Confused about IRMAA adjustment letter saying 'another letter coming' - is this normal?

Yes, this is completely normal! The first letter you received is from Medicare confirming your IRMAA appeal was approved. The second letter will come from Social Security showing how your monthly benefit payment will increase now that your Medicare premium is lower. When I had my IRMAA reduced last year, it took about 10-14 days between letters. The adjustment showed up in my direct deposit the following month. The second letter just breaks down your new benefit calculation with the reduced premium.

I went thru this last yr and it was a NIGHTMARE!!! Got the 1st letter like yours but NEVER got the 2nd one they promised. Had to call SSA like 20 times & got disconnected EVERY TIME!!!! Finally had to go back to the office in person & wait 3 hrs just to find out they never processed the 2nd part! RIDICULOUS!!! Make sure u follow up if u dont get letter #2 within 2 weeks!!

This is the standard process for IRMAA adjustments based on life-changing events. When you submit Form SSA-44 (which is what you filed), the processing happens in two parts: 1. Medicare (technically CMS) approves the IRMAA reduction first 2. Social Security then calculates how this affects your monthly benefit payment The second letter typically arrives within 7-14 business days. The adjustment will be made for the next available payment cycle, and any retroactive adjustments (if applicable) will be included as a separate line item. Your reduction should be effective starting the month after you filed the life-changing event form. The reason for the two letters is that while Medicare determines IRMAA amounts, Social Security handles the actual benefit payments and premium deductions.

wait does irmaa mean income related monthly adjustment amount? i think thats whats making my medicare so high but i didnt know u could appeal it if ur income goes down? is there a form for this?

Im confused about something tho... are they sending u a refund for overpaid premiums? Or just reducing future amounts? My mom had her irmaa reduced and they DID send a payment for the overcharges from the past 6 months. But that was in 2024 so maybe they changed the rules?

I got the exact same letter about 3 months ago! The 2nd letter came about 10 days later but then it took about 6 weeks before my actual benefit amount changed. Don't panic if it's not immediate, the ssystem is soooooo slow rite now with everyone retiring!!

Just to clarify a common point of confusion - the IRMAA adjustment is typically processed for future months, but they should also refund any overpayments back to the month after you submitted your life-changing event documentation. However, they don't automatically go back further than your filing date, even if your income changed earlier. That's why it's important to file the SSA-44 as soon as possible after your life-changing event occurs. The second letter should clearly indicate any retroactive adjustments and exactly when your new premium amount takes effect.

BTW did they make u provide proof when u did your IRMAA appeal?? They made me bring actual pay stubs & my retirement paperwork when I went in. Just wondering if different offices have different requirements.

I just went through this exact same process in January! Got my first letter on 1/15 and the second one arrived on 1/28 - so about 2 weeks like others mentioned. The second letter was actually more detailed than I expected - it showed my old benefit amount, the new Medicare premium deduction, and my new net benefit amount. One thing to watch for: they backdated my adjustment to the month after I filed (December), and I got a separate Treasury check for the overpaid premiums about 3 weeks later. The amount was around $400 for those 2 months, so definitely worth the paperwork! Pro tip: Keep copies of everything and take photos of both letters when they arrive. I needed to reference them when my tax preparer had questions about the Medicare premium changes for this year's return.

I'm going through a similar situation right now! Filed my SSA-44 form about 2 weeks ago after my retirement in January, and I'm anxiously waiting for that first letter. Reading through everyone's experiences here is really reassuring - it sounds like the two-letter process is definitely standard, even though it seems unnecessarily complicated. @Yara Nassar your detailed timeline is super helpful! I'm hoping my processing goes as smoothly as yours did. The $400 refund you mentioned gives me hope since my IRMAA has been pretty high relative to my new fixed income. One question for the group - did anyone have issues if they retired mid-year versus at the end of a calendar year? I'm wondering if the timing affects how they calculate the adjustment or if it's all based on your projected annual income regardless of when you retired. Also, has anyone tried submitting the form online through my Social Security account, or is it better to go in person? I submitted mine online but now I'm second-guessing whether that was the right approach after reading about some of the documentation requirements varying by office.

I just want to echo what everyone else is saying - this is completely normal! I went through the exact same IRMAA adjustment process last fall after taking early retirement, and the two-letter system is definitely standard procedure. What really helped me was keeping a simple timeline log of when I submitted my SSA-44 form, when each letter arrived, and when the actual benefit changes took effect. It made it much easier to track everything and gave me peace of mind that things were progressing normally. One thing I'd add that I don't think anyone mentioned yet - make sure to check your Medicare.gov account online too. Sometimes the premium changes show up there before you get the second letter from Social Security. It's not official until you get the letter, but it can give you an early heads up that everything is processing correctly. Congratulations on your retirement, by the way! The IRMAA reduction will definitely help stretch that fixed income further. The whole process seems scary at first but it really does work once it gets going.

I'm currently going through this process too and wanted to share what I've learned from calling SSA directly about the two-letter system. The representative explained that the first letter (which you received) is generated by the Medicare system confirming your IRMAA appeal was approved. The second letter comes from the Social Security payment processing system and shows exactly how your monthly benefit will change. What's interesting is that these two systems don't always communicate in real-time, which is why there's often a 7-14 day gap between letters. The rep also mentioned that if you don't receive the second letter within 3 weeks of the first one, that's when you should follow up - it usually means there's a processing hiccup that needs manual intervention. One more tip: if you have direct deposit, you can often see the adjustment in your bank account before the second letter arrives. The payment date stays the same, but the amount will reflect your new Medicare premium deduction. Hope this helps ease some of the uncertainty while you wait!

I'm going through this exact same situation right now! Just submitted my SSA-44 form last week after retiring in February, and this thread has been incredibly reassuring. It's so helpful to see that the two-letter process is completely normal - I was starting to worry that something was wrong when I saw that note about a second letter coming. The timeline information everyone has shared is really valuable. It sounds like I should expect the first letter within the next week or two, then the second letter about 7-14 days after that. I'm definitely going to follow the advice about keeping a timeline log and checking both my Medicare.gov account and direct deposit for early updates. One question for those who've been through this - did any of you have to provide additional documentation after filing the initial SSA-44 form? I uploaded my retirement letter and final pay stub when I submitted online, but I'm wondering if they might request anything else during processing. Want to make sure I'm prepared if they reach out for more paperwork. Thanks to everyone for sharing your experiences - it's made this whole process feel much less intimidating!