Ask Larry

What Does My Wife Need To Do?

After the new law, we purchased your software, and followed your direction on file and suspend and now my wife has filed for and received spousal benefits beginning this month. Worked exactly as you said. However, well before this, when my wife turned 65, she filed for medicare A and shortly thereafter for B, but now that she has filed for spousal benefits, she receives in the mail a new medicare card using my social with the letter B afterwards but only for part A.... The spousal application asked if she has already enrolled for Medicare under her own number to which she answered yes. It also asked if she was enrolled for B on her own number to which she answered yes. (and her supplemental policy is under her ss number as well...
My understanding from prior questions of others to you was that if she was enrolled in medicare on her own account it would stay that way.... Would seem like a simple communication to Medicare of the duplication and easy fix... but I don't want to think easy and run into a buzz saw.... How should she respond to this situation?

Hi,

If your wife was already signed up for Parts A & B of Medicare, that should be reflected on her new Medicare card. The fact that her Medicare number changed is no problem, but the fact that her card apparently doesn't reflect Part B coverage is a problem.

I don't know how easy or difficult the fix will be, but it sounds like your wife definitely needs to contact Social Security ASAP in order to straighten out whatever problem caused her Part B coverage to apparently be dropped.

Best, Jerry

Category: 
Posted: 
Feb 11 2018 - 7:52am
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