Medicare-returning to US

[TonyC273807]

I have lived outside the US since 2008. I started drawing full SS benefits in about 2012. I have Medicare Part A, but there was no reason to get Part B. I plan on returning to the US, at least temporarily, in 2023. One purpose will be to get a health assessment since I don't have comprehensive medical coverage where I live.    Can anybody advise me about coverage and the best way to do this? I'll be 76 years old when I return.   Thank you.   Tony

[GailL1]

OH, WHY, OH, WHY Did you not get Part B when 1st eligible ESPECIALLY if you were planning to come back to the states.?  Part B premiums pay for 25% of the Part B total cost of the program each year - it's insurance - you pay premiums for it regardless of whether or not you use it in any given year.  You cannot just sign up for it after this long of time and not have to pay your dues.

You maybe in for a big ($$$$$) surprise when you sign up for Part B since you are WAY LATE signing up for Part B.  There is gonna be a hefty Part B late sign-up penalty.

Medicare.gov - When Does Medicare Coverage Start

Medicare.gov Part B late enrrollment penalty

In fact, you may want to go ahead and sign up to avoid even MORE Part B late sign-up penalty.

Then there is the Part D they you will also have to get (and there will be more late sign-up penalty there too).

What Does Medicare Cost?

In fact, you may want to give Medicare a call and get the actual premium cost (including penalty) to see if you really want to even use it or even come back.  

If you do want it, you may need to talk to Medicare about when to start the process and your effective date cause it is probably gonna take awhile to get it set up since it will involve going back and calculating the penalty from year to year.  

AARP.org - How Much is the late Enrollment Penalty for Part B

The Balance - Current and Past Medicare Part B Premiums

This link will give you the standard Part B premiums through the years - the penalty is cummulative.

Sorry - It is what it is -

[TonyC273807]

The problem is that I never expected to return to the US. If I had signed up at the time it was first available, I would have been paying 10 years, so far, for nothing. I had heard, and I don't know where or when, that if you were out of the country continuously since you were eligible, you could enroll with no penalty. So, I'll check and see what I can do and what I have available. Every day I face que será, será situations. This is just another. 

[GailL1]

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@TonyC273807 wrote:

The problem is that I never expected to return to the US. If I had signed up at the time it was first available, I would have been paying 10 years, so far, for nothing. I had heard, and I don't know where or when, that if you were out of the country continuously since you were eligible, you could enroll with no penalty. So, I'll check and see what I can do and what I have available. Every day I face que será, será situations. This is just another. 

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Then I guess you can now pay some of those 10 years of savings back to the program - that's what the late sign up premium penalty attempts to do.  Many seniors might not use Part B for many years or just a minimum amount yet they have to pay the premiums month after month.  

That's what insurance is - it is a share and share alike program - Part B is the Supplemental Medical Insurance (SMI) part of Medicare; the other part, which you have is Medicare Part A or Hospital Insurance (HI).  Each of these have their own Trust Fund where monies go in and then are paid out. 

You paid for Part A during your working years when you paid payroll taxes, matched by your employer.  Work long enough and you get Part A premium free - I assume that is your case.  

Part B does not have any other funding mechanisms than premiums paid by beneficiaries (25% of the cost of Part B) = 75% from the government out of the General Fund.

Then let us know what you find out about being exempt from the Part B late sign-up premium penalty - never heard of any such thing.    Why would they give such an exemption?

[TonyC273807]

What you say certainly makes sense. I was talking to my son this morning, and he said his mom was able to enroll in Part B well after she started SS benefits. I've got a friend in the US who has said she would contact Medicare directly and see if she can get a definitive answer. I will post what I find out.

[GailL1]

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@TonyC273807 wrote:

. . . . . I was talking to my son this morning, and he said his mom was able to enroll in Part B well after she started SS benefits.

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Oh, there is at least one way - if the person was still working and had employer coverage.  

Medicare.gov - Working Past 65

[TonyC273807]

Possibly. I want to work at something, just not sure what's available if you're 75 (yeah I know, no age discrimination in the US). I've done ESL where I am for 14 years and EFL in the US for a couple years before, so that's a possibility. I'm checking into those options now.