I’m still working and will reach full retirement age next month. I applied for survivor benefits with Social Security this month. They asked if I would like to start Medicare part A I said no because I continue to put money aside in a healthcare savings account. They said they could not process my application with out signing me up for Medicare part a. Is there a way to decline?

Hi,

No. If you are at least age 65 and you apply for any type of Social Security benefits (e.g. retirement, spousal, survivor), you are automatically enrolled in Part A. Furthermore, you can't choose the month that you want Part A coverage to start, other than by delaying your application. Since you've apparently been over 65 for more than 6 months, your Part A coverage would start effective with the first day of the 6th month prior to the month in which you file your application. In other words, if you file your application for benefits in June 2020, your Part A coverage would become effective with December 1 2019.

In most cases, the tax advantages of an HSA wouldn't offset the loss of benefits that could result from not applying for benefits. You may want to consider using our software (https://maximizemysocialsecurity.com/purchase) to analyze your options so that you can make the best possible decision on when to apply for benefits.

Best, Jerry