Will my first Social Security payment be reduced for Medicare premiums I've already paid in advance?

the ssa computers don't talk to the medicare computers very well lol... they will DEFINITELY take out your medicare premium even if you paid ahead. happened to my wife last year. you'll eventually get a refund but it took almost 3 months. seriously frustrating!!!!

Your application timeline isn't unusual - SSA is typically taking 2-3 months to process retirement applications right now. Regarding the Medicare premiums, here's what will happen: 1. When your Social Security starts, SSA will automatically begin deducting your Part B premium regardless of what you've paid directly to Medicare. 2. The Medicare system will eventually recognize you've paid in advance and issue you a refund for the overlapping months. This isn't automatic - you'll need to contact the Medicare Premium Collection Center at 1-800-633-4227 to request the refund. 3. Going forward, you should stop making direct payments to Medicare once your benefits start, as all future premiums will come out of your Social Security. Don't worry about your Stage 2 status - that's normal processing. If you haven't heard anything by mid-March, then I'd suggest trying to contact SSA.

When I went through this exact situation in 2023, I received a letter from Medicare (not SSA) about 6 weeks after my Social Security started. The letter explained I had overpaid and gave me two options: request a refund OR have them credit future premiums. I chose the credit option and they just didn't deduct Medicare premiums from my Social Security for the months I had paid ahead. Much simpler than waiting for a refund check! As for your application being stuck, that's unfortunately pretty standard these days. If you need to reach SSA urgently, I found a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to a representative in about 15 minutes after I'd spent days trying on my own. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU Worth considering if your patience runs out. Good luck!

WAIT DON'T LISTEN TO THESE PEOPLE!! You need to IMMEDIATELY call Medicare and cancel your direct payments or you'll be double charged for MONTHS and getting a refund from the government is a NIGHTMARE!!! I had to wait 8 MONTHS for my refund check and had to call CONSTANTLY. The SSA and Medicare systems are COMPLETELY BROKEN. Also your application should NOT take this long - something is wrong and you need to go to your local office ASAP!!

im in almost the same boat applied in december for january start but im 70 so delayed credits and all that. my online account also says stage 2 for like 6 weeks now. medicare comes out of my wifes ss check so dont have that issue thank god

My SS application took almost 3 months to process last year, and I also had this Medicare premium overlap issue. For me, the local office was actually super helpful - I made an appointment and the rep put notes in my file about the advance Medicare payments. Still took about 8 weeks to get it all sorted out, but it did get fixed eventually. I wouldn't panic yet about your application timeline, but definitely keep checking your MySocialSecurity account for updates.

A few important facts to understand: 1) Medicare and Social Security are separate systems that don't communicate in real-time, which is why these overlaps happen. 2) For a January 2025 entitlement date filing in November 2024, your first payment would typically arrive in February (paid one month in arrears). Given current processing times, March is more likely. 3) By law, Medicare Part B premiums must be deducted from Social Security benefits when available - this isn't optional. However, CMS (which manages Medicare) tracks advance payments. 4) The standard procedure is that Medicare will identify the duplicate payment and either: - Issue a refund check for overpaid premiums - Apply a credit to future premiums The most efficient approach is to wait for your first SSA payment, then contact the Medicare Premium Collection Center specifically about the overlapping premium issue. Request the credit option rather than a refund for faster resolution.

my brother had this happen in 2024 and they ended up taking the medicare premium twice! he had to wait like 3 months to get his money back. government efficiency at its finest lol

Quick update for everyone following this thread: SSA processing times for retirement benefits have improved slightly in the past few weeks. Applications filed in November/December 2024 are now being completed in about 8-9 weeks on average, so the original poster should likely see movement very soon. The Medicare premium refund process has not changed, however - still expect 8-12 weeks for that resolution once benefits begin.

