Social Security retirement application stuck in processing for 3+ months while Medicare bills pile up

Yeahhh the SSA website is total GARBAGE with those estimated processing times!!! I applied last spring and it took almost 5 months to get approved. The 30 day thing is a complete lie. They're so understaffed its ridiculous.

I'm in a nearly identical situation! Applied in September for January benefits, still pending. I've called SSA twice and both times they just said "it's still processing" with no explanation for the delay. The Medicare bills are stressful - I'm on a fixed income too and wasn't budgeting for these premiums before my SS kicks in. Let me know if you find a solution!

This is unfortunately pretty common right now. SSA is severely backlogged with retirement claims, and many are taking 3-4 months to process, especially if there's ANY complication with your work history or earnings record. The 30-day timeline on their website is completely outdated. Regarding the Medicare premiums - you do need to pay these to keep your coverage active. Once your Social Security benefits begin, they'll start automatically deducting the premium and you'll be reimbursed for any months where you paid directly but were also entitled to benefits. You might want to try calling your local office directly rather than the main number, as they can sometimes provide more specific information about your case.

After waiting on hold for 3+ hours with the SSA last month (and getting disconnected TWICE), I found this service called Claimyr that got me through to an actual SSA agent in 20 minutes. You might want to check out their demo at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU - it worked for me when I needed to check on my delayed application. Their website is claimyr.com

Here's what I recommend: 1. Keep paying your Medicare premiums to maintain coverage. Save all receipts. 2. Try contacting SSA through your my Social Security account using the message feature. 3. If you visit your local office in person, bring your application confirmation, Medicare bills, and ID. 4. Request a status update specifically asking if there are any issues delaying your claim. Typical processing times are currently 2-4 months for straightforward retirement claims, but can extend to 6+ months if there are earnings record issues, foreign work, or other special circumstances. It's frustrating, but your benefits will be paid retroactively to your entitlement month once approved. Regarding Medicare premiums, once your SS starts, they'll reconcile any premiums you paid out-of-pocket during months you were entitled to benefits.

My mom's application took 7 MONTHS to process last year!!! The whole system is broken. They lost her paperwork TWICE and she had to resubmit everything. Meanwhile all these medicare bills kept coming. ABSOLUTE NIGHTMARE dealing with the SSA!!

Just to update everyone - I FINALLY got my approval letter yesterday! Applied in September for January benefits. So that was about 4 months total. The letter says they're going to adjust my first payment to account for the Medicare premiums I already paid out of pocket. Hope this helps give you a timeline reference.

When I applied last year the same thing happened to me with the Medicare bills. What I didn't realize was that I checked the wrong box on my application about when I wanted benefits to start, so I was technically "pending" but for a future date I had accidentally selected. Might be worth double-checking your application confirmation to make sure you didn't make a similar mistake.

One thing to keep in mind is that while your application is for benefits starting February 2025, we're still in January 2025, so technically your benefits haven't started yet. However, you should still have received an acknowledgment letter confirming your application and intended start date. The Medicare bills are separate from your Social Security application status. Since you've enrolled in Medicare, those premiums start regardless of when your Social Security begins. To ease your immediate concerns, you could request a status conference with your local office. Explain your financial hardship due to the Medicare premiums and no income. They may be able to expedite your case or at least provide more specific information about when you can expect a decision.

After working for SSA for 24 years, I can tell you that retirement claims are taking longer than usual right now. The 30-day estimate on the website hasn't been updated to reflect current processing times. For straightforward retirement claims, expect 2-3 months. If there are any special circumstances (non-covered employment, foreign work, earnings record discrepancies), it can take 4-6 months. Regarding your Medicare premiums: Yes, you need to pay these to maintain coverage. Once your Social Security benefits begin, your Medicare premiums will be deducted automatically from your monthly benefit. SSA will adjust your initial benefits to account for premiums you paid directly during months you were entitled to benefits. If you're experiencing financial hardship, mention this specifically when contacting SSA, as there are procedures for expediting claims in hardship situations.