Rules for Enrolling in Medicare workshop for HR Departments. Toni King has been asked to host a “Confused about Medicare” workshop specifically for HR Managers and the HR team. This special workshop will be on Thursday, October 16th for HR Managers and employees ONLY at the BBVA Tower, 2200 Post Oak Blvd, 18th floor, Room 18S from 5:00-8:00 PM. RSVP: 832/800-4674. There is no charge to the HR managers and employees.
Hello Toni:
I am a HR Manager for a local engineering firm and have a question about an employee. He is turning 65 and is still working full time. His situation is a little different because next month he will be receiving a kidney transplant. Not sure what to advise him because technically he is working full-time. He has 5 months of pay from vacation time, which he never used and can use while recuperating that keeps him as a full-time employee.
Our firm has over 100 employees and I’ve been told there are certain rules for a specific company size. How can I make sure that I have the correct answer to my questions for the employees of our company…Susan from Clear Lake area
Hi there Susan:
Most of the answers about enrolling in Medicare are found in the Medicare & You handbook on pages 18-25. Some people do not take Part B during their Initial Enrolment Period because they or their spouse are “still working” and they have primary insurance from a current employer. Your employee’s Initial Enrollment Period begins three months before his 65th birthday and ends three months after his 65th birthday.
As the HR Department, below are a few options, which can help to make your job easier.
- Verify your employees’ options by calling your company’s health insurance plan and ask how the plan coordinates with Medicare. It may be to your employees’ advantage to delay Part B enrollment. See page 22 of the 2014 Medicare & You handbook under “Should I Get Part B?” for more clarification.
- With other insurance, i.e. employer group health coverage, there are rules that decide whether Medicare or your other insurance pays first. See chart on page 24 of the 2014 Medicare and You handbook.
- If there are 20 or more employees at the company, where you or your spouse currently work and get benefits, generally the group health insurance pays first.
- If there are fewer than 20 employees at the company where you or your spouse currently work, and get benefits, generally Medicare is primary. As the HR department, check with your insurance carrier as to how the current insurance plan coordinates with Medicare and verify if your employees should enroll in Medicare Parts A and/or B.
- Employees should contact Social Security at 1/800-772-1213 or by the Internet at socialsecurity.gov/medicareonly and advise Social Security that they are delaying Part B.
- Employees should contact Social Security immediately to enroll in Medicare when their work status changes. Call immediately if you change from full time to a part time employee, if you decide to retire or if you are terminated and need to enroll in COBRA. (It is important to remember that COBRA and retiree insurance are not considered current employer insurance. The employee will not have a Special Enrollment Period if they have COBRA or retiree insurance.)
West University Area
- Tuesday, October 7th – West University Senior Center – 2:00 PM-4:00PM, 6401 Auden, West University Place, Texas 77005. Please RSVP-832/800-4674 for all workshops or visit tonisays.com for current workshops.
Toni King, author of the new Medicare Survival Guide®, which is a simple guide explaining Medicare is on sale at www.tonisays.com. Email questions to www.tonisays.com/ask-toni.
