• Welcome to Phoenix Rising!

    Created in 2008, Phoenix Rising is the largest and oldest forum dedicated to furthering the understanding of and finding treatments for complex chronic illnesses such as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia (FM), long COVID, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), and allied diseases.

    To become a member, simply click the Register button at the top right.

Medicare Premiums up for some.

Gingergrrl

Senior Member
Messages
16,171
@Ema or @Sushi

If someone is awarded social security in 2016, can they choose to keep a private insurance plan through the Affordable Care Act or is it mandatory that they take Medicare? Am not even certain which plan would be better or cheaper at this point but am just wondering if you have a choice?

Was also curious what happens if you are on a plan with other family members?
 

Ema

Senior Member
Messages
4,729
Location
Midwest USA

Sushi

Moderation Resource Albuquerque
Messages
19,935
Location
Albuquerque
@Ema or @Sushi
If someone is awarded social security in 2016, can they choose to keep a private insurance plan through the Affordable Care Act or is it mandatory that they take Medicare?
I don't know except that, for those given Medicare for disability, I believe there is a 2 year wait time (from the time you applied for disability) before you can start Medicare.

@Ema's link tells you more.
 

zzz

Senior Member
Messages
675
Location
Oregon
Why is it every time Medicare comes up, I only see a bunch of words that don't seem to make any sense together?

"Hold harmless", whaaat???

"Hold harmless" in this situation means that means that for those people who are on Medicare and have their Part B premium deducted from their Social Security payments, the total Social Security payment will not decrease as long as your income isn't too high (which isn't an issue for almost any of us). In practical terms, this means that although Medicare Part B premiums might otherwise increase, we would not be charged the increase as that would lower our overall Social Security payment.

And as @Sushi pointed out, there is a two year wait period after you apply for SSD before you're eligible for Medicare. You can keep any existing ACA plan then, but any subsidies you get for the ACA plan disappear. Also, Medicare is a much better value, as the vast majority of the plan's cost is subsidized by the government. For most people, there's no reason to keep an ACA plan once you're eligible for Medicare.
 

Ema

Senior Member
Messages
4,729
Location
Midwest USA
I don't know except that, for those given Medicare for disability, I believe there is a 2 year wait time (from the time you applied for disability) before you can start Medicare.

@Ema's link tells you more.
There is a waiting period but by the time you wait for a hearing etc, it's usually up. I started Medicare the same month I was approved for SSDI.
 

Gingergrrl

Senior Member
Messages
16,171
@Ema @Sushi and @zzz Thank you for all the info and I plan to read the link later. I have no idea if or when I will be approved but it could be two years by the time the whole thing is done!

It sounds like I keep the ACA plan until then and then I have a choice but the subsidies go away if I choose to keep the ACA plan? Am not sure yet if it pertains to a family plan but will read the link and research it more as it gets more relevant.