General Enrollment Period GEP

Fortunately, we are in the General Enrollment Period, till March 31. So, you can sign up now, see the application above and be effective July 1st.

The 2nd problem you may have, is that Medi Gap and Medicare Advantage policies require that you have Part B, so you might be getting cancellation noticies…

Here’s our page on guaranteed acceptance for Medi Gap plans

Medicare Advantage – Special Enrollments

If we don’t have an answer spelled out on those pages, just ask and we’ll research it.

You should get notice of Part B Approval, enrollment well before the July 1st effective date.

So, I would suggest enrollment as soon as April, as long as you have approval.

Medi Gap has a special guaranteed enrollment when you get back on both Parts A AND B. Please enroll early… as I don’t think the written rules are 100% clear, but I’ve written people in the same situation and have checked with my Regional Sales Managers.

Medicare Advantage is a little different!

You have Medicare Part A coverage, and you get Part B for the first time by enrolling during the Part B General Enrollment Period (January 1–March 31). Publication 11219

I’ll check further…

I checked and getting Part B under General Enrollment in July, would not allow one to get Medicare Advantage.

One might try to get in under the 5 star program.

Question

Hello Steve

I have a question I hope you can answer.

1. My father has only Medicare Part A [hospitalization] combined with VA healthcare benefits. he did not enroll in Part B [doctor visits] when first eligible because of VA benift among other factors.

2. In November he received a letter from orange county social services that he was eligble for medicaid [Medi-Cal in CA] and that he was also eligible for Medicare QMB [Qualified Medicare Beneficiary] effective November 1, 2015

3. I was told by railroad retirement board that despite his eligibility for QMB that he can not elect immediate enrollmet with a November 1, 2015 retroactive date. That he can enroll now through the open enrollment period but must wait until July 1 to begin benefits.

4. I read somewhere online that Part B enrollment becomes effective the same day as QMB eligibility.
medicarerights.org/Using-MSPs-to-Enroll-in-Part-B

Do you have knowledge on this matter?

Our Reply

4   Thank you SO MUCH for including a link to Medicare Rights.org. They are talking about automatic enrollment in Part B, IF one enrolls in a Medicare Savings Program, which includes QMB’s. Which it sounds like you are doing with Orange County Social Services. So, it sounds to me like you are OK. Apply and see what happens. Here’s the link or have Social Services help you. According to your reference on Medicare Rights.org enrollment is automatic when you are approved for the QMB.

3   Normally what you heard from the Railroad Retirement Board is correct. Having VA coverage is not employement based coverage that would give you a special enrollment period, as mentioned in Medicare and You page 26. They are talking about the General Enrollment Period page 25 where one can sign up January 1 to March 31 and be effective in July. There might even be a financial penalty for late enrollment.

Be sure to read the entire page from CA Health Care Advocates on this subject. They know what they are talking about! See also our page on Cal Medi Connect. Check back with us in a few weeks and we will know more as we will be attending a Blue Cross seminar on Medicare Advantage Plans for those on Medi-Cal on the 17th.