PINELLA

Good morning everyone,

I have just joined the forum and this is my first post. The keys questions are :

1. Can I buy part A and B Medicare
2. Can I opt out of Medicare part A and sign only for part B
3. If the answer to the above is yes, what would the penalty be for not enrolling for part A

My circumstances are as follows:

1. I am divorced and over 65 years
2. I am a U.S.Citizen
3. I am currently on my ex-spouses social security benefits and as a result I am receiving parts A and B Medicare
4. I have zero credits of work
5. I am hoping to get married in due course and my fiancée is non us resident (from London)
6. I have been informed by social security that if I remarry, my benefits including Medicare parts A and B will also terminate, as i am on my ex-spouses benefits.
7. I have also been informed by my local security office (4 visits with 2 different social security offices) that I cannot buy into parts A and parts B medicare as my status will drop from insured to uninsured.....
8. I have contacted Medicare, re the above, THE ANSWER i get is that i should contact my local social security administration dept.
9. On the face of it, the advice given my the social security officers is that I cannot get Medicare cover, but my research on the internet seems to suggest otherwise.

i am seeking advice from the experts on this forum as to the question...if I do remarry, can I buy Medicare part B only and opt out of Medicare plane A, as I will be spending approx 5-6 months in the UK, if I remarry. That being said, what would be the penalties for opting out of Medicare plan A, on the assumption that I can pay for the plans.

Any help would be much appreciated......

scrubbedexpat099

As A USC you qualify for Medicare, sounds like you will be paying for Part A I think it is $413 a month?

What is the plan with your marriage, are you moving to London? If he is looking to move here that strikes me as a bigger issue.

sid nv

My understanding is:

1. Can I buy part A and B Medicare <-- Yes.
2. Can I opt out of Medicare part A and sign only for part B <-- Yes.
3. If the answer to the above is yes, what would the penalty be for not enrolling for part A
There is no penalty for not enrolling for part A. But there may be a penalty for enrolling late (over age 65) in part B if you did not have equivalent coverage.

PINELLA

Thanks for your response. Currently, my plans are to spend 6-7 months in the US and the rest of time in the UK. Likewise, my future husband will spend just under 6 months in the US and return to the UK. For the avoidance of any doubt, I hold dual citizenship (US/British). At some point, he will consider moving to the US and we will be applying for a spousal visa.

The question was can I opt out of part A Medicare and buy part B only.........

PINELLA

Thank for your response.

WITH REGARDS TO QUESTION 2, YOU HAVE STATED YES, BUT ACCORDING TO LOCAL SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICE, I CANNOT BUY INTO PARTS A AND B MEDICARE. THIS IS VERY FRUSTRATING AS WHEN I CONTACTED MEDICARE DIRECT ON 1-800, I WAS REFERRED TO VISIT MY LOCAL SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICE. HOW DO I ENROLL FOR PART B AND OPT OUT OF A, IF MY SOCIAL SECURITY OFFCIE CANNOT ENROLL ME.

FOT THE RECORD, I AM CURRENTLY ON PARTS A AND B, AS I HAVE NOT REMARRIED YET, BUT THIS WILL TERMINATE AS SOON AS I REMARRY

SanDiegogirl

If you intend to spend 6 to 7 months in the US, why would you NOT want to have Part A? You could end up paying thousands of dollars if you end up in hospital.

As you would be living in the US, I doubt you'll get travel insurance with medical cover.

Nutmegger

Does your intended currently have a visa that permits him up to six months in the US?

sid nv

I don't think there is any question as to whether you can buy into Medicare parts A and B. As a US Citizen aged over 65, you are eligible for Medicare.

If you were married for over 10 years, you qualify for premium-free part A. If your marriage lasted less than 10 years, you can buy into part A.

PINELLA

I note what you have stated, but I am just exploring the options of opting out of part A, say for 4-5 years, that is until my fiancée is ready to move over to the US due to work commitments. As i be be between the 2 countries, i just wanted to be mindful for paying for part A

PINELLA

Married over 10 years, divorced and qualify under my ex-spouses social benefits to include free part A. However, if I remarry i loose those benefits including part A Medicare. Here is the crunch.. according to the social security office, if I remarry I become from insured to uninsured (no social security benefits as I have not contributed to the system and have zero work credits), and therefore cannot buy Medicare parts A and B, even if I choose to pay them directly. This is what is so confusing....hence the posts on this issue

PINELLA

Yes he has B2 Visa, therefore he can visits the US for up to six months a year. He has since 2014 been visiting the US and been spending approx 5 months on each visit without any issues.

scrubbedexpat099

The bigger numbers will be related to his eventual move.

SanDiegogirl

Your potential risk for being hospitalised and liable for huge costs is much more than the paying of Part A. Personally I would not risk being without it for 4 to 5 years.

Must say I do not understand why the SS is saying you cannot pay for Parts A and B. Even new immigrants, after 5 years of permanent residency, MAY be eligible to pay into Medicare.

What is your potential husband doing for medical insurance when he comes for 5 months at a time?

sid nv

SSA appear to make a determination on insured status which is either 'fully insured' or 'currently insured'. Presumably if you are not fully or currently insured, then you are not insured.

https://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/handbook...book-0201.html

sid nv

Linked to the wrong page earlier. Should have been
https://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/handbook...book-0200.html