Medicare help: I need to lower my IRMAA

[Anonymous]

I turned 65 and happily applied for Medicare! I'm IN and felt positively European! I kept my husband's BCBS insurance because you can't have too much insurance, right?
Well, many providers (mammogram, for example) used the BCBS as my primary insurance and Medicare was irrelevant. I regret signing up.
And then I lost my job, and I've exhausted unemployment insurance. My income is $0.00.
But Medicare is using my income from two years ago (why do they do that) so my IRMAA is over $700! I don't have that!
I filed the required form (SSA-44) but the bills keep coming.
Please help. I'm thinking of quitting Medicare but people say there are penalties. To think I wanted Medicare for all!

[Anonymous]

You appeal the increase with your valid reason of losing the job and its coverage and you will be reimbursed for the increase once they approve the appeal. Stay on Medicare. This is very common.

[Anonymous]

Make sure you notify every provider before you are treated that Medicare is Primary and bcbs secondary. It’s their responsibility to submit the forms correctly to Medicare for reimbursement.

As far as IRMAA, I started at $185/ month and now it’s something like $295. I also submitted an Appeal but have not heard back. I figure it was denied so keep paying the higher amount.

[Anonymous]

I planned to retire at 60 (or work part time at a fun job or volunteer a lot) but I did not anticipate the very high cost of health insurance for me and my son for crappy exchange plans with high deductibles! Wen I lost me job, cobra was also very expensive so I reluctantly went back to work, at least until I can get cobra to carry me to 65. My son takes an expensive prescription drug so he can't get his own half-decent health insurance to cover his meds, but my new employer generously pays most of the high cost!

[Anonymous]

Have you called or looked online to check the status of the appeal?

[Anonymous]

If you don’t fix the billing hierarchy with BCBS, and you are finally able to correct it, BCBS will claw back every cent from providers are you will be charged by these providers, who eill not resend the bills to Medicare. $$$$ - nightmare. Just went through this.

Get on that stat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Make sure you notify every provider before you are treated that Medicare is Primary and bcbs secondary. It’s their responsibility to submit the forms correctly to Medicare for reimbursement.

As far as IRMAA, I started at $185/ month and now it’s something like $295. I also submitted an Appeal but have not heard back. I figure it was denied so keep paying the higher amount.

If her husband is still working and she’s under his plan, BC will continue to be primary, yes?

[Anonymous]

Appeal. Spouse retired, and they were looking at prior year income. Took a couple months, but it's finally straightened out

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Make sure you notify every provider before you are treated that Medicare is Primary and bcbs secondary. It’s their responsibility to submit the forms correctly to Medicare for reimbursement.

As far as IRMAA, I started at $185/ month and now it’s something like $295. I also submitted an Appeal but have not heard back. I figure it was denied so keep paying the higher amount.

If her husband is still working and she’s under his plan, BC will continue to be primary, yes?

If he is still working, I think she can choose:
“1. Can I Delay Medicare?
Yes, if you are covered by a spouse’s active employment plan (not COBRA or retiree coverage) and the company has 20 or more employees, you can generally delay enrolling in Medicare Part B without penalties.”

[Anonymous]

You need to do your homework OP. It's called being an adult!

Why didn't you CHECK before you had double insurance hiw that would work???????