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Social Security Column
By Erin Thompson, Social
Security Public Affairs Specialist in Toledo, OH
Guest Column
Sign Up For Medicare Part B Online
For many people, signing up for Medicare Part B doesn’t
require you to leave the comfort of home. Please visit our
Medicare Part B webpage at
secure.ssa.gov/acu/ophandler/loginSuccess if:
·
You’re
enrolled in Medicare Part A.
·
You would like to enroll in Part B during the Special
Enrollment Period.
You can complete form
CMS-40B (Application
for Enrollment in Medicare – Part B [Medical Insurance])
at
www.cms.gov/Medicare/CMS-Forms/CMS-Forms/CMS-Forms-Items/CMS017339
and CMS-L564 at
www.cms.gov/Medicare/CMS-Forms/CMS-Forms/Downloads/CMS-L564E.pdf
(Request for Employment Information) online.
You can also fax the
CMS-40B and CMS-L564 to 1-833-914-2016; or return forms by
mail to your local Social Security office. Please contact
Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY
1-800-325-0778) if you have any questions.
Note:
When completing the forms:
·
State, “I want Part B
coverage to begin (MM/YY)” in the remarks section of the
CMS-40B form or online application.
·
If your employer is unable
to complete Section B, please complete that portion as best
you can on behalf of your employer without your employer’s
signature.
·
Submit
one of the following types of
secondary evidence by uploading it from a saved document on
your computer:
·
Income tax returns that
show health insurance premiums paid.
·
W-2s reflecting pre-tax
medical contributions.
·
Pay stubs that reflect
health insurance premium deductions.
·
Health insurance cards
with a policy effective date.
·
Explanations of benefits
paid by the GHP or LGHP.
·
Statements or receipts
that reflect payment of health insurance premiums.
Please
let your friends and loved ones know about this online, mail
or fax option.
Social Security Spouses’ Benefits Explained
Understanding how your future retirement might affect your
spouse is important. Here are a few things to remember when
you’re planning for your retirement.
Your spouse’s benefit amount could be up to 50 percent of
your full retirement age benefit amount. If you qualify for
a benefit from
your own work history
and a spouse’s record, we
always pay your own benefit first. You cannot receive
spouse’s benefits unless your spouse is receiving their
retirement benefits (except for divorced spouses).
If you took your reduced
retirement first while waiting for your spouse to reach
retirement age, your own retirement portion remains
reduced. When you add spouse’s benefits later, the total
retirement and spouses benefit together will total less than
50 percent of the worker’s amount.
You
can find out more about this at
www.ssa.gov/OACT/quickcalc/spouse.html.
If your spouse’s retirement benefit is higher than your
retirement benefit, and he or she chooses to take reduced
benefits and dies first, your survivor benefit will be
reduced, but may be higher than what your spouse received.
If your deceased spouse
started receiving reduced retirement benefits before their
full retirement age, a special rule called the retirement
insurance benefit limit may apply to you. The retirement
insurance benefit limit is the maximum survivor benefit you
may receive. Generally, the limit is the
higher of:
·
The reduced monthly
retirement benefit the deceased spouse would have been
entitled to if they had lived, or
·
82.5 percent of the
unreduced deceased spouse’s monthly benefit if they had
started receiving benefits at their full retirement age
(rather than choosing to receive a reduced retirement
benefit early).
Knowing about these
benefits can help you plan your financial future. Access a
wealth of useful information and use our benefits planners
at
www.ssa.gov/benefits/retirement.
How to Replace a Missing Social Security Card Online
If you need to replace
your lost or misplaced Social Security card, our online
application makes getting a replacement card easier than
ever. Requesting a card replacement online is available if
you live in the District of Columbia or one of the 45 states
that can verify state ID information for us. If you’re only
requesting a replacement card and you’re making no changes,
you may be able to use our free online service.
All you need to do is
create a personal
my Social Security account at
www.ssa.gov/myaccount and meet certain requirements.
Opening a personal
my Social Security account is easy,
convenient, and secure. We protect your information by
using strict identity verification and security features.
Once you have a personal account, simply follow the
instructions to request a replacement Social Security card.
You can apply for a replacement card online, if you meet all
of the following requirements:
§
Are a U. S. citizen age 18 or older with a U.S. mailing
address (this includes APO, FPO, and DPO addresses).
§
Are not requesting any changes to your card (including a
name change).
§
Have a valid driver’s license or state-issued identification
card.
In many cases, you may not need a replacement card; often,
simply knowing your Social Security number is enough.
But if you do need a replacement card, please
visit our website at
www.ssa.gov/ssnumber to find
out if you can take advantage of this convenient online
service.
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