Social Security started withdrawing Medicare Part B premium but it's still coming out of my bank account - double charged!

yep this happened to me last summer when i started getting SS. they took the medicare premium from both places for 2 months actually! u definitely need to call them, they don't catch it automatically

Two months?! Great... I was hoping they'd just fix it automatically. Guess I'll try calling tomorrow morning. Did you eventually get a refund for the double payments?

This is a common transition issue when moving from self-paid Medicare premiums to having them deducted from your Social Security benefits. Medicare and Social Security are technically separate systems that don't always communicate perfectly despite both being administered by SSA.Here's what's happening: Medicare bills approximately 3 weeks before the coverage month begins, which is why your January premium was taken from your bank account on December 20th. Then when your Social Security started, they also deducted the premium for January coverage.You absolutely need to contact SSA to get this corrected. They won't automatically detect and fix this issue in most cases. When you call, specifically request a \

Thank you for explaining this so clearly! I'll definitely call and ask for that \

Just stopped by to say good luck getting through to anyone at SSA!! Took me 3 DAYS of calling last month just to speak to someone about a much simpler issue than yours. Hope you have better luck!

Unfortunately this is true. If you want to avoid the wait time frustration, you might want to try Claimyr (claimyr.com). They have a system that holds your place in line and calls you back when an agent is available. Saved me hours when dealing with my WEP recalculation issue. You can see how it works in their video demo: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU

Just to add some information here: What you're experiencing is called a

This is incredibly helpful! I had no idea I needed to contact two different offices. I'll call my Medicare Administrative Contractor first thing tomorrow. Really appreciate the specific terms to use - hopefully that will help me get through the bureaucracy faster.

My aunt had the exact same thing happen but she never bothered to call and guess what!? They just kept taking the payment BOTH ways for like 4 months until she finally noticed!!!! The SSA is such a mess these days 🤬

I've heard similar stories from several of my clients. Unfortunately, the burden is always on us to catch these errors. The systems don't talk to each other well enough to automatically detect double payments. I always advise new retirees to carefully check their bank statements and benefit payments for the first 3-4 months after starting Social Security precisely because of issues like this.

That's terrifying! I'm checking my bank account daily now. Was your aunt able to get refunded for all those months of double payments?

This is a standard transition issue that I see with many clients. Here's what happens technically:When you start receiving Social Security benefits, it triggers a code in the Medicare system called the \

why does the govt make everything so complicated?? in the real world if a company double-charged me i'd just dispute it with my bank!

While I understand your frustration, I don't recommend disputing the charge with your bank in this case. Because Medicare is a government program, a chargeback could potentially cause problems with your Medicare coverage status. It's better to work through the proper channels, even if they're frustratingly slow.

I work for a senior advocacy group and see this ALL THE TIME. The worst part? There's no automated system to catch and fix these double payments. You MUST call both agencies.Here's what often trips people up: Calling the main SSA number (1-800-772-1213) can mean hours on hold. But there are better ways to reach them:1. Try calling your local SSA office directly. Google \

I tried the message center for a different issue and they literally NEVER responded. Waste of time IMO.

That's unfortunately becoming more common as they're understaffed. For this specific payment issue, calling is definitely more effective - just be prepared for the wait. If you send a message and don't get a response within 10 business days, follow up with a call.

i spent 2 hours on hold with SSA yesterday for something totally different and then got disconnected right when someone finally answered. i was so mad i almost threw my phone. good luck getting through to them!!

That happens to me EVERY TIME I call them!!! It's like they do it on purpose! 😡

Same here! Last time I called I was on hold for 1 hour 45 minutes and then suddenly \

I had a client with this exact issue who tried calling for weeks without getting through. She finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) - it's a service that navigates the phone system for you and calls you when an agent is ready. Saved her hours of hold time. Check out their demo: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puURegardless of how you reach them, make sure to:1. Explain this is a Medicare premium transition issue2. Request they document the double payment3. Ask specifically for a \

Thank you for suggesting this! I just checked out that video and it looks like exactly what I need. I've been dreading sitting on hold for hours. I'll definitely give this a try tomorrow morning. And thanks for the exact phrases to use - that's super helpful!

my mom had something similar happen last year. she just went to the local social security office in person instead of calling. still had to wait like 2 hours but at least got it resolved in one visit!

That's a good idea too. Our local office is about 40 minutes away, but it might be worth the drive if it means resolving this in one visit. Did your mom get refunded quickly after her visit?

