting me against the head.

They enrolled in A & B before I talked to them. Applied a while ago direct with SSA by phone. Husband (and perhaps wife too) lived and worked in the states long enough (40 quarters) to qualify for Medicare.

Both are SSA/Medicare eligible but I don't know the circumstances.

They are both dual citizens but don't know much about her history. His son has been working on this, gathering information since last May. They have been on my site at least 2x, got a Medigap quote, but never entered a valid phone or responded to email.

He also watched several of my YT videos.

Then popped up again this weekend and wanted to talk this AM. He has his Medicare card. Wife approved but has not received card yet. Something about delay in her application due to name change several years ago.

He has been collecting all the information to get things processed with SSA. We were on the phone about 45 minutes this AM. He peppered me with questions about Medigap, how Part D works, donut hole, etc.

I don't know how long they have lived in Canada but were there when they turned 65. Might have been working for a US company with Canadian offices. I have run into that before.

If there is a Part B LEP I would think (hope) SSA would have mentioned it.

Any more zingers?

 

[somarco]

Violence is never the answer.

 

[DS4]

If there is a Part B LEP I would think (hope) SSA would have mentioned it.

Any more zingers?

You would think Social Security would say something if the +10% penalty applied.
Zingers? Keep in mind, in all my years, I have never seen this situation. Even my younger brother, 37+ years had never seen it either.
I appreciate you keeping my skills sharp.

 

[somarco]

You would think Social Security would say something if the +10% penalty applied.
Zingers? Keep in mind, in all my years, I have never seen this situation. Even my younger brother, 37+ years had never seen it either.
I appreciate you keeping my skills sharp.

Yes, you would think SSA would alert them, unless there is some kind of secret escape clause no one but SSA knows about.

I picked up a client last year with US/UK dual citizenship. He lived here when he turned 65 and enrolled in A & B. A few years later moved back to the UK, kept A but dropped B.

When his health deteriorated he relocated to the US, enrolled in B during the GEP, and contacted me in the spring prior to B starting July 1. He was glad (and able) to pay the B penalty and the Medigap premium.

His OOP for premium was more than the $0 paid in the UK but access to care was a significant step up over NHS.

Since his SSA dealings was before contacting me I don't know the details of the process other than he said it was complicated and time consuming. Had to get paperwork for him and wife before SSA would process and approve them. Wife's name change was the only detail but that is a problem here without the added complication of dealing with two different countries and who knows what else.

Thanks for your help as well as others who chipped in.