Do’s and Don’ts of Going to the
Social Security Office
Morning Toni:
I found that even when all the “i’s” are dotted and the “t’s” are crossed and the paperwork is filled out correctly that Social Security can still royally screw up.
I personally filled the paperwork for Medicare with the words in Red written across the top for the SEP because I was laid off from my company, just as you told me to do.
The Social Security folks still incorrectly entered and processed the paperwork after I left their office. It took three long telephone calls to get the information corrected, so that I wouldn’t have a Part B penalty forever.
Can you please explain the simple steps with meeting with the Social Security office? David from Spring, TX
Thank You, David:
How to navigate the rules of the local Social Security office enroll in Medicare can be confusing.
Below are basic do’s and don’ts one should follow for applying Medicare or your Social Security check:
- Do: When applying for Medicare Parts A and/or B when turning 65 and not receiving your Social Security check, one must go online at socialsecurity.gov/medicareonly at least 90 days prior to having your Medicare begin.
- Do: When applying for Medicare Parts A and/or B when past 65, a fulltime working employee and leaving company benefits. Go directly to the local Social Security office. Be sure to wait in line and process your Medicare paperwork directly with the specific Social Security office. It is not advised to place paperwork in Social Security’s inside mail boxes or put in the mail. Always meet the local Social Security agent face to face.
- Do: File a “Change of Life” form when your income has lowered because you had a change such not working or reduce hours of working, death of a spouse or divorce and are no longer make the income you made prior to enrolling in Medicare Part B. You must have Part B in place when filing a “Change of Life” form.
- Do: Talk with a Social Security customer service rep when you believe that your information has not been processed the correct way.
- Do: Talk with a Social Security supervisor when you cannot get answers to your questions because things have not been filed correctly.
- Do: Go to your area’s Congressman, if you cannot get your problem with Social Security processed correctly. Take your problem and how it has been processed to the Congressman in your area. Sign off that the Congressman’s assistants can speak for you and let the Congressman’s aide’s search deep into Social Security’s back office.
- Do: Always, always receive copies of what the Social Security’s aide has processed.
- Don’t: Give up!! If you believe someone has processed your paperwork wrong. Keep calling or go back to the local Social Security office. I have a client that filling his “Life Change Event” event form took 5 months of not giving up by going to the local Social Security office and calling various regional offices to have his problem solved…Never give up if you believe the paperwork is not processed properly.
- Don’t: Mail copies back to the Social Security office. Always go in person.
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 or to schedule a “Confused about Medicare and Social Workshop” for your organization or company lunch and learn to www.tonisays.com/ask-toni or call 832/519-TONI (8664).
