Received separate Medicare premium check from Social Security - is this normal?

maybe they didnt take it out of ur first check so now they sending it to u to pay it urself? my mom had something like that happn when she first got on medicare

This isn't normal. Medicare premiums should be automatically deducted from your monthly Social Security benefit. What likely happened is there was a processing delay when your benefits started, and Medicare and Social Security systems weren't properly synchronized. Call SSA to clarify, but DON'T cash that check until you understand what it's for. It could be: 1. A refund for premiums incorrectly collected 2. An error in their system 3. A premium payment you need to forward to Medicare In my experience, this usually sorts itself out by the second or third payment cycle, but you should definitely contact them to avoid future issues.

SAME THING happened to me last year!!!! I got my first check and then got another check for Medicare amount. I called and waited 3 HOURS only to be told it was a "processing error" and I should KEEP THE MONEY!! Then next month they took TOO MUCH out for Medicare. The SSA is a DISASTER with new enrollments!!

I've seen this several times with clients. Here's what typically happens: When you first enroll in both Social Security and Medicare near the same time, sometimes there's a delay in setting up the premium deductions. The check you received is most likely your Medicare premium that needs to be paid directly for this month only. Next month, your Medicare premium should start being automatically deducted from your Social Security payment. However, you should absolutely call SSA to confirm this interpretation is correct for your specific situation. If you're having trouble reaching someone at SSA by phone (which is unfortunately common), I've had clients have success using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an agent without the usual long wait times. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU

I had something similar happen when I started Medicare last year, but mine was because I had opted for Medicare to bill me directly rather than have it taken from my SS benefit. Did you perhaps check that option on your Medicare enrollment? Check your Medicare.gov account if you can access it - it might show your payment preference there.

Honestly, you shouldn't just guess at this. Call Social Security directly to find out what this check is for. Every situation is different and they're the only ones with access to your specific case file.

This is likely what's called a "Medicare Premium Bill." Because your Medicare enrollment was processed after your Social Security benefits were already in payment status for the first month, they couldn't automatically deduct the premium. So they sent you the amount, expecting you to pay Medicare directly just for this first month. Going forward, they should automatically deduct your premiums from your monthly benefit. You should receive a letter explaining this within a week or so - SSA notices often arrive after checks. You have three options for handling this initial premium: 1. Pay it directly to CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) 2. Set up Medicare Easy Pay for automatic withdrawals 3. Call SSA and ask them to deduct it from future benefits Keep the check and documentation together until you decide how to handle it. This is a common occurrence with new enrollments.

my neighbor got 2 checks then they stopped sending any for 3 months said they paid him 2 much. ss is a mess rn

UPDATE: Called SSA this morning (finally got through after using Claimyr - thanks for that tip!) and they confirmed it's exactly what some of you suggested. Because my Medicare enrollment was processed after my SS benefits started, they couldn't deduct it from my first payment. The check is for me to pay Medicare directly just for this month, and starting next month they'll automatically deduct it from my SS payment. The agent said I should receive instructions in the mail in the next few days on how to make the payment to Medicare. Mystery solved! Thanks everyone for your help!