Just to clarify something important here: While this double-billing issue is common, it's not supposed to happen according to SSA's own procedures. Their system is designed to prevent it, but the timing of your benefit start date and the Medicare billing cycle created this overlap.Specifically, SSA Publication No. 05-10043 states that when Medicare premiums transition from direct payment to Social Security withholding, there should be coordination between systems. But in practice, many beneficiaries experience exactly what you're describing.Make sure when you contact them that you get confirmation that:1. Your Medicare premium payment method has been officially updated in BOTH systems2. A refund has been processed for the duplicate payment3. You have a confirmation number for the refund requestDocument everything, including representative names and call reference numbers. The squeaky wheel gets the grease in these situations!

Thank you for that reference! I'll specifically mention Publication No. 05-10043 when I call. I'm documenting everything now and will definitely get confirmation numbers and rep names. Really appreciate all this helpful advice!

I went through this exact same situation about 8 months ago! It's so frustrating but unfortunately very common. Here's what worked for me: I called both SSA (1-800-772-1213) AND my Medicare Administrative Contractor. For the SSA call, I used that Claimyr service someone mentioned above - totally worth it to avoid the endless hold times. When I finally got through, I specifically said "I need to report a Medicare premium transition duplicate payment" and they knew exactly what I was talking about. The whole process took about 3 weeks to get fully resolved, but I did get refunded for both months of double payments. The key is being persistent and getting reference numbers for everything. One tip: when you call, have your Medicare card handy along with your bank statements showing the duplicate charges. They'll need the exact dates and amounts. Also ask them to put a note in your file about the issue in case you need to call back. Good luck! It's a pain but definitely fixable.

I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now! Just got my first Social Security payment yesterday and noticed they deducted my Medicare Part B premium, but it also came out of my checking account last month. It's so frustrating that this seems to be such a common problem that could easily be prevented with better system coordination. Reading through all these responses, it sounds like I need to buckle up for some serious phone time with both SSA and my Medicare contractor. I'm definitely going to try that Claimyr service that several people mentioned - anything to avoid sitting on hold for hours only to get disconnected! @AaliyahAli thanks for mentioning that specific SSA publication number. I'm going to reference that when I call to show I understand this isn't supposed to happen. And @Nia Watson, I really appreciate you sharing your timeline - knowing it took 3 weeks but you did get fully refunded gives me hope. Has anyone had success going to a local SSA office in person for this type of issue, or is calling really the only way to get it resolved?

This thread has been incredibly eye-opening! I'm not dealing with this issue personally yet (still a few years away from claiming Social Security), but I'm definitely bookmarking this conversation for future reference. It's honestly shocking that such a predictable transition issue doesn't have better automated systems in place to prevent double billing. What strikes me most is how many people have experienced this exact same problem, yet it seems like every person has to figure it out on their own and spend hours on the phone to get it resolved. You'd think after decades of people transitioning from self-paid Medicare premiums to Social Security deduction, they'd have streamlined this process by now. @Carmella Fromis I really hope you're able to get this sorted out quickly! Based on all the advice here, it sounds like you have a solid plan of attack. Please update us on how it goes - I'm sure there are other people lurking here who would benefit from hearing about your experience with the resolution process. The Claimyr service that multiple people have mentioned sounds like a game-changer for dealing with SSA phone waits. Definitely something I'll remember for when my time comes to navigate these bureaucratic waters!

As someone who just went through this transition myself about 6 months ago, I can confirm this is unfortunately a very common issue! The system coordination between Medicare and Social Security is terrible, and you're definitely not alone in experiencing double charges. Here's what worked for me: I called both SSA and my Medicare Administrative Contractor on the same day. For the SSA call, I used that Claimyr service that others have mentioned - it really does save you from sitting on hold for hours. When I got through, I specifically said "I need to report a Medicare Part B premium transition duplicate payment" and they immediately knew what I was dealing with. The whole resolution took about 2-3 weeks, but I did get fully refunded for the double payments. Make sure you have your Medicare card, Social Security award letter, and bank statements showing both charges ready when you call. Also, get confirmation numbers for everything and ask them to document that your premium deduction method has been permanently updated in their system. One tip that helped me: when you call, mention SSA Publication No. 05-10043 that @AaliyahAli referenced above. It shows you understand this isn't supposed to happen according to their own procedures, and they seemed to take my case more seriously after that. Don't wait - this won't fix itself automatically. But the good news is it's definitely resolvable, just requires some persistence with the bureaucracy. Good luck!