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I’been guilty of "over-splaining", so sorry for the long post. I have a husband wife duo that live in OH, with the following situation. Husband is a CC employee who will qualify for the EHP retiree version, and currently covered b/c of disability. His retirement qualifying period will become effective January 2023. He was told to take Part A/B effective this spring (April), at which time he signed up for a Med Supp/PDP. Based on his latest conversation w/HR, this after our talk, I told him to float the idea that “he was thinking about signing up for a Med Supp/PDP”. HR told him he'd forfeit the right to the retiree plan possibly permanently and irrevocably if he signed up for these, kicking both he and his wife out of the CC EHP option. His current premium for Med Supp/PDP is $145/mo, while under the CC retiree plan it'd be closer to $250, and double that with his wife added on before her Medicare entitlement.
His wife is only 62 and covered on the EGHP plan. He's gotten all his medical and prescription meds at the CC since being on Medicare, with the crossover billing going to his Med Supp plan. In essence he’s had 2 plans going on simultaneously. His retiree benefits plan, different than the regular EGHP starts in January, as the clock was ticking in his favor to satisfy the minimum time to qualify for retiree benefits, during his disability period.
His options now seem to be, either stay on his Med Supp/PDP and disqualify himself from the CC retiree plan, or plead ignorance based on the bad or no advice provided him by HR and cancel his Med Supp and PDP plan and allow his wife and he to stay on the CC plan. I told him that before he cancelled anything to talk to HR again and get something in writing that he will still qualify for the retiree plan if he backed out of the Med Supp PDP option, which would allow his wife to stay on, otherwise she'd have to be on ACA until T-65. Looked at ACA plans based on their income, and the Deductible and MOOP are in the $5K-$9K with an affordable premium…$250 ish/mo.
I've pushed him this far, to have him drag this information out of HR, who seems lackadaisical as far as painting a clear picture for someone in this situation. He claimed to have called HR numerous times during Medicare sign-up, but it was difficult as he was dealing with his disability issues and they were not being very responsive.
Easy to analyze after the fact, but all this information should have been communicated to him earlier and more clearly earlier before his Medicare came into effect. On the other hand, most folks in those situations don't know to dig hard enough to ask the proper questions or talk to the wrong sources at a critical juncture that will help them make the right decision.
Any ideas or thoughts are welcomed.
His wife is only 62 and covered on the EGHP plan. He's gotten all his medical and prescription meds at the CC since being on Medicare, with the crossover billing going to his Med Supp plan. In essence he’s had 2 plans going on simultaneously. His retiree benefits plan, different than the regular EGHP starts in January, as the clock was ticking in his favor to satisfy the minimum time to qualify for retiree benefits, during his disability period.
His options now seem to be, either stay on his Med Supp/PDP and disqualify himself from the CC retiree plan, or plead ignorance based on the bad or no advice provided him by HR and cancel his Med Supp and PDP plan and allow his wife and he to stay on the CC plan. I told him that before he cancelled anything to talk to HR again and get something in writing that he will still qualify for the retiree plan if he backed out of the Med Supp PDP option, which would allow his wife to stay on, otherwise she'd have to be on ACA until T-65. Looked at ACA plans based on their income, and the Deductible and MOOP are in the $5K-$9K with an affordable premium…$250 ish/mo.
I've pushed him this far, to have him drag this information out of HR, who seems lackadaisical as far as painting a clear picture for someone in this situation. He claimed to have called HR numerous times during Medicare sign-up, but it was difficult as he was dealing with his disability issues and they were not being very responsive.
Easy to analyze after the fact, but all this information should have been communicated to him earlier and more clearly earlier before his Medicare came into effect. On the other hand, most folks in those situations don't know to dig hard enough to ask the proper questions or talk to the wrong sources at a critical juncture that will help them make the right decision.
Any ideas or thoughts are welcomed.
