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Medicare

Q&A: Windfall creates Medicare headache

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Dear Liz: A couple of years ago, I was forced to receive a windfall by the sale of a company in which I held stock. Besides taking a huge tax hit, I just got my Social Security estimate for 2021 in which my Medicare bill went up by 47%. This year my income will go back down to normal levels. Is there any way to convince Social Security that this was a one-time event and it shouldn’t adjust my Medicare premiums?

Answer: There’s typically a two-year lag between receiving a windfall and potentially having your Medicare premiums raised because of IRMAA (Medicare’s income-related monthly adjustment amount). You can appeal the increase if your income dropped in the meantime because of one of the following life-changing events:

Marriage
Divorce or annulment
Death of a spouse
Work stoppage
Work reduction
Loss of income-producing property (because of a disaster or other event beyond your control, not due to a sale or transfer of the property)
Loss of pension income
Employer settlement payment (due to employer’s bankruptcy or reorganization)
If any of those circumstances apply, you can call Social Security at (800) 772-1213 to arrange an interview. Alternatively, you can download form SSA-44 from the web and mail it in. You will need to provide proof of the event, such as a death certificate, divorce decree or documents from an employer.

Friday’s need-to-know money news

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Today’s top story: Financial advice that rarely fits all. Also in the news: Telehealth gets a boost among Medicare recipients in the pandemic, things to keep your holiday packages safe, and when you should transfer your credit card balance to a low-interest card.

Financial Advice That Rarely Fits All
One size doesn’t always work.

Telehealth Gets a Boost Among Medicare Recipients in Pandemic
Medicare dramatically expanded benefits for remote health care in response to COVID-19. Here’s what you need to know.

Do These Things to Keep Your Holiday Packages Safe
You can invest in a security camera or send packages to a secure location, like the post office.

Should You Transfer Your Credit Card Balance to a Low-Interest Card?
Look out for the introductory period.

Wednesday’s need-to-know money news

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Today’s top story: Grace period over? Refinance these student loans ASAP. Also in the news: smart tactics for Millennials flocking to buy life insurance, how senior insulin users may benefit from Medicare savings model, and how to stay on track with a budget calendar.

Grace Period Over? Refinance These Student Loans ASAP
New graduates shouldn’t wait to see if they can refinance their private student loans.

Smart Tactics for Millennials Flocking to Buy Life Insurance
Millennials applying for life insurance can skip medical exams, simplify the process and pay less than they expect

Insulin Users May Benefit From Medicare Senior Savings Model
Seniors with diabetes may pay less for insulin with this program, which debuts in some Medicare drug plans in 2021.

Stay on Track With a Budget Calendar
One day at a time.

Are Medicare Advantage plans worth the risk?

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About 1 in 3 people 65 and older in the U.S. enroll in Medicare Advantage, the private insurance alternative to traditional Medicare. It’s not hard to see why: Medicare Advantage plans often cover stuff that Medicare doesn’t, and most people don’t pay extra for it.

But Medicare Advantage can be more expensive if you get sick because copays and other costs can be higher, says Katy Votava, president of Goodcare.com, a health care consultant for financial advisors and consumers.

Unhappy customers who want to switch back to traditional Medicare may find they no longer qualify for the supplemental policies to help pay their medical bills, or that they would face prohibitively high premiums.

“These are complicated products,” says Votava, author of “Making the Most of Medicare.” “They’re like nothing else, no other insurance that people encounter anywhere until they get to Medicare.”

In my latest for the Associated Press, making sense of the Medicare alphabet soup.

Wednesday’s need-to-know money news

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Today’s top story: Why missing college this fall is a bad idea. Also in the news: Why you should get your finances in top shape now to refi your student loans, choosing the Medigap plan that’s right for you, and how to apply for a $1,000 grant if you’re a freelancer or gig economy worker.

Why Missing College This Fall Is a Bad Idea
You could be wasting time and money.

Get your finances in top shape now to refi your student loans
Get the best deal possible when the grace period ends.

‘Medigap’ insurance covers some Medicare costs. How to choose a plan that’s right for you
Covering some of your Medicare costs.

How to Apply for a $1,000 Grant if You’re a Freelancer or Gig Economy Worker
Apply for an EIDL.

Q&A: IRMAA is not your friend

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Dear Liz: My wife and I retired in 2019 and ran into IRMAA — Medicare’s income-related monthly adjustment amount, which increased our monthly premiums. I thought I’d done such a good job budgeting for retirement but missed this. A lot of couples have their best income years at the end of their career and then get blindsided by the cost of Medicare and the adjustment based on their previous income. I will say that the folks at the local Social Security office were very helpful, and they supplied us with forms for an exception based on our new income.

Answer: IRMAA can boost premiums substantially for singles with yearly income above $87,000 and married couples with incomes above $174,000. The increases for Medicare Part B, which covers doctor’s visits, range from $57.80 to $347 a person per month. The surcharges for Part D, which pays for prescription drugs, start at $12.20 and top out at $76.40 a person per month.

The adjustments are based on your income two years prior (so 2018 income determines 2020 premiums). You can appeal the increase if you’ve experienced a life-changing event. Retirement with a subsequent drop in income can be one such event. So can other work stoppages or reductions, marriage or divorce, the death of a spouse, loss of income-producing property or loss of pension income.

Even without IRMAA, healthcare costs can catch many newly retired people by surprise, especially if they previously had generous employer-subsidized coverage. Medicare doesn’t cover everything; it has deductibles and co-pays in addition to premiums, and excludes most vision, hearing and dental expenses.

How much you pay out of pocket depends on your health, where you live and what supplemental coverage you buy. A study by Vanguard and Mercer Health and Benefits estimated that a typical 65-year-old woman in 2018 could expect to pay $5,200, but her costs could range from $3,000 to $26,200. (The researchers say a 65-year-old man’s costs are typically about 3% lower.)