social security: 10077

8/14/2019 Social Security: 10077

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What You Need To KnowWhen You Get RetirementOr Survivors Benefts

2007



Contacting Social Security

Visit our websiteOur website, www.socialsecurity.gov , is a valuable

resource or inormation about all o Social Security’sprograms. At our website, you also can:

• Apply or certain kinds o benefts;

• Find the address o your local Social Security ofce;

• Change your address;

• Apply or a password so you can check your

benefts or change your direct deposit;• Request a replacement Medicare card;

• Ask or a letter to confrm your beneft amount; and

• Find copies o our publications.

Call our toll-ree number

In addition to using our website, you can call ustoll-ree at 1-800-772-1213. We can answer specifcquestions rom 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday throughFriday. We can provide inormation by automatedphone service 24 hours a day. (You can use ourautomated response system to tell us a new addressor request a replacement Medicare card.) I youare dea or hard o hearing, you may call our TTYnumber, 1-800-325-0778.

We treat all calls confdentially. We also want tomake sure you receive accurate and courteous service.That is why we have a second Social Security repre-sentative monitor some telephone calls.

http://www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10137.html




What’s inside

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

About your benefts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Services we oer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

What you need to report to us. . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Working and getting Social Securityat the same time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Other important inormation . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

A word about Medicare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21



2

IntroductionThis booklet explains some o your rights and

responsibilities when you receive retirement orsurvivors benefts.

We suggest you take time now to read this bookletand then put it in a sae place so you can reer to itin the uture.

I you also get Supplemental Security Income (SSI)payments, contact us or What You Need To Know When You Get Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

(Publication No. 05-11011). About your benefts

When and how your benefts are paidSocial Security benefts are paid each month in the

month ollowing the month or which they are due;

or example, you would receive your July beneft inAugust. Generally, the day o the month you receiveyour beneft payment depends on the birth date o theperson on whose earnings record you receive benefts.For example, i you get benefts as a retired worker,your beneft will be determined by your birth date.I you receive benefts based on your spouse’s work,

your beneft payment date will be determined byyour spouse’s birth date.

Date o birth Beneits paid each month on

1st - 10th Second Wednesday

11th - 20th Third Wednesday

21st - 31st Fourth Wednesday

S o c i a l S e c u r i t y










I you receive both Social Security and SSI benefts,your Social Security payment will arrive on the thirdo the month and your SSI payment will arrive on thefrst o the month.

Direct depositI you did not sign up or direct deposit when you

applied or benefts, we strongly urge you to do it now.

Direct deposit is a simple, sae and secure wayto receive your benefts. Contact your bank to helpyou sign up. Or you can sign up or direct deposit by

contacting us.I you do not have an account, you may want to

consider an Electronic Transer Account. This low-cost ederally insured account lets you enjoy thesaety, security and convenience o automaticpayments. You can contact us or visit the websiteat www.eta-fnd.gov to get inormation about this

program, or to fnd a bank, savings and loan orcredit union near you oering this account.

I you get your checks by mailTo be sae, you should cash or deposit your check

soon ater you receive it. You should not sign yourcheck until you are at the place where you will cash

it. I you sign the check ahead o time and lose it, theperson who fnds it could cash it.

A government check must be cashed within 12months ater the date o the check or it will be void.Ater a year, i you are still entitled to the payment,we will replace the voided check.

3w w w . s o c i a l s e c u r i t y . g o v

http://www.eta-find.gov/



http://www.eta-find.gov/



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I your check is late or missingI your check is not delivered on its due date, wait

three workdays beore reporting the missing checkto us. The most common reason checks are late isbecause a change o address was not reported.

I your check is ever lost or stolen, contact us imme-diately. Your check can be replaced, but it takes time.

Returning benefts not dueI you receive a check that you know is not due you,

take it to any Social Security ofce or return it to theU.S. Treasury Department at the address on the checkenvelope. You should write VOID on the ront o thecheck and enclose a note telling why you are sendingthe check back. I you knowingly accept paymentsthat are not due you, you may ace criminal charges.

Paying taxes on your beneftsAbout one-third o all people receiving SocialSecurity benefts have to pay taxes on their benefts.You will have to pay taxes on your benefts i you flea ederal tax return as an “individual,” and your totalincome is more than $25,000. I you fle a joint return,you will have to pay taxes i you and your spouse have

a total income that is more than $32,000. I you aremarried and fle a separate return, you probably willpay taxes on your benefts.

