hi Larry - I'm 62-years old and working a regular (W-2) job - my wife turns 65 in July 2023 - she is working less than 15-hours/week as a 1099 subcontractor - we have group insurance through my employer - my wife began drawing Social Security benefits late last year - we prefer to stay on my Insurance and not-pay for unneeded Medicare coverage - does she have to sign-up for Medicare during the 3-months before/after July, or will she "automatically" be signed-up since she is already receiving SS benefits? How do we make-sure that Medicare premiums are not-deducted from her SS benefits until we're ready for Medicare coverage? Thank you.

Hi. Since your wife is drawing Social Security benefits she will be automatically enrolled in Parts A & B of Medicare effective with the 1st day of the month she reaches age 65. She should receive a Medicare card in the mail 2 to 3 months before then. The mailing will contain instructions for what to do if your wife doesn't want to enroll in Part B, which include returning the Medicare card she receives. She should then be sent a new card showing that she has Part A coverage only. Part A coverage can't be declined by people who are collecting Social Security benefits, but there is no premium charge for Part A coverage.

Best, Jerry