Medicare Part B bill arrived but my SS retirement application still processing - pay or wait?

You should definitely pay the Medicare Part B premium - don't ignore it! Even though your SS retirement application is processing, Medicare is a separate system. If you don't pay, you risk having your Part B coverage terminated, which creates a whole new headache. Once your SS benefits start, they'll automatically switch to deducting your premiums from your monthly payment, and if you've already paid, you'll get reimbursed for any overlap.

I went through the exact same situation last year! My SS application was stuck in processing for almost 8 weeks. I paid my Medicare Part B bills out of pocket for the first two months. Once my Social Security finally started, they reimbursed me for the premiums I had already paid through a slightly larger first payment. It was actually really smooth - I didn't even have to request the reimbursement, it happened automatically. By the way, I was also stuck in "phase 2" forever. I finally got through to an actual person at SSA by using Claimyr (claimyr.com). Saved me HOURS of waiting on hold. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. After I got through, the agent was able to tell me exactly what was holding up my application (they were verifying some old earnings from 1982!) and gave me an estimate of when it would be approved.

mine was different. i didnt pay the medicare bill and nothing bad happened. ssa backdated everything when they finally approved me. but my brother in law had his medicare cancelled when he didnt pay so maybe im just lucky???

I'm curious why your SS application is taking so long. Did you request direct deposit? I find it suspicious that your application is stuck in phase 2 for over a month now. When I filed for my wife's retirement benefits in 2023, it was processed completely online within 2 weeks. Also, isn't the current Medicare Part B premium $208.90/month for 2025? So your bill should be around $626.70 for three months. Does that match what you received? Just want to make sure you're not getting some kind of scam mail.

This situation is actually quite common when someone applies for Social Security benefits close to or after they've already enrolled in Medicare. Here's what you need to know: 1. Medicare and Social Security are separate programs but they coordinate billing once both are active. 2. Until your Social Security benefits are approved and active, you are responsible for paying Medicare premiums directly. 3. Once your Social Security begins, SSA will automatically deduct your Part B premiums from your monthly benefit amount. 4. If there's any overlap (you paid directly for months that are later covered by your Social Security), you'll receive a refund for the duplicate payments. This happens automatically. I recommend paying your Medicare bill promptly to ensure continuous coverage. The standard processing time for retirement claims can be 4-6 weeks, but it sometimes takes longer if there are earnings that need to be verified or other complications. Your phase 2 status means they're reviewing your application - perfectly normal at this stage.

MY HUSBAND WENT THRU THIS EXACT THING!!!! Pay the bill!!! We didnt pay ours thinking SS would handle it and his medicare got CANCELLED!! took FOREVER to fix and we had to pay a penalty 😠 The system is SO BROKEN!! why cant they COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER??? AND be prepared for your SS to take FOREVER!!! My husband's took almost 3 months even though he applied online and did everything right. They kept saying "processing" until we finally got someone on the phone who actually helped.

just curious - did u work after applying? my brother had his ss app stuck for 3 months because he worked part time during the app process and apparently that can slow things down a lot