MEDICARE HEALTH PLAN & MEDICARE D INCORRECT PREMIUMS WITHHELD
CMS recently mailed letters to 120,000 beneficiaries who had incorrect premiums withheld from their Social Security checks last year for Medicare health plans or Medicare D. There are actually a total of 200,000 beneficiaries nationwide whose premiums were not deducted correctly from their Social Security checks last year. The remaining 80,000 beneficiaries who experienced premium issues, but who did not receive a letter from CMS, are expected to receive one soon.
CMS sent three different types of letters to beneficiaries:
- Letter to Beneficiaries who owe $200 or less: The amount will be withheld from the beneficiary’s February Social Security payment. According to CMS, there are 767 beneficiaries who owe less than $200 in MA. http://www.cms.hhs.gov/partnerships/downloads/11287letter.pdf
- Letter to Beneficiaries who owe more than $200: These beneficiaries should have been billed for the difference by their plan. If they have not, the letter instructs them to contact their plan and make payment arrangements. There are 653 beneficiaries who owe more than $200 in MA. http://www.cms.hhs.gov/partnerships/downloads/11288letter.pdf
- Letter to Beneficiaries who are eligible for a refund: These beneficiaries should have received a refund in January. There are 365 beneficiaries who are eligible for a refund in MA. http://www.cms.hhs.gov/partnerships/downloads/11289letter.pdf
Beneficiaries should:
- Check their records to make sure that they do, in fact, owe premiums for all or part of 2006.
- Verify that any amount withheld from their Social Security check is correct and that any amount refunded to them is correct.
- Request a payment schedule from the drug plan if they believe they owe premiums and think they might be able to repay the premium amounts.
- Request a waiver of the repayment requirement if they think this will cause financial hardship.
-Adapted from e-mail “Part D update 3”, from Pragya Rizal, Community Benefit Programs Partners HealthCare System, February 23, 2007.
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