Adding Medicare B to Medicare for COB

[Guest guest]

Have a patient who has Medicare A only

and whose COB will end 8/31/08 (he has BCBS of Pennsylvania) so he will need to make sure he also

has Medicare B by 9/1/08.

·

Does this scenario count

as a “special enrollment period” as outlined below (so no B

penalty?)

·

Can he wait to add the B

this summer (which is what his dialysis plans)?

or

·

does he need to make

sure to apply for B by the end of March 2008 so it is active July 2008?

When a

Special Enrollment Period Can Occur

If you didn’t

take Medicare Part B when you were first eligible because you or your spouse

were working and had group health plan coverage through your or your

spouse’s employer or union, you can sign up for Medicare Part B during a Special Enrollment Period. You can sign up:

-- Anytime you are still covered

by the employer or union group health plan through your or your spouse’s current or active employment,

-- or during the 8 months following the month the employer or union group

health plan coverage ends,

--or when the employment ends (whichever is first).

-- If you are disabled and working (or you have coverage from a working family

member), the Special Enrollment Period rules also apply

Thanks so much!

Daryl Battin, LICSW

Financial

Coordinator/Social Worker

Lahey Clinic -- Kidney

Transplant

41 Mall Road

Burlington, MA 01805

Phone: /

FAX:

See our web page at http://www.lahey.org for a full directory of Lahey sites, staff, services and career opportunities.

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