I have a client who is planning on going on a mission for their church and will be out of the country for 18 months. Their intention is to drop Part B because it offers no coverage and then pick it up when they return. With that being said, if their new Part B effective date is 18 months later when they return, are they going to get the ability to enroll in any coverage they want without health questions, just as if they were first eligible?
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They'll get an LEP for the lapse and will have to wait to enroll in B during GEP of Jan. 1 to Mar. 31 with a July 1 start. The lifetime LEP will be assessed even for the months after their return while unable to get B. I believe they will get a new OE when B resumes, so no underwriting on med supp.
They may want to consider keeping B, get a zero premium MA if available. Avoids the penalty, gives them emergency coverage while out of the country and immediate coverage on return. I'm not sure, however, whether an extended trip would count as moving out of service area. I don't believe it does.
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Actually, if they are going on a Mormon mission, the church has health coverage that they can buy that is creditable. If they elect the insurance, they can drop part B and pick it up again as a loss of coverage SEP and start all over. I had a client that successfully did this a few years ago. If they do not elect that insurance, penalties and enrollment restrictions apply.
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Thanks Cindy. That is what I was thinking, but had never dealt with that before despite the majority of my clients being L.D.S. They do plan to take the church's coverage. I wasn't sure how it all worked if they left the country.
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It really works as I explained. I was shocked that CMS accepted the policy as creditable coverage, but they did and my clients were happily reinstated.
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