Just wanted to add my experience from last year - I was in almost the exact same situation. Filed in October 2023 for January 2024 benefits, had been paying Medicare Part B directly since turning 65. The good news: my application processed in about 9 weeks (similar to what Diego mentioned about current timelines). The Medicare situation worked out fine too - yes, they deducted the premium from my first SS payment even though I'd paid ahead, but I got a letter from Medicare about 6 weeks later offering the credit option that Anastasia mentioned. I chose the credit and they just skipped deducting premiums for the next 3 months to balance it out. My advice: don't stress too much about the Stage 2 status - it really is normal right now. And definitely ask for the credit option when Medicare contacts you about the overpayment rather than waiting for a refund check. Much smoother process! Hang in there - you're almost at the finish line!

I went through this exact situation in 2022 and wanted to share what worked for me. Like others mentioned, SSA will definitely deduct the Medicare premium from your first payment regardless of advance payments - the systems just don't communicate well enough to prevent this. However, I found that being proactive helped speed up the resolution. About 2 weeks after my first SS payment hit, I called the Medicare Premium Collection Center (1-800-633-4227) and explained the situation before they even sent me a letter. They were able to see my advance payments in their system and immediately set up the credit option. This saved me from waiting for their letter and then having to call back. Also, regarding your application timeline - 10+ weeks is definitely on the longer side but not unheard of. If you hit 12 weeks with no movement, that's when I'd consider visiting the local office or trying one of those callback services. Your Stage 2 status means they're actively working on it, just slowly. One tip: keep checking your bank account around the 3rd Wednesday of each month - that's typically when SS payments hit for new beneficiaries, and sometimes the online status doesn't update until after the payment is actually issued. Good luck - you're definitely in the home stretch now!

I'm currently going through something similar - filed in December for February benefits and still showing Stage 2 status. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful, especially learning about the Medicare credit option instead of waiting for a refund check. One thing I wanted to add that might help others: I discovered you can sign up for text alerts through your MySocialSecurity account to get notified when there are updates to your application status. It's under the "Message Center" settings. At least this way you don't have to keep logging in to check manually every day like I was doing! Also wanted to say thanks to everyone who shared their timelines and experiences - it's really reassuring to know that 8-12 weeks is normal right now, even though it feels like forever when you're waiting.

I'm dealing with a very similar situation right now - filed in late November for January benefits, been on Medicare since 65 and paying quarterly, and my application has been stuck at Stage 2 for what feels like forever. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been such a relief because I was starting to think something was seriously wrong with my application! The Medicare premium overlap issue was my biggest concern, but it sounds like the credit option is definitely the way to go rather than waiting for a refund check. I'm going to make sure to be proactive like JacksonHarris suggested and call Medicare about 2 weeks after my first payment comes through rather than waiting for them to contact me. One question for those who've been through this - did anyone have issues with their direct deposit information during processing? I set it up when I applied but I'm paranoid that something might have gone wrong on that end. I know I can update it through my online account, but I don't want to mess with anything while the application is still processing. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and timelines - this community has been incredibly helpful during what's been a pretty stressful waiting period!

I'm in a very similar boat - filed in early December for February start date and still stuck at Stage 2 for about 8 weeks now. I've also been paying Medicare Part B directly since turning 65 two years ago and have already paid through March 2025. This thread has been incredibly reassuring! I was getting really anxious about both the processing time and the Medicare premium situation. Based on everyone's experiences, it sounds like I should expect: 1. SSA will deduct Medicare premium from my first payment regardless of advance payments 2. I should proactively call Medicare Premium Collection Center about 2 weeks after my first SS payment 3. Request the CREDIT option rather than waiting for a refund check 4. My 8-week timeline is still within the normal range One additional tip I want to share - I found that if you call SSA early in the morning (right at 8 AM when they open), you have a much better chance of getting through. I was able to speak to someone last week who confirmed my application is progressing normally and that Stage 2 can last anywhere from 2-6 weeks depending on workload. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this community is amazing for navigating these complex government processes!

