Issue 43.15
You are ending your volunteer activities outside the United States and returning to the country. You cancelled your enrollment in Part B Medicare while you were gone and now you are wondering how to re-enroll. Knowing the steps involved and how to get forms and information from our website at Error! Hyperlink reference not valid.> will help you re-enroll in Medicare Part B easily.
1) Complete Forms Available on Website. You will need to complete a CMS-40B Application for Enrollment in Medicare – Part B (Medical Insurance) available at https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/CMS-Forms/CMS-Forms/CMS-Forms-Items/CMS017339.html. Under Downloads, choose the form labelled CMS40B-E unless you prefer the form in Spanish. (The form below it is the Spanish version of the form).
The form includes fillable fields. You can complete the form , print it out and save it. Return the completed form to your local Social Security Office. If you do not have Medicare Part A, you must contact Social Security to enroll.
Additionally, your employer will need to complete form CMS-L564 Request for Employment Information which is also available at our website at https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/CMS-Forms/CMS-Forms/CMS-Forms-Items/CMS009718.html . Under Downloads, click on CMS L564E. (The form below it , CMS L564S, is the Spanish version..) Ask your employer to complete the form. Completion of this form by your employer establishes that you were covered by health insurance of the non-profit organization you volunteered for and when that coverage ends.
2) Send Your Completed Applications To The Correct Social Security Office That Has Jurisdiction for Your Home Mailing Address. Use this link to find the correct Social Security office to send your completed forms: http://www.socialsecurity.gov/agency/contact/ . Click on Find an Office. Enter the zip code for your home address in the Zip box. Use the address to mail in your completed forms.
3) When Will Enrollment Be Effective? If you submit your enrollment forms 30-60 days before your health insurance coverage ends, you will need to state if you want it to start with the current month or the next month. For example, if your current coverage ends September 30th and you enroll in August, you must state on the CMS-40B form in the Remarks section (Item 12) whether you want coverage to start in August or September. If you enroll in September, you will get coverage in October unless you state that you want it to start in September on the CMS-40B. Most people do not want to have double coverage (health coverage from the non-profit you volunteered for and Medicare). If you enroll after your current coverage ends, coverage always begins the next month. If the coverage ends September 30th and you enroll in October, coverage begins November 1.
Whether you sign up before or after your current coverage ends determines when the coverage starts. If you enroll after the current coverage ends, you will have a gap in coverage.
4) Coverage and Receipt of Medicare Card. After you enroll, you will receive a Medicare card showing that you have Part B coverage. If you haven’t received your Medicare card after 30 days, you can use your my Social Security account to obtain a letter verifying that you have Medicare Part B. If you don’t have a my Social Security account, use this link to sign up for one now: http://www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount/. When you receive benefits you can use your account to manage your benefits when you need to change your address; start or change your direct deposit; get a replacement Medicare card; get a replacement SSA-1099 for tax season or get a letter with proof of your benefits and/or Medicare . If you cannot verify the date of your Medicare Part B using your my Social Security account, you can contact your local office with your questions. Use this link to find the phone number or address: http://www.socialsecurity.gov/agency/contact/.
Following these steps can help you re-enroll for Medicare Part B easily and conveniently.
Social Security 80 Years – Celebrating the Past and Building the Future
Plan for your “Someday;” create your own my Social Security account at www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount<http://www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount>