Q & A
I am in the donut hole already and it is only May. Can I change plans now?
Answer: No. You can only change plans during Open Enrollment. If you get into the donut hole early in the year, you have a greater chance of getting out of it before year’s end. If you get out of the…
I stayed with the same Part D plan I had last year, and my drugs all stayed the same. Why am I paying a higher co-pay for one of them this year?
Answer: This could be caused by a few different scenarios: First, drugs can shift between tiers. First check what tier that drug was classified as last year, and compare it to what tier it is classified as this year. Different tiers…
I have been enrolled in Medicare Part A & B, and a Medicare Supplement for the past five years, but have not enrolled in Part D (prescription drug coverage). My doctor just prescribed a drug that is costing me over $500 a month. How can I enroll in a plan now?
Answer: You cannot enroll in a plan now, but will have to wait for Open Enrollment which runs from Oct. 15 – Dec. 7 and the new coverage will commence on Jan. 1. You need to enroll in a Part D…
What is the best way for my parents to maximize their Social Security benefits?
Complete Question: I want to help my parents maximize their Social Security benefits. My father is 73 and collects $2,510/month. My mother is 63 years-old and she has not started collecting yet, but she is planning on retiring soon. Since…
What happens after a disability hearing?
Social Security Disability – What happens after my hearing? If you have filed a claim for Disability Insurance Benefits (DIB) of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and are denied on both your Initial Application and your Request for Reconsideration, you are…
What is the purpose of WEP and GPO?
Complete Question: I am a teacher, so not surprisingly I will get a teacher’s pension. A fellow teacher in my school just retired and was very upset when she applied for Social Security. Apparently, because she’s getting a teacher’s pension,…
Can I receive Social Security and continue to work?
Complete Question: I just turned 65 years old and went to file for Social Security and Medicare at the same time. I’m still working, but don’t have health insurance through my employer. When I called the Social Security office, they…
No extra payments for extra disability
Complete Question: I currently receive Social Security disability benefits. I now have a second serious disability. Can my monthly benefit amount be increased? Answer: No. Your Social Security disability benefit amount is based on the amount of your…Read more… …
What’s the difference between File and Suspend and Restricted Application?
Complete Question: Even though I’m 66, I’m not ready to retire. If I did, my Social Security benefit would be $1,500. My wife, on the other hand, is 64 and she was forced into early retirement, so she wants to start…
When is the earliest you can start collecting Social Security?
Complete Question: I know that it’s not the most popular thing to do to collect Social Security as soon as you’re eligible at 62, but some of us just have to do it. I did hear something strange, though, that I…