Question: My spouse is planning to retire mid-June. I have Medicare Part A but never signed up for Part B, as she carried our insurance. What are my steps?

Answer: Retirement is such an exciting time! It also is a time that we must prepare for, so your question is very appropriate and timely. Sometimes when an individual retires they have health insurance that is considered retiree coverage. This would still require you to enroll into Medicare Part B. We will cover how to enroll in that a little later.

For this article we are going to assume that you don’t have retiree coverage and need to find other coverage for when your wife is no longer working.

Medicare and all Medicare products always begins the FIRST of the month. I say that because it is important when planning for the month you want your insurance coverage to begin. Your current insurance coverage will most likely end when your spouse stops working.

Will it end the day they leave work, or the end of the month after the last day of work? It is all about timing. You don’t want to be without insurance coverage, so planning ahead is important. You could also begin your Part B before your spouse retires, the first of June. This would give you the coverage you need before they stop working.

The process to get Medicare Part B started includes two forms, CMS 40B and CMS L564. These forms are available online, and you can also get them from the local Social Security Administration (SSA) office. The 40B is a form that you yourself complete. It includes your personal identifying information and your Medicare number. When you complete the form you also must indicate that you want Part B to begin (check the box) and when you want your Medicare Part B to begin. You can indicate the start date up to 90-days in advance. So, turning in the paperwork in April, you could request a May 1, June 1 or July 1 start date. This form does not need to be witnessed if you are signing the form. (The witness is required if you are signing the form with an ‘X’.)

The second form, CMS L564 is completed by both you and the employer who provided your health insurance since you became eligible for Medicare (usually your 65 birthday). If you have multiple different employers during this time, each must complete this form. You complete the boxes 4, 5, 6 & 7. Box 4 & 5 is information about you, your name and Social Security number. Box 6 & 7 is information about your spouse, their name and Social Security number. The employer completes the remainder of the form. The name of the company, address of the company and the appropriate questions regarding beginning and length of employment as well as length of insurance coverage, start to finish.

The CMS L564 is proof that you had coverage from an employer group with a currently employed individual. This form is important as it prevents you from having a penalty for not enrolling in Medicare Part B when first able. It allows you to sign up for Medicare Part B anytime during the year. In the situation we are reviewing you have a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) to enroll in Medicare Part B. If you did not have coverage as you do, you would not be allowed to sign up for Medicare Part B right now and would have to wait until the General Enrollment Period (GEP) which is Jan 1 to March 31 each year.

Once both of these forms are completed, make a copy for your records. Then take the forms to the local SSA office to turn in. You can fax them, but I recommend walking them into the office, as then you know when you turned them in and can talk with SSA staff to be sure the forms are completed correctly.

Now that you have completed step one, you must move to step two. This involves deciding what additional coverage you want to add to your Medicare part A & B coverage. The other required step is adding on at least Prescription Drug Coverage (Part D). This could be a stand-alone drug plan, or a Medicare Advantage Plan which includes prescription drug coverage. The options available are numerous. You have some time to research and decide. Remember all plans begin the FIRST of the month.