I'm going through almost the exact same situation right now! Filed in early December for January benefits, been paying Medicare Part B quarterly since turning 65, and I'm currently at about 9 weeks in Stage 2 processing. This entire thread has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea about the credit option for Medicare premium overlaps, and I was getting really worried that my application was taking too long. Reading everyone's experiences has been such a relief! I wanted to add one thing that might help others: I called my local SSA office last week (used the early morning tip someone mentioned) and the representative told me that they're currently seeing a lot of applications that were filed in November/December finally moving to Stage 3 this week. So for those of us still waiting, there might be some movement coming soon! I've already saved the Medicare Premium Collection Center number (1-800-633-4227) and plan to call them proactively about 2 weeks after my first payment to request the credit option rather than waiting for their letter. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this community is amazing for navigating these complex processes!

I'm in a very similar situation and this thread has been incredibly helpful! Filed in mid-November for January benefits, been paying Medicare Part B quarterly since turning 65, and I'm currently at about 10 weeks in Stage 2. I was really starting to worry that something was wrong with my application. Based on everyone's experiences here, I now understand that: - 8-12 weeks is actually normal processing time right now - SSA will definitely deduct Medicare premium from first payment despite advance payments - The credit option is much better than waiting for a refund check - Being proactive by calling Medicare Premium Collection Center is the way to go I've saved that number (1-800-633-4227) and will call them about 2 weeks after my first SS payment hits. The tip about calling SSA right at 8 AM is great too - I might try that next week if I don't see any movement. It's such a relief to know I'm not alone in this waiting game! The government systems really don't communicate well with each other, but at least there are solutions. Thanks to everyone who shared their timelines and practical advice - this community has been a lifesaver during a pretty stressful process!

I'm currently going through this exact situation right now! Filed in late November for January benefits, been paying Medicare Part B quarterly since turning 65, and I'm at about 11 weeks in Stage 2 processing. This entire thread has been an absolute godsend - I was starting to panic thinking my application was stuck or lost in the system. Reading everyone's experiences has been incredibly reassuring, especially learning that 8-12 weeks is actually normal processing time right now. The Medicare premium overlap situation was my biggest concern, but now I have a clear game plan thanks to everyone's advice: 1. Expect SSA to deduct Medicare premium from first payment regardless 2. Call Medicare Premium Collection Center (1-800-633-4227) proactively about 2 weeks after first SS payment 3. Request the CREDIT option instead of waiting for a refund check 4. Stop making direct Medicare payments once SS benefits start I've also set up those text alerts through MySocialSecurity that Lena mentioned - such a great tip! No more obsessive daily checking of my account status. The tip about calling SSA right at 8 AM is something I'm definitely going to try if I need to contact them. It's encouraging to hear that November/December applications are starting to move to Stage 3 - hopefully I'll see some progress soon! Thank you to everyone who shared their timelines and practical advice. This community has made what felt like an overwhelming and confusing process so much more manageable. I'll definitely post an update when my application finally moves forward!

I'm also going through this exact situation and this thread has been incredibly helpful! Filed in early December for February benefits, been paying Medicare Part B quarterly since turning 65, and I'm currently at about 8 weeks in Stage 2. Reading everyone's experiences has really put my mind at ease - I had no idea that 8-12 week processing times were normal right now. I was starting to think my application was lost or something was wrong with it! The Medicare premium situation was my biggest worry, but now I have a clear plan thanks to everyone's advice: - Expect the double charge initially - Call Medicare Premium Collection Center (1-800-633-4227) about 2 weeks after first SS payment - Request the CREDIT option rather than waiting for a refund - Set up text alerts so I stop obsessively checking my account The tip about calling SSA right at 8 AM is genius - I'm definitely going to try that if I need to contact them. It's also encouraging to hear that November/December applications are starting to move to Stage 3. Thank you to everyone who shared their real experiences and timelines. This community has made what felt like a really overwhelming process so much more manageable. I'll post an update when my application finally progresses!