Medicare part B opting out

chic

chic

SF VIP
Location
U.S.
I received a notice from soc sec in December regarding Medicare cuz I'm turning that age this year. They asked me if I wanted Medicare part B and I wrote no and had my signature witnessed as required. Yesterday I received a letter TELLING me how much Medicare part B would cost me and that they would start charging me in 30 days after I sent back the card and told them no.

Does soc sec always give people trouble about this? Now, I'll have to write and inform them, again, I do not want Medicare part B. It's still a free country isn't it? I have the right to refuse.
 

Yes you do have a right to refuse. I assume you have good reason for not wanting medicare B. I only mention this because I opted out of getting medicare part D and as time goes on I regret my decision. So far so good but medication costs can wipe a person out.
At the time I guess I thought I was invincible.
 
They are pulling this crap on everyone.
Last year, I got notices that said I am eligible for Part B. NO mention of the cost. I didn't want it, so I ignored the letter.
Later, they started to subtract it from my social security. I raised hell with them; I had to sit on the phone on hold for over an hour; they figure people won't bother & just pay it. One moron at SS told me "Part B is required." I told her, "You're either a liar or just really stupid; get me your supervisor or someone who isn't brain dead." (she was probably trained to say that). A supervisor came on & said it was NOT required & she pretended not to know how I was signed up for Part B.
By the time they cleared it up & verified that I didn't sign up for part B, they already took $400.00 out of my check.
I filed an appeal & they had to pay it back to me.

Much like those magazine publishers that send you a subscription you didn't ask for, then send you bills.
 
win231 said:
They are pulling this crap on everyone.
Last year, I got notices that said I am eligible for Part B. NO mention of the cost. I didn't want it, so I ignored the letter.
Later, they started to subtract it from my social security. I raised hell with them; I had to sit on the phone on hold for over an hour; they figure people won't bother & just pay it. One moron at SS told me "Part B is required." I told her, "You're either a liar or just really stupid; get me your supervisor or someone who isn't brain dead." (she was probably trained to say that). A supervisor came on & said it was NOT required & she pretended not to know how I was signed up for Part B.
By the time they cleared it up & verified that I didn't sign up for part B, they already took $400.00 out of my check.
I filed an appeal & they had to pay it back to me.

Much like those magazine publishers that send you a subscription you didn't ask for, then send you bills.
Click to expand...

Sorry for that experience. So glad they reimbursed you. I did my homework on the Medicare thing and opted out of B in plenty of time doing all the right things and things they require, and then they go and hit me with this! Now it's going to cost me time to tell them again before I start getting charged for something I don't want anyway. It's very frustrating.

Does anyone know why they try to make you believe Medicare part B is not optional?
 
Hmmm. It appears that one can opt out of Medicare Part B, as stated above.

But I should mention that, when I needed an operation, the cost without Medicare Part B would have been $34,000 just for the operating theater. With Part B, the total cost was something like $150, including everything. (We don't remember exactly.)
 
twinkles said:
i didnt sign up for part b when i turned 65--i had to pay a penalty for 7 years because i did not sign up
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I also didn't sign up for Part B when I turned 65 .... when I finally signed up about 4 years later, I got higher premiums as a result.
I think they get you one way or the other!

If I was to do over, I would have just signed on at 65.
 
Devi said:
Hmmm. It appears that one can opt out of Medicare Part B, as stated above.

But I should mention that, when I needed an operation, the cost without Medicare Part B would have been $34,000 just for the operating theater. With Part B, the total cost was something like $150, including everything. (We don't remember exactly.)
Click to expand...
Part A covers hospitalization. Part B covers outpatient Dr. visits.
 
Bonnie said:
My reason .... and although I plan to stay that way, it just makes sense to have the reassurance of a backup in case.
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Not if you prefer to pay cash for doctor visits - as I do. I don't see a doctor often enough to make Part B a good choice.
 
chic said:
Sorry for that experience. So glad they reimbursed you. I did my homework on the Medicare thing and opted out of B in plenty of time doing all the right things and things they require, and then they go and hit me with this! Now it's going to cost me time to tell them again before I start getting charged for something I don't want anyway. It's very frustrating.

Does anyone know why they try to make you believe Medicare part B is not optional?
Click to expand...
You'll have to be on hold for an hour & also be assertive when they lie to you & say Part B is required.
 
chic said:
Sorry for that experience. So glad they reimbursed you. I did my homework on the Medicare thing and opted out of B in plenty of time doing all the right things and things they require, and then they go and hit me with this! Now it's going to cost me time to tell them again before I start getting charged for something I don't want anyway. It's very frustrating.

Does anyone know why they try to make you believe Medicare part B is not optional?
Click to expand...
Money.
 
I would carefully study the coverage before refusing Part B. Part A covers hospitalization ONLY, so if you have an emergency room visit and are not admitted to the hospital, Part A does not pay for it. Though I am relatively healthy I recently had heart "PVCs" (irregular heartbeat) and needed to see a cardiologist and have several outpatient tests. Without Part B it would have cost many thousands of dollars (to find out that my heart is fine. :rolleyes:)
 
C'est Moi said:
I would carefully study the coverage before refusing Part B. Part A covers hospitalization ONLY, so if you have an emergency room visit and are not admitted to the hospital, Part A does not pay for it. Though I am relatively healthy I recently had heart "PVCs" (irregular heartbeat) and needed to see a cardiologist and have several outpatient tests. Without Part B it would have cost many thousands of dollars (to find out that my heart is fine. :rolleyes:)
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MediCal paid for my 2 ER visits. (I only have Medicare Plan A). I was going to pay for them & a hospital administrator had me fill out paperwork for MediCal. They covered it retroactively.
 
>>I have no idea what "MediCal" is. >>

That's the program name for Medicaid in the state of California. Many states use proprietary names, since they pay 50% of the funding and are responsible for all administration.
 
Lethe200 said:
>>I have no idea what "MediCal" is. >>

That's the program name for Medicaid in the state of California. Many states use proprietary names, since they pay 50% of the funding and are responsible for all administration.
Click to expand...
Oh, Medicaid. I'm not familiar with that. Thanks.
 

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