Toni:
Your name was given to my husband by the person who cleans our pool and religiously reads your column in his local newspaper.
My problem is a different than most couples because now I am finding out that my company’s group health plan is not paying for any Medicare Part B medical expenses because my husband who is really a domestic partner because we have been together for over 25 years but never officially married. Richard is 72 and I am a 58 year old female who now has to learn the maze of Medicare.
Richard has serious health issues with 2 stents in his heart and a recent back surgery, which is now costing us thousands of dollars because my company’s group health plan is not paying for his doctor’s care. Richard has never enrolled in Medicare Part B because I have always been the “working spouse”. Now I am discovering that the Cigna group health plan (the company’s self administered group health plan) does not recognize “domestic partners” as a married couple because we do not have a marriage license.
Now he needs to enroll in Medicare Part B and with him being 72 if he doesn’t do this correctly the penalty will be over 7 years and from what I have read in your articles is that this could be 70 or 80% penalty forever. The bottom line is …We need HELP!! Thank You Gabby from the Katy area
Gabby:
This needs to be a rush job! Richard needs Medicare Part B immediately!
This is a new question that I had never thought about and everyone needs to know the rules of Medicare regarding delaying Medicare Part B, when there is an unmarried domestic partner situation (same sex or opposite sex) and they receive health insurance through their partner’s employer.
Always discuss delaying your domestic partner’s Medicare Part B with your company’s health insurance benefits administrator or HR department about what is in the company’s handbook regarding unmarried domestic spouse Medicare rules.
Gabby you are in the middle of the maze of Medicare!
The size of the group makes a difference. When there are under 100 employees on your unmarried spouse’s group health insurance plan, you should generally not delay the non-working domestic partner or common law spouse’s Part B. When there are over 100 employees, then consult your benefits or HR department about if your domestic partner can delay their Medicare Part B without receiving a late penalty when they need to enroll in Medicare Part B at a later date.
I have written about the Special Enrollment Period and having the Social Security for titled “Request for Employment Information” filled out by your HR or office manager. This has to be done ASAP and Richard could have his Medicare Part B with an effective date of September 1, but Richard will have to take the form down to your local Social Security office, meet with a Social Security agent in person and get copies of everything.
Don’t just give them the form or mail it to Social Security or put it in the drop box! There are no do-overs with Medicare or Social Security!
Confused about Medicare Workshop are beginning Tuesday September 13th in Friendswood. Check the Toni Says website at www.tonisays.com for a Medicare/Social Security workshop in your area. Please RSVP 832/519-8664.
Toni King, author of the new Medicare Survival Guide®, which is a simple guide that puts Medicare in “people” terms, is on sale at www.tonisays.com Email questions to info@tonisays.com or call 832/519-TONI (8664).
