A. No, as long as you follow Medicare’s rules. Almost anybody who is retired but has group health coverage from the employer of a spouse who is still working does not need to sign up for Medicare Part B on reaching 65.
What happens to my health insurance when my spouse goes on Medicare?
If your health insurance coverage comes through your spouse’s job, you may lose that coverage when he or she retires and goes on Medicare. Not so long ago, this was a scary and expensive prospect, but things have changed.
Should my older spouse enroll in Medicare Part A or Part B?
If your older spouse is covered by your employer health insurance, they may want to enroll only in premium-free Medicare Part A until you retire or your employer coverage ends. Part B—along with its premium—can be added later without penalty during a Special Enrollment Period as long as your employer provides creditable coverage.
How do I sign up for Medicare Part B If I already?
How do I sign up for Medicare Part B if I already have Part A? If you are already enrolled in Medicare Part A and you would like to enroll in Part B under the Special Enrollment Period (SEP), you can apply online at Apply for Medicare Part B Online during a Special Enrollment Period.
Do I need to sign up for Medicare if I’m already covered?
If you’ve recently become eligible for Medicare, but you’re already covered through your spouse’s health insurance, do you need to sign up? Medicare Part A is free for most people, and it doesn’t hurt to enroll even with other coverage.
Can I get Medicare Part B through my spouse?
The answer is no. Medicare is individual insurance, so spouses cannot be on the same Medicare plan together.
Can you add Medicare Part B at any time?
You can sign up for Medicare Part B at any time that you have coverage through current or active employment. Or you can sign up for Medicare during the eight-month Special Enrollment Period that starts when your employer or union group coverage ends or you stop working (whichever happens first).
How does my wife sign up for Medicare?
Online (at Social Security) – It's the easiest and fastest way to sign up and get any financial help you may need. (You'll need to create your secure my Social Security account to sign up for Medicare or apply for benefits.) Call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213. TTY users can call 1-800-325-0778.
How do I add Medicare Part B?
Most people get Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) when they turn 65....There are 3 ways you can sign up:Fill out a short form, and send it to your local Social Security office.Call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213. TTY users can call 1-800-325-0778.Contact your local Social Security office.
How do I add Part B to my Medicare online?
To do this, you can complete form CMS-40B (Application for Enrollment in Medicare – Part B [Medical Insurance]) and CMS-L564 (Request for Employment Information) online.
What documents do I need to apply for Medicare?
What documents do I need to enroll in Medicare?your Social Security number.your date and place of birth.your citizenship status.the name and Social Security number of your current spouse and any former spouses.the date and place of any marriages or divorces you've had.More items...
Can I sign my husband up for Medicare?
The short answer? Yes. As a married couple, you've probably done everything together for quite some time. So it makes sense that you'd like to find out if you and your spouse can sign up for Medicare together.
How do I add my partner to Medicare?
Medicare online account help - Add someone to your Medicare cardStep 1: sign in.Step 2: before you start.Step 3: tell us who you're inviting.Step 4: confirm or update your address.Step 5: confirm or update your bank details.Step 6: review and submit.Step 7: you've created an invite code.Step 8: sign out.
How does Medicare work for married couples?
Medicare has no family plans, meaning that you and your spouse must enroll for Medicare benefits separately. This also means husbands, wives, spouses and partners pay separate Medicare premiums.
When should I apply for Medicare Part B?
Part B (Medical Insurance) Generally, you're first eligible to sign up for Part A and Part B starting 3 months before you turn 65 and ending 3 months after the month you turn 65. (You may be eligible for Medicare earlier, if you get disability benefits from Social Security or the Railroad Retirement Board.)
Can I get Medicare Part B for free?
While Medicare Part A – which covers hospital care – is free for most enrollees, Part B – which covers doctor visits, diagnostics, and preventive care – charges participants a premium. Those premiums are a burden for many seniors, but here's how you can pay less for them.
What is the special enrollment period for Medicare Part B?
What is the Medicare Part B special enrollment period (SEP)? The Medicare Part B SEP allows you to delay taking Part B if you have coverage through your own or a spouse's current job. You usually have 8 months from when employment ends to enroll in Part B.
What happens if you delay Medicare benefits?
By delaying Medicare benefits, you won’t have a primary insurer, and what you pay out-of-pocket will be high. In companies with more than 20 employees: Your employer becomes the primary insurer, with Medicare coverage second.
When does group insurance change?
Sometimes Group Insurance Changes When You Become Eligible for Medicare. Even if you know that your employer will be the primary insurer, take a look at your benefits. Sometimes they change when you become eligible for Medicare. Read over your group coverage benefits to see how they work once you or your spouse turn 65.
What percentage of employers allow spouses to enroll in their own insurance?
However, only 86 percent of those employers allow spouses to enroll if they have access to coverage from their own employer. And of those employers, 13 percent charge a higher premium for spouses who have access to their own employer’s coverage. And this approach has been gaining popularity among employers.
Is it legal to have a spouse with ACA?
A. Yes, it is legal. The ACA requires employers with 50 or more workers to offer coverage to employees and their children (until age 26), but not spouses. But according to the Kaiser Family Foundation’s annual survey of employer-sponsored coverage, 95 percent of employers that offer health benefits extend that offer to employees’ spouses.
Enrolling in Medicare at 65
If you want to enroll when you are turning 65, you can enroll in Medicare Parts A & B, Part D prescription drug coverage or a Medicare Advantage (Part C) plan. You can also look at adding a Medicare supplement insurance plan to Original Medicare (Parts A & B) to help with the out-of-pocket costs of Medicare.
