Social Security question

[papa95641]

My wife is about to have her SSDI changed to SSI because she is turning 66 and legal age for retirement. She is on a work related disability and also has Medicare related to her disability. 

When the Social Security Dept. does the conversion, what happens to her Medicare? Will she be able to keep it? If so, will it cost more? 

[GailL1]

@papa95641 

You asked:  

When the Social Security Dept. does the conversion, what happens to her Medicare? Will she be able to keep it? If so, will it cost more? 

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Most likely nothing will change BUT when she turned 65 years old (the age when most people go on Medicare) - some other choice options may have opened up for her.  

In many states, those less than 65 years old cannot get a Medigap policy (Medicare supplemental policy) - so until they reach the age of 65, their only choice in a Medicare Advantage plan until they reach age 65.  

At that time, it is kind of like a do-over in their Medicare choice - even if they have had Medicare for many years due to their SSDI disability.  At that age of 65, they can pick their Medicare choices just like they are a new enrollee.

This may or may not apply to her cause it depends on the state as to the availability of all or limited Medicare choices before age 65.

However, now that she is turning 66, this may be a mute point anyway because their are timing restrictions based on her 65th birthday.  But if you are thinking this might benefit her (a Medigap plan with traditional Medicare) and she missed it - I would start filing a complaint - they should have notified her around her 65th birthday.

I came back to add to your last question on Medicare:  Will it cost her more?

Most likely it will not but that depends on her income - If before her SS conversion from SSDI to SS Old Age Retirement she had Medicare and Medicaid or some other extra help - and this amount stays the same and there is no other income added - it will stay as is - meaning that she will continue to pay her Part B premiums just like the majority of us do.

To answer you more specifically you will have to tell us what she had before generally.

[fffred]

@papa95641 

hi papa, I think your post may be seen more in the dedicated Social Security forum (https://community.aarp.org/t5/Social-Security/bd-p/bf17). 

I have only passing familiarity with SSDI and SSI. My understanding is that SSI is not directly related to SSDI (the work-related disability). SSI is "Supplemental Social Insurance" and while it is administered by the Social Security Administration it is not paid for through the Social Security system and payroll taxes, it is funded separately. Thus I don't think your wife will get converted to SSI but she will have her benefit converted to her retirement benefit (SS sometimes calls this the "old age insurance" benefit).

This AARP article discusses what transpires when someone is receiving SSDI and they attain their full retirement age (sometimes called "normal retirement age"), see https://www.aarp.org/retirement/social-security/questions-answers/disability-benefits-retirement-age...

My understanding is that the SSDI benefits are the same as what the retirement benefit would be, for the given wage history at the time of the disability; the article mentions the equivalency of the benefits though not how they are determined. So your wife's benefit should remain the same, although it will be the retirement benefit, not the disability benefit.

Medicare normally comes in at age 65 so she should continue on with it. This assumes that she had the required number of work quarters to be eligible for Medicare. On the other hand, can she get Medicare benefits based on your own SS benefit and wage history (normally this is the case)?

Good luck!