Medicare premium payment confusion with new Social Security retirement benefits starting December

This is a common question! Once your Social Security benefits start, Medicare premiums will automatically be deducted from your monthly benefit. Since your benefits start with November (paid in December), SSA will start deducting premiums from that first check. The December check will include the Medicare premium for December (not January). You should NOT pay the quarterly bill for all three months. However, to be safe, I would pay just the December portion if there's any way to do that - sometimes the systems don't sync up immediately. Then once you confirm the deduction on your first benefit statement, you'll know everything transferred properly.

I went thru this exact situation last year and it was a NIGHTMARE!!! I paid the quarterly bill AND they took it out of my SS check too. Took me FIVE MONTHS to get the double payment refunded. The left hand doesn't know what the right is doing at these agencies!!! I would NOT pay anything and just wait for the deduction. If something goes wrong you can always pay then. They won't cancel your Medicare immediately if there's a payment issue - you get notices first.

The transition from self-paying Medicare premiums to having them deducted from your Social Security benefits can be tricky. Technically, once your Social Security benefits begin, the system should automatically start deducting your Medicare premiums. However, there's often a lag in the system updates. My recommendation would be to call the Medicare Premium Collection Center at 1-800-633-4227 to inform them about your situation. They can make a note in your account and tell you exactly what to do. Generally, you'll want to stop your quarterly payments once the automatic deductions begin. Also, check your myMedicare.gov account if you have one - it sometimes shows your payment status more clearly than the paper bills.

I had this exact problem last year when I started collecting SS. I spent HOURS trying to get through to SSA and Medicare with no luck. I finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to a real person at SSA in about 20 minutes instead of waiting for hours or getting disconnected. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU that shows how it works. The agent confirmed that I should NOT pay the quarterly bill and that they would start deducting from my first check. Had I not gotten this confirmed, I would have double-paid like someone else mentioned. Definitely worth getting a clear answer directly from SSA.

just dont pay anything. they'll take it from ur check and if theres a problem they send u a letter. they dont just cancel ur medicare without warning

I work in a benefits counseling office, and this question comes up frequently. Here's what you need to know: 1. Social Security will deduct Medicare premiums from your benefit checks once they start 2. There's typically a 1-2 month processing period for this transition to occur 3. Your first check in December should have the December premium deducted To be safe, I recommend: - Call the Medicare Premium Collection Center (1-800-633-4227) to inform them you're starting Social Security benefits - Ask if you should make a one-month payment for December as a precaution - Request they note in your account that your future premiums will be deducted from Social Security - Keep documentation of any payments you make and conversations you have This transition period is a common source of confusion, but with proper communication, it can be handled smoothly.

My mom had this exact thing happen last year. She ended up paying the quarterly bill AND having it taken out of her SS check. What a mess! She's still waiting for them to sort it out and give her money back. Make sure whatever you do, you keep ALL your paperwork and notes from any phone calls!!!

Thank you everyone for the helpful responses! I'm going to try contacting both Medicare and Social Security to confirm exactly what I should do. Based on your advice, it sounds like I should probably just pay for December to be safe, then let the automatic deductions take over in January. I'll definitely keep detailed records of everything. I appreciate all your help with navigating this confusing transition!