Medicare B App, SS Office Refused Biz Owner's Sig for Ending Group Plan SEP

[yorkriver1]

The owner's wife called me, took Medicare B app to SS office, was turned down because her husband, the business owner, signed the part for employer coverage ending. He has a disbanding group at the company he owns.
The SS office said they needed the signature of the real owner, or in some way has informed the wife that his signature was not enough.
If he is the owner of the business and negotiates the plan with the insurance carrier, who else could they possibly need to sign?
Other ones I have been involved with were fine, with someone in "employee benefits".
I really don't have time to go with them, and I have to do this one well due to our relationship/referrals, etc.
Anyone have a feel for how to make this only one more trip? I am relatively new at this process, only have been involved in 3 of these Part B apps so far.

 

[Stephen]

The owner's wife called me, took Medicare B app to SS office, was turned down because her husband, the business owner, signed the part for employer coverage ending. He has a disbanding group at the company he owns.
The SS office said they needed the signature of the real owner, or in some way has informed the wife that his signature was not enough.
If he is the owner of the business and negotiates the plan with the insurance carrier, who else could they possibly need to sign?
Other ones I have been involved with were fine, with someone in "employee benefits".
I really don't have time to go with them, and I have to do this one well due to our relationship/referrals, etc.
Anyone have a feel for how to make this only one more trip? I am relatively new at this process, only have been involved in 3 of these Part B apps so far.

Call the local office, explain the situation, and ask for guidance. They may need additional documentation showing that he is authorized to sign as the employer.

 

[Tampa Bay Rep]

Stephen's advise is the best way to go. Best to get what can get done over the phone by asking for their advise on the best way to handle this situation before taking the time to make a trip to their offices.

 

[somarco]

Might take a letter from the carrier attesting that the group plan is terminating.

 

[yorkriver1]

All good suggestions. There doesn't seem to be a phone number for the local office I can easily get my hands on, but I will check around. They list the toll free general SS.gov phone number online, while showing the local office address.

 

[yogooglethis]

The owner's wife called me, took Medicare B app to SS office, was turned down because her husband, the business owner, signed the part for employer coverage ending. He has a disbanding group at the company he owns.
The SS office said they needed the signature of the real owner, or in some way has informed the wife that his signature was not enough.
If he is the owner of the business and negotiates the plan with the insurance carrier, who else could they possibly need to sign?
Other ones I have been involved with were fine, with someone in "employee benefits".
I really don't have time to go with them, and I have to do this one well due to our relationship/referrals, etc.
Anyone have a feel for how to make this only one more trip? I am relatively new at this process, only have been involved in 3 of these Part B apps so far.

I believe to be eligible for this SEP you must be a w2 employee whether you work for someone else or you are a w2 paid employee of corporation in which you own and are paid as an employee for your duties as an Officer in the corporation i.e. CEO and also the qualifying coverage must meet the definition of GHP:


http://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Guidance/Manuals/Downloads/msp105c01.pdf



GHP (Group Health Plan) - The term "GHP" means any arrangement of, or contributed to by, one or more employers or employee organizations to provide health benefits or medical care directly or indirectly to current or former employees, the employer, others associated or formerly associated with the employer in a business relationship, or their families. An arrangement by more than one employer is considered to be a single plan if it provides for common administration of the health benefits (e.g., by the employers directly or by a benefit administrator or by a multi-employer trust or by an insuring organization under a contract or contracts).
A plan that does not have any employees or former employees as enrollees (e.g., a plan for self-employed persons only) does not meet the definition of a GHP and Medicare is not secondary to it.

 

[yorkriver1]

I am set to talk their tax people this week on another matter, and can discuss the ownership/employee status if that is relevant.
It is a small group plan ending creating a SEP, not seen any exceptions that would apply here. Thanks for the link, very tall weeds on claims situations, but you never know what will come along.