U.S.A. Topic: Approaching age 65 so therefore it's Medicare time

[cmarshall]

43 minutes ago, taxout said:

"So, if you get sick or just decide to move back to the US, then you go back and sign up within sixty days for whatever Medicare programs you want and you are covered."

 

This is plain wrong and dangerously bad advice to other posters here.

 

First, if you don't take and pay for Part B when you turn 65, then on returning to the U.S. and enrolling at a later time you will pay the penalty and you will wait for it to take effect, with the wait possibly over a year.

 

Second, the 60-day grace period for returning expats does NOT apply to Medigap. It only applies to Medicare Advantage and Part D.

 

I was assuming that the expat did maintain Part B while abroad.  I should have specified that.  Basically, anyone who thinks that there is any chance that he may return to live in the US should maintain Part B.

 

Do you have a source for your claim that the returning expat's Special Enrollment Period (who does have Parts A and B coverage) does not provide access to Medigap?  What I do find is that Medigap will only pay a claim within sixty days of leaving the US, which would exclude the other poster's strategy.  

 

This excerpt from medicare.gov suggests that the returning expat could, during his Special Enrollment Period, buy a Medicare Advantage policy which purchase would then give him rights to buy a Medigap policy.

 

 

https://www.medicare.gov/sign-up-change-plans/when-can-i-join-a-health-or-drug-plan/special-circumstances-special-enrollment-periods

 

Basically, maintaining only Parts A and B while living abroad and then taking full advantage of your Special Enrollment Period when you return to live in the US, is that best that we can legally do.  Cheating the system in the way the other poster recommends breaks rules or laws and wastes money buying coverage before you can benefit from it.

Edited May 2, 2021 by cmarshall

[taxout]

I'm not going to argue with you on this point. I know the rules. There may be back-door methods to get a Medigap policy bootstrapping through MA when you return to the States but you have no guaranteed right to apply for a Medigap policy as a returning expat.

 

As to whether you can enroll in Medigap while resident in the U.S. then keep it when you move overseas, I do not know the definitive rule. I do know though that others explicitly advise you can do this, but only with Medigap not MA or Part D.

 

https://medicareusa.com/resources/do-you-lose-medicare-if-you-move-out-of-the-country

[keemapoot]

On 5/2/2021 at 10:23 AM, cmarshall said:

 

Did you inform Medicare via the Social Security Administration that your current address is now in Thailand as required?

 

A returning expat has his own Special Enrollment Period which applies to all Medicare-related products EXCEPT Part A and B for which he would have wait for the standard SEP period to come around.  Perhaps that's what you did.

 

Since you are eligible to sign up for Medigap during your own sixty-day SEP without penalties and without exclusions when you have returned to the US as long as you already have Part B, what benefit do imagine you are getting by paying the premiums now?  

 

You are giving out bad information here.

 

I will not be paying any premiums for Part B or medigap until and unless I return to the US. My situation is somewhat unique in that I continue to work past 65, and have not yet started drawing my social security, but Social security has my current address as I am in communication with them. I'm not giving out bad information - either you didn't understand my situation, or I wasn't clear.

[DJ54]

Apologies if in wrong section .. please move if needed. 

I sent a email to FBU Manila to apply for US Social Security.

 

They’ve replied with time and date for phone interview 

6 weeks out. US Citizen 67 years not applied prior. Living

in NE Thailand 5+ years

 

- Is that standard length of time for an appointment? 

- What does the interview consist of ?

- What should I prepare fir the interview 

 

Thanks 

 

[taxout]

No big deal. Maybe 10 minutes. I was asked to confirm where I was working maybe 30 years ago, presumably to verify my identity. Will also confirm when you want payments to start.

[Rhys]

...at 65 SS sent the Medicare Part A card to my address here in LOS, then the form for PART B...   Actually impressed they sent the card about 2week post birthday.

[orchidlady]

EXCEPTION: People living overseas that have proof of registration in a national health insurance system in their country of residence (Thai social security insurance, for example) will not be subject to any penalties under any Medicare/Medigap plans if they join up when they move back, 60 days time period also for those under this exception.

 

I am covered under the Thai SS system so I will just need to provide proof.  Unfortunately Thai SS stopped sending out cards to foreigners, years ago, only new entrants get a card.  So all I have as proof at the moment is a barely readable 6 year old piece of paper, my last ID when I changed hospitals. Efforts to request an actual card saying it was lost and other excuses by me and a Thai friend have been met with not necessary, any hospital here can access your number. I have Thai papers covering my switch to self pay under sec 39, but will worry about this when I eventually go home in a few years.

[taxout]

From POMS, the SSA bible:

 

Consider health plans in countries that have national health plans (also called Universal Healthcare) to meet the definition of a GHP for purposes of the SEP and premium surcharge rollback. 

 

A beneficiary (or a spouse) requesting an SEP or premium surcharge rollback who worked in a country with a national health plan must provide evidence of employment and evidence of coverage under the national health plan.

 

Evidence of employment includes statements from the employer, income tax returns, pay statements, or any other verification of employment.

 

Evidence of coverage under the national health plan may be in any form as long as it is from an official source (e.g., statement from the employer or the plan, income tax returns) and clearly reflects that the beneficiary has or had coverage under the national health plan.

 

https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0600805295

 

Has SSA explicitly recognized the Thai system as a qualifying national health plan?

Edited May 8, 2021 by taxout