megansam

Hi All,
Has anyone out gone through the process of getting out of Medicare after returning to the UK? We are moving back permanently in a few weeks after 26 years in the USA. Both of us qualify and receive US Social Security pensions (and qualify to continue to receive them after moving back) after years of working here and of course now being over 65 are receiving Medicare. I have just been told by the Medicare folks that if we try to dis enroll in Medicare (no longer need it once back in the UK system and it does not cover overseas anyway), we will have to pay back all SS benefits and medical benefits so far received. This has come as bit of a shock and I am wondering if the advice I am being told is mistaken. Has anyone else been through this? (Of course, an option is to just keep paying the Medicare premiums routinely deducted from our SS payments but it seems so silly since we will never need Medicare again). Any prior experience to share would be appreciated, thanks all.

SanDiegogirl

Here's a link from AARP.

You disenroll via your Social Security office

https://www.aarp.org/health/medicare...edicare_5.html

Not heard about the repaying situation so can't help with that.

robin1234

I can only assume the person you talked to misunderstood your question. The answer you set out in your post is a load of nonsense.

I assume you currently have Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B. Part A is fully paid for and no further premiums are required. Part B, as you indicate, you are paying for by a deduction from your monthly SS check. I forget the exact figure, about $130 a month I think. Remember, no one is required to enroll in & pay for Pt. B. Some people just are enrolled in Pt. A (because they feel they can’t afford the Pt. B premium, or whatever.)

So, all you need to do is to instruct SS to stop taking out the Pt. B premium from your SS payment. You’ll still be enrolled in Pt. A, but so what. It costs nothing.

But are you sure you want to discontinue your Medicare? Will you be returning to the US much in the future? Just a thought.

robin1234

Just to add, I still pay my Part B every month. I do spend time in the US every year, have family in the US, and, at age 69, cannot swear that at some time in the future, won’t make the decision to return to the US to live. (I’m a dual citizen.) I’ll only discontinue my Part B payments in the future if/when I’m certain I’ll never go to America again.

Pulaski

I think it's connected to the weird rules about being a retired USC in the US and not being enrolled in Medicare - the rules are designed to punish anyone who qualifies for Medicare but does not enroll.

robin1234

The only punishment I’m aware of is the penalty for late enrollment. (Cumulative 10% per year that you weren’t enrolled.) I’m not aware of anything remotely like what the OP reports being told? I thought it sounded so bizarre, it had to be a misunderstanding or miscommunication. I could easily be wrong, though.

Pulaski

I can't remember where I read it, but it was several years ago that I think I had seen something about the arcane rules for a US resident to disengage from Medicare, and IIRC it involved a punitive payment comparable with the late enrollment penalty.

robin1234

This is one of those topics where it’s a pity the OP doesn’t come back, either with further thoughts or reactions, or with a report of another contact with the bureaucrats. Because I think we got 80% of the way to an answer, but it is looking a bit tentative still.

Anyway, my answer is - we know you can discontinue your Pt. B. There’s a simple procedure for that. And you don’t need to do anything about your Pt. A, since there’s no further payment required.