Enrolling in Medicare Part A at 65
Many people who are covered by a spouse’s employer plan choose to either wait to enroll until they lose their spouse’s employer coverage or choose to only enroll in Part A since Part A usually has no premium.
Delaying Medicare Enrollment
Just because you are turning 65, doesn’t necessarily mean you have to get Medicare right now. If you decide that waiting to enroll in Medicare is the best option both financially and in terms of healthcare coverage for you, just follow Medicare’s rules, and you’ll avoid enrollment penalties when you do enroll.
When Would I Enroll If I Delay or Only Take Part A?
If you are able to delay enrolling in either all or part of Medicare, you will have a Special Enrollment Period of eight months that begins when the employer coverage is lost or when your spouse retires. During this time, you’ll be able to enroll in Medicare Parts A & B. You can also enroll in a Part D prescription drug plan.
Medicare Made Clear
Medicare Made Clear is brought to you by UnitedHealthcare to help make understanding Medicare easier. Click here to take advantage of more helpful tools and resources from Medicare Made Clear including downloadable worksheets and guides.
Medicare Made Clear
Whether you're just starting out with Medicare, need to brush up on the facts, or are helping a loved one, start your journey here.
When do spouses have to enroll in Medicare?
Check whether your spouse’s employer plan requires you, as a covered dependent, to enroll in Medicare when you turn 65. Some plans — notably the military’s TriCare-for-Life coverage and health benefits provided by an employer with fewer than 20 employees — automatically become secondary to Medicare when an enrollee becomes entitled to Medicare.
How long after Medicare Part B enrollment can I buy a Medigap policy?
In addition, during the six months following Part B enrollment, you have a guaranteed right to buy a Medigap policy, also known as Medicare Supplement Insurance. After six months , Medigap providers can deny to sell you a plan, or can alter your premiums, based on preexisting conditions.
How to disenroll in Social Security?
You'll need to fill out a CMS-1763 form (pdf) and submit it to SSA. A personal interview with a Social Security representative is also required to disenroll; call 800-772-1213 or contact your local SSA office to arrange one.
How long does a spouse have to sign up for a new employer?
This period lasts for up to eight months after employer coverage comes to an end.
What happens if you don't have Medicare?
In this case, if you’re not enrolled in Medicare, you would receive almost no coverage from the employer plan. If you are not married but living in a domestic partnership and you are covered by your partner's health insurance at work, you should enroll in Part A and Part B during your initial enrollment period at age 65 to avoid late penalties. ...
When can I enroll in Medicare Part A?
You can enroll in Part A (hospital insurance) during your seven-month initial enrollment period around your 65th birthday. It won’t cost you anything — there are no premiums for Part A if you’re entitled to Medicare — but it provides an opportunity to tell the Social Security Administration (SSA), which handles Medicare enrollment, ...
Do I have to sign up for Medicare if I'm 65?
No, as long as you follow Medicare’s rules. Almost anybody who is retired but has group health coverage from the employer of a spouse who is still working does not need to sign up for Medicare Part B on reaching 65.
Signing up for Medicare might make sense even if you have private insurance
Jeffrey M. Green has over 40 years of experience in the financial industry. He has written dozens of articles on investing, stocks, ETFs, asset management, cryptocurrency, insurance, and more.
How Medicare Works
Before diving into how Medicare works with your existing health coverage, it’s helpful to understand how it works on its own. Medicare has four main parts: A, B, C, and D. You can also purchase Medicare supplement insurance, known as Medigap.
Medicare Enrollment Periods
Medicare has a few enrollment periods, but the initial enrollment period may be the most important. This is when you first become eligible for Medicare. And if you miss the deadline to sign up for Parts B and D, you could face expensive penalties .
How Medicare Works If You Have Private Insurance
If you have private insurance, you may want to sign up for Parts A, B, D—and possibly a Medicare Advantage plan (Part C) and Medigap, once you become eligible. Or not. There are reasons both for and against. Consider how the following types of coverage work with Medicare to help you decide.
Primary and Secondary Payers
Your Medicare and private insurance benefits are coordinated, which means they work together. Typically, a primary payer will pay insurance claims first (up to plan limits) and a secondary payer will only kick in for costs not covered by the primary payer.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
No, you can delay signing up for Medicare without penalty, as long as you are covered by another type of private insurance. Generally, if you are eligible for premium-free Part A, you should still sign up for it, even if you have additional private insurance coverage. 18
What happens if you have both health insurance and one turns 65?
If you both are covered by your employer health insurance, and one of you turns 65, you’ll have decisions to make about Medicare. In this case, it will depend on the employer and their rules around covered dependents of Medicare age.
How old do you have to be to get Medicare Part A?
You must be at least 62 years old and eligible for Social Security benefits before your spouse can enroll, because his or her qualification is based on your work record.
What is Medicare Made Clear?
Medicare Made Clear is brought to you by UnitedHealthcare to help make understanding Medicare easier. Click here to take advantage of more helpful tools and resources from Medicare Made Clear including downloadable worksheets and guides.
Why is there no Medicare premium?
There’s no premium for it because your Medicare tax dollars go into the hospital insurance trust fund, which then finances Medicare Part A benefits for eligible individuals.
Can my spouse get cobra insurance?
Your employer may offer COBRA coverage for your spouse if you retire. Your spouse may choose to buy individual health insurance until he or she turns 65.
Can a spouse and spouse have Medicare?
The answer is no. Medicare is individual insurance, so spouses cannot be on the same Medicare plan together. Now, if your spouse is eligible for Medicare, then he or she can get their own Medicare plan. But, what’s interesting is that there are some things to think about in regards to your non-working spouse and Medicare.