Enrollment confusion

[jack3454]

Ok Im thoroughly confused at the Medicare enrollment timelines. Is this all correct? Looking for a little guidance here please.

1. You have your turning 65 enrollment, which is 3 months before, month of, and three months after you turn 65, so 7 months to enroll in medicare if you dont have group coverage.

2. Then you have a medigap enrollment period, which is 6 months long and starts when you turn 65. Is this 6 months ONLY when you turn 65? Or is it also 6 months if you delay part B and then sign up for Part B?

3. Then you have 8 months to enroll in medicare after you leave work if you delayed part B because of staying on work insurance. (So You can go without insurance for up to 8 entire months if you wanted to and not be penalized??)

BUT

4. If you sign up for Part B after you leave work after delaying part B, you only have 63 days to enroll in a Part D plan??

Is this all correct? If so, it makes no sense. Why would you have 8 months to enroll in Medicare after leaving work without penalty, but only 2 months to enroll in a Part D plan?


5. Also, what does Tricare have to do with Medicare enrollment? It says there is a special enrollment period that lasts 12 months if yo have tricare? So someone can delay enrolling in Medicare if they have tricare and then have 12 months to do it??

 

[TwoCents]

Medicare is full of dates that don't line up like your #3 and #4.

Where are you seeing the Tricare info?

 

[LostDollar]

Ok Im thoroughly confused at the Medicare enrollment timelines. Is this all correct? Looking for a little guidance here please.

2. Then you have a medigap enrollment period, which is 6 months long and starts when you turn 65. Is this 6 months ONLY when you turn 65? Or is it also 6 months if you delay part B and then sign up for Part B?

The best time to buy a Medigap policy is during your Medigap Open Enrollment
Period. This period lasts for 6 months and begins on the first day of the month
you’re both 65 or older and enrolled in Medicare Part B.

Caveat, I am NOT an insurance agent

Page 14
https://www.medicare.gov/publications/02110-medigap-guide-health-insurance.pdf

 

[LostDollar]

Ok Im thoroughly confused at the Medicare enrollment timelines. Is this all correct? Looking for a little guidance here please.

1. You have your turning 65 enrollment, which is 3 months before, month of, and three months after you turn 65, so 7 months to enroll in medicare if you dont have group coverage.

Caveat, I am NOT an insurance agent.

The Medicare Initial Enrollment Period is based on when you turn 65.

Waiting to do a Part B Medicare enrollment based on employment past age 65 leads to a Special Enrollment Period for Part B.

https://www.medicare.gov/basics/get-started-with-medicare/sign-up/when-does-medicare-coverage-start

 

[LostDollar]

You also need to get a clear understanding of Cobra coverage and its relationship to both Part B coverage and Part D coverage.

 

[rmhaire]

No such thing as a medigap enrollment period. An IEP is the same for both OM and MA.

You can enroll in a medigap/supplement year round. The IEP is the period that doesn't require health questions.

 

[jack3454]

Medicare is full of dates that don't line up like your #3 and #4.

Where are you seeing the Tricare info?

The tricare info was on Medicare.gov website

https://www.medicare.gov/basics/get-started-with-medicare/sign-up/when-does-medicare-coverage-start

 

[jack3454]

Caveat, I am NOT an insurance agent.

The Medicare Initial Enrollment Period is based on when you turn 65.

Waiting to do a Part B Medicare enrollment based on employment past age 65 leads to a Special Enrollment Period for Part B.

https://www.medicare.gov/basics/get-started-with-medicare/sign-up/when-does-medicare-coverage-start

Thank you for the links, I’ll need to read these this weekend. I can imagine how confused non-agents are!

 

[jack3454]

No such thing as a medigap enrollment period. An IEP is the same for both OM and MA.

You can enroll in a medigap/supplement year round. The IEP is the period that doesn't require health questions.

But if someone has a special enrollment after delaying part b, they then have a second 6 month chance to get a supplement without health questions then?

 

[rmhaire]

But if someone has a special enrollment after delaying part b, they then have a second 6 month chance to get a supplement without health questions then?

Not exactly.

With supplements, everything revolves around part B. You can have part A and the biggest 65th birthday anyone has ever seen. Doesn't matter. No part B no supplement.

You can have a client that turns 65 and buys a supplement. A year later he drops or loses his part B. (Usually for non payment) He can reapply in January or January 5 years from now. He'll be re-enrolled with an effective date of 7/1. He then gets a 3 month period that he can apply for another supplement with no health questions. Not six months.

With supplements, everything revolves around part b.

And FYI. None of the above is found in Medicare rules and regulations. It's a company thing. No supplement company asks how many supplements you've applied for. They treat it as a first time situation.