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Need To Enroll Into Medicare Part B?

If you are 65 years old or older and recently lost your employer health insurance coverage and now need to “opt in” to Medicare Part B, you are facing a dilemma about how to enroll into Medicare Part B since the Social Security offices are closed to the public due to COVID 19. There are two ways to apply for Medicare online:

You can use the online application found here: https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/medicare/

If you are enrolling back into Medicare Part B because you originally “opted out” of Part B because you had other coverage through you or your spouse’s ACTIVE employer health insurance group plan, you are entitled to a Special Enrollment Period (SEP). The online form asks the applicant to upload proof that you had coverage. This proof is form CMS L564, which the employer fills out to confirm that you had coverage based on current, active employment. You can ask your employer to fill out the form, sign it, and send you a digital copy.

If the employer cannot fill out the form, you may need to upload other documents to show you had coverage. These documents include:

Income tax returns that show health insurance premiums paid

W-2s reflecting pre-tax medical contributions

Pay stubs that show health insurance premiums deducted

Health insurance cards that show the date the policy began

Statements or receipts that show paid health insurance premiums

In addition to online enrollment, you may still send form CMS 40B, the application for Medicare enrollment, and the employer form CMS L564 directly to your local Social Security office. Although local offices are closed to in-person appointments with the public, they should still be able to receive mail and process enrollment paperwork for those unable to apply online. Send your application forms to the Social Security office via certified mail so that you will have a receipt to confirm that your mail was delivered. This is helpful in case there are any problems with your enrollment. You can also fax your forms directly to the Social Security Office at: 1-833-914-2016.

For further questions, you can contact our local Social Security office by calling: 1-877-319-3079.

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