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Question about declining Part B Medicare


Shag

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I read that 4 months before turning 65 we can decline Part B Medicare.  I tried to go online.  I read that they use to send a form in the mail that you must sign and return to decline.  Maybe I have to go to Guadalajara to sign the form.  Does anyone know about this.  Thank you so very much.  I did send an email to the Soc. Sec. office in GDL but have not heard anything.

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23 minutes ago, Shag said:

  I did send an email to the Soc. Sec. office in GDL but have not heard anything.

Be patient. The last email inquiry I sent took a week or 10-days to be answered, but they do answer.

I canceled Part B by filling out a form, writing a note, and emailing scans back to the FBU unit at Guadalajara per their instructions. 

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5 hours ago, chapalence said:

Be patient. The last email inquiry I sent took a week or 10-days to be answered, but they do answer.

I canceled Part B by filling out a form, writing a note, and emailing scans back to the FBU unit at Guadalajara per their instructions. 

ok, thank you very very much

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I just went through this process as I wished to decline Part B.  Social Security sent me a letter to my Seattle mailbox about 1.5 months before my 65th birthday.  You have to sign and mail back the form to decline.  If you want to have Part B then you do not have to mail the letter back as you get Part B by default. I had the letter sent down from my Seattle mailbox and I signed it and placed it in the return envelope they give you. I knew someone that was going back to the USA so I had them mail it when they arrived in the US.

I was unable to find anywhere in the online Social Security system a place to decline Part B.  I did notice online about a week after my letter was mailed in the US that my Part B was declined.

 

 

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1 hour ago, mexbound said:

I just went through this process as I wished to decline Part B.  Social Security sent me a letter to my Seattle mailbox about 1.5 months before my 65th birthday.  You have to sign and mail back the form to decline.  If you want to have Part B then you do not have to mail the letter back as you get Part B by default. I had the letter sent down from my Seattle mailbox and I signed it and placed it in the return envelope they give you. I knew someone that was going back to the USA so I had them mail it when they arrived in the US.

I was unable to find anywhere in the online Social Security system a place to decline Part B.  I did notice online about a week after my letter was mailed in the US that my Part B was declined.

 

 

ok, awesome thank you very much.

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22 minutes ago, tomgates said:

You might want to calculate the financial penalty for going on without Part B. 

No, not necessary.  They're all "sure" they NEVER want to go back and use that terrible system, LMAO. It's easier and cheaper to use a Go Fund Me page.

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10% of what you would have paid for Part B per year that you don't take it. If you didn't take it for, say 10 years, your premium would have doubled or more and if you moved back to the US,  you would pay that higher premium the rest of your life.

So many people make these kind of short sighted decisions and end up begging for money when unexpected medical situations arise.

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On 6/26/2019 at 8:25 AM, chapalence said:

Be patient. The last email inquiry I sent took a week or 10-days to be answered, but they do answer.

I canceled Part B by filling out a form, writing a note, and emailing scans back to the FBU unit at Guadalajara per their instructions. 

ok, great.  I just talked to GDL as they called me.  sending me email with form i fill out and attach my ID and she says its done....sounds easy......hope so....thanks for all input.

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2 hours ago, tomgates said:

10% of what you would have paid for Part B per year that you don't take it. If you didn't take it for, say 10 years, your premium would have doubled or more and if you moved back to the US,  you would pay that higher premium the rest of your life.

So many people make these kind of short sighted decisions and end up begging for money when unexpected medical situations arise.

tomgates--That's so true about the penalties. But if you're pretty sure you'll never be able to benefit from Part B because you do not plan to go back to the States to live, then it's smart not to pay for it. That worked for my husband and me.

Lexy

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My point is that many do not plan to go back but do anyway. Or they stay here and are not prepared financially to deal with what comes their way. I know someone who will have to have major heart surgery in the not too distant future. So have it done here for $35-$40,000 or fly to Dallas and have it done for the Medicare deductible of $185. Seems to be a no-brainer as far as I can see.

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I agree with @tomgates   Don't cancel without an existing private Mexican insurance with guaranteed renewability.  Maybe IMSS without any pre-existing conditions, but only if fluent in Spanish, as describing symptoms in Spanish is challenging;  anything lost in translation could either delay a diagnosis or result in a wrong diagnosis. 

Or set aside 50K-100K that you won't miss in case you have an emergency.  

Or keep Medicare Part B.  

Yes, some here are examples of being ahead monetarily  after stopping Medicare B at age 65, with only minor out-of-pocket expenses after 10 years of 'saving' the Medicare premiums, but those are the lucky ones.  Your need for major surgery may come at age 65 1/2.  Many expensive surgeries (hip or knee replacement, most cancer surgeries and chemo, even heart bypass surgery) can wait for you to hop a plane to the US.  

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46 minutes ago, tomgates said:

My point is that many do not plan to go back but do anyway. Or they stay here and are not prepared financially to deal with what comes their way. I know someone who will have to have major heart surgery in the not too distant future. So have it done here for $35-$40,000 or fly to Dallas and have it done for the Medicare deductible of $185. Seems to be a no-brainer as far as I can see.

Tom, you're so yesterday, LOL. When crisis strikes you just go to GoFundMe and every bleeding heart in the world will send you money. EZPZ, no need to look after yourself. The usual story is something like "I don't expect to live forever and when my time comes I'm not going to spend a fortune to live an extra year or so". And then the time comes and more often than not the story changes. Seen it happen many times.

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I don't count on 3rd party charity, GoFundMe or any other. You are dead right on the other points. Also Air Evac plans are good but go to the source, not these guys locally selling them. I have contacts.

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Part B is such a personal decision and there's no right or wrong. If it were me, and I had not already 'lived' in Mexico for a while so knew the ropes and more importantly had more than a guess as to whether I'd surely be living in Mexico 'forever', I'd pay Part B for at least a year then make the decision. I have at least 4 sets of couple who said they would have to take them out of Mexico in a box, but all moved back after a number of years here for either medical or family reason.

If our own Gringal was able to post at this moment she would tell us again that she and hubby opted out of Plan B years ago when they came and used that money as a 'pay out of pocket fund'. Seems to have work so far for them, but again one should make this decision after long deliberation IMO. 

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We opted out of Part B.  A mistake for my husband, and I have private insurance which costs much more than Part B, so a mistake for myself, as well.  I think most of us are dreamers when we leave the States.    I am currently in a conversation with a Senator from my state in the US about the penalties being charged to expats who want to start up their Part B again.  Why are we charged a penalty?  Is it because they have to re-enter our name onto the computer which will validate our membership in the Medicare program?  It is a mystery to me, so I am going to try to get an answer- HAH!!

Before you cancel Part B, think very carefully or have enough money to carry you through.  There is no crystal ball.

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16 hours ago, AngusMactavish said:

Since everyone gets Part A hospitalization, what's your guess on what the out of pockets would be?

Keep in mind that Part A does not cover your doctors' fees when you are an inpatient.  Doctors' fees are covered by Part B.  

See: https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/inpatient-hospital-care

 

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33 minutes ago, Bisbee Gal said:

Keep in mind that Part A does not cover your doctors' fees when you are an inpatient.  Doctors' fees are covered by Part B.  

See: https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/inpatient-hospital-care

 

Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance)

covers your doctors’ services you get while you’re in a hospital."

I didn't know that Part A doesn't cover any Dr. fee inpatient and Part B covers 100 percent Dr. fee inpatient and 80 percent Dr. fee outpatient, which I did know. I am very glad I kept Part B.  Thanks for posting the link.

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