Page 20 - Senior Beacon - July 2020
VISIT US ONLINE AT: SeniorBeacon.info
SOCIAL SECURITY & YOU Question: I pay my monthly premium directly to my Medicare prescription drug plan provider. Why can’t I also pay my income-related monthly adjustment amount directly to my Medicare prescription drug plan provider? Answer: By law, we must deduct your income-related monthly adjustment amount from your Social Security payments. If the amount you owe is more than the amount of your payment, or you don't get monthly payments, you will get a separate bill from another federal agency, such as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services or the Railroad Retirement Board. Read our publication, Medicare Premiums: Rules for Higher-Income Beneficiaries, for an idea of what you can expect to pay. You’ll find it at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs. Question: I am applying for Extra Help with Medicare prescription drug costs. Can state agencies help with my Medicare costs? Answer: When you file your application for Extra Help with Medicare prescription drug costs, you can start your application process for the Medicare Savings Programs — state programs that provide help with other Medicare costs. When you apply for Extra Help, Social Security will send information to your state unless you tell us not to on the application. Your state will contact
you to help you apply for a Medicare Savings Program. Learn more about how Social Security can provide Extra Help with your Medicare prescription drug costs by visiting www.socialsecurity.gov/prescriptionhelp. Question: If I have a question about my Medicare bill, who should I contact? Answer: First, contact your provider. If you are unable to get your question answered or the problem resolved, then contact 1-800 MEDICARE (1800-633-4227). For more information about Medicare benefits, visit www.medicare.gov. Question: I need to make changes to my Medicare prescription drug coverage. When can I do that? Answer: Open season for Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage runs from October 15 to December 7. The Medicare Part D prescription drug program is available to all Medicare beneficiaries. Joining a Medicare prescription drug plan is voluntary and participants pay an additional monthly premium. If you are considering changing your plan, you might want to revisit the Application for Extra Help with Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Costs. If you have limited resources and income, you may also be eligible for Extra Help to pay monthly premiums, annual deductibles, and prescription co-pay-
ments. Extra Help is estimated to be worth about $4,000 per year. To find out more, visit www.socialsecurity.gov/prescriptionhelp. For more information about the Medicare prescription drug program itself, visit www.medicare. gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227; TTY 1-877-486-2048). Question: I applied for Medicare benefits last week. How can I check the status of my application? Answer: You can check the status at our secure website, secure.ssa.gov/apps6z/IAPS/applicationStatus, but you must wait five days from the date you originally filed. You will need to enter your Social Security number and the confirmation number you received when you filed your application. Your application status also shows the date that we received your application, any requests for additional documents, the address of the office processing your application, and whether a decision has been made about your benefits. If you are unable to check your status online, you can call us at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Question: I will rely on Medicare when I retire. Can you explain the different parts of Medicare? Answer: The different parts of Medicare cover your specific needs. There are four parts, all of which work in tandem to deliver healthcare services. • Part A (hospital insurance): Hospital insurance helps pay for inpatient care in a hospital or skilled nursing facility (following a hospital stay), some home health care, and hospice care. • Part B (medical insurance): Medical insurance helps pay for doctors’ services and many other medical services and supplies that hospital insurance doesn’t cover. • Part C (Medicare Advantage plans): If you have Medicare Parts A and B, you can join a Medicare Advantage plan. Private companies offer Medicare Advantage plans which are approved by Medicare. These plans generally help you pay the medical costs not covered by Medicare Part A and B. • Part D (prescription drug coverage): Prescription drug coverage helps pay for medications