If you are nearing retirement, you could fall prey to common misconceptions about Medicare.
And that can lead to costly errors.
“Medicare is very complicated and confusing,” said Diane J. Omdahl, co-founder and president of 65 Incorporated, a provider of Medicare software and consulting services. “The people who are turning 65 are at the biggest risk for making mistakes.”
These issues are increasingly common as more people continue working past age 65. The labor force participation rate is expected to grow fastest for individuals ages 65 to 74 and 75 and older through the year 2024, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Age 65 generally marks a key decision point for Medicare coverage.
The first mistake people make is missing that deadline, said Katy Votava, president and founder of Goodcare.com, a health care consulting firm. That is because many people think their full retirement age according to the Social Security Administration is their Medicare deadline.
For those who were born between 1943 and 1954, full retirement age is 66, according to the Social Security Administration. But the age when you typically must sign up for Medicare is 65.
You have up until you are age 65 and four months to make a decision. After that, you could face late enrollment penalties depending on your situation.
“Read the meter when you’re 64,” Votava said. “Do your homework, check, double check and sort it out so when you turn 65 you have a game plan.”
If you failed to sign up for Medicare when you should have, there is a general enrollment period every year when you can still get in, provided you are eligible. The good news is that general enrollment period, which runs from January to March, is happening now. If you sign up, your coverage begins in July.
“Now is the time to stop the bleeding” if you do need to sign up, Votava said. “You will still have a penalty, but your penalty won’t get any bigger.”
Be the first to comment