Applying for Medicare Part B through Manila FBU

[Bubbha]

I am a few months away from eligibility for Medicare. I plan to apply for Part B through the Federal Benefits Unit (FBU) at the US Embassy in Manila.

 

I have not started taking Social Security benefits yet - so will need to set up payments for Part B.

 

Anyone done this before (Part B w/o SS benefits start)?  Thanks....

[Balance]

 I did it about 8 years ago through the Manila folks but I was on SS and had already had Part B and was reinstating it.  The payments were deducted from my SS benefits. 

 

Without the payment coming from SS benefits, I am pretty sure the payment would have to come from a direct U.S. bank transfer.  I believe the FBU can do that but you would have to give them your routing info and your account number and I  am not sure they would want the responsibility.  Bank wire transfers and pulls from your account, not pushes, which means that someone would have to have a PoA to deal with SS.

 

The FBU can do it all if you start start taking your SS benefits.  

 

 

[nigelforbes]

Is that useable insurance here in Thailand or is it only States side?

[retiree]

Same situation.   I set up a quarterly auto-pay system via my US bank because I wasn't collecting SS yet.  Medicare has its own monthly debit system, but it was more paperwork to set up.  I also get a bill here in Bangkok from the Manila office that invariably arrives right around the due date, after I've already paid it via the US bank.   They do allow a lot of slack if your payment is late, though. 

 

And no, only usable in the US. 

-- Retiree 

[Dickp]

I have a like problem, my wife turn 65 and 2 months before she did we register her though Manila. The problem was she could not receive SS payments because had only lived in the USA 3 1/2 years before I retired from the USAF overseas in England.  I came directly to Bangkok spend 90 on leave a here and retired here. I work with SS in Manila and was able to set up a automatic withdrawal from my Credit Union to pay for her Medicare part B, SS  pull's the funds from our account, we do nothing worked the last 14 years, which is required in order to be covered by Tricare overseas medical insurance plan overseas.  Found it unfair that her time being overseas with me on government orders did not count for the 5 years need  living in the USA before covered by Medicare  part B. 

[ifmu]

my one experience with the jo's at manila ssa

 

i started contacting them early and still took 6 months to finish   this was before c19

 

[wwest5829]

18 hours ago, nigelforbes said:

Is that useable insurance here in Thailand or is it only States side?

Earned Medicare for retired civilians is useable only on US territory (Guam is the closest). Earned military retired are globally covered through Tricare but they also are required to pay the monthly Part B premiums.

[Bubbha]

18 hours ago, retiree said:

Same situation.   I set up a quarterly auto-pay system via my US bank because I wasn't collecting SS yet.   

Hi - was the quarterly payment system established via the FBU office in Manila?  

[retiree]

1 hour ago, Bubbha said:

was the quarterly payment system established via the FBU office in Manila?  

Medicare bills every quarter from the start:  From their site:  You get a bill from Medicare every 3 months to pay your premiums.   I pay this from my bank just like an ordinary bill payment.   Fyi, I just logged on to my account at medicare.gov -- it says:

 

We sent your October bill on 09/28/2022 in the amount of $476.60. Your October bill covers your Medicare premiums through January 2023.Your payment is due on 10/25/2022.

 

 

That bill will probably arrive in the mail very close to the due date, but I will have paid it by then. 

-- Retiree