To have ederal taxes withheld, you can get a FormW-4V rom the Internal Revenue Service by callingthe toll-ree telephone number, 1-800-829-3676, or byvisiting our website. Ater completing and signing the

orm, return it to your local Social Security ofce bymail or in person.




For more inormation, call the Internal RevenueService’s toll-ree number, 1-800-829-3676, to askor Publication 554, Older Americans’ Tax Guide,and Publication 915, Social Security and Equivalent

Railroad Retirement Benefts. Services we oer

Free Social Security servicesSome businesses advertise that they can provide

name changes or Social Security cards or a ee. Theseservices are provided ree by Social Security, so donot pay or something that is ree. Call us or visit ourwebsite frst. Social Security is the best place to getinormation about Social Security.

Inormation updates

Every so oten, we will send you important inorma-tion about your Social Security benefts, such as:

• Cost-o-living adjustmentsEach January, your benefts will increaseautomatically i the cost o living has increased. Iyou receive your benefts by direct deposit, we willnotiy you o your new amount in advance. I you

receive your benefts by check, we will include anotice explaining the cost-o-living adjustmentwith your check.

• Annual earnings limit I you are younger than ull retirement age, there isa limit to how much you can earn and still receiveall your Social Security benefts. This amount

increases each year. We will notiy you o the newamount in advance. For more inormation, includ-ing the year 2007 limits, see page 13.


http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p554.pdf












6 S o c i a l S e c u r i t y

How we will contact youWe generally mail you a letter or notice when we

want to contact you, but sometimes a Social Securityrepresentative may come to your home. Our repre-sentative will show you identifcation beore talkingabout your benefts. I you ever doubt someone whosays he or she is rom Social Security, call the SocialSecurity ofce to ask i someone was sent to see you.And remember, Social Security employees will neverask you or money to have something done.

What you need to report to us

Your responsibilitiesIt is important to let us know as soon as possible

whenever one o the changes listed on pages 7-13 occurs.

NOTE:Failure to report a change may result in

an overpayment. I you are overpaid, we will recoverany payments not due you. Also, i you ail to reportchanges in a timely way or you intentionally make a

alse statement, your benefts may be stopped. For the frst violation, your benefts will stop or six months; or the second violation, 12 months; and or the third,24 months.

You can call, write or visit us to make a report. Haveyour claim number handy. I you receive benefts basedon your work, your claim number is the same as yourSocial Security number. I you receive benefts onsomeone else’s work record, your claim number will beshown on any letter we send you about your benefts.

Inormation you give to another government agencymay be provided to Social Security by the other agen-cy, but you also must report the change to us.



I your estimated earnings changeI you are working, we usually ask you to estimate

your earnings or the year. I later you realize yourearnings will be higher or lower than you estimated,let us know as soon as possible so we can adjust yourbenefts. See “Working and getting Social Securityat the same time” on pages 13-14 or help in makingaccurate estimates.

I you moveWhen you plan to move, tell us your new address

and phone number as soon as you know them. Eveni you receive your benefts by direct deposit, SocialSecurity must have your correct address so we cansend letters and other important inormation to you.Your benefts will be stopped i we are unable to con-tact you. You can change your address at our website,www.socialsecurity.gov/onlineservices. Or you can

call 1-800-772-1213 and use our automated system.I any amily members who are getting benefts are

moving with you, please tell us their names. Be sureyou also fle a change o address with your post ofce.

I you change direct deposit accountsI you change fnancial institutions or open a new

account, you can change your direct deposit online iyou have a personal identifcation number and a pass-word. Or, we can change your direct deposit inorma-tion over the telephone ater we veriy your identity.Have your new and old bank account numbers handywhen you call us. They will be printed on your person-al checks or account statements. It takes about 30-60

days to change this inormation. Do not close your oldaccount until ater you make sure your Social Securitybenefts are being deposited into the new account.


http://www.socialsecurity.gov/onlineservices



http://www.socialsecurity.gov/onlineservices




I a person is not able to manage undsSometimes a person is unable to manage his or her

own money. I this happens, someone should let usknow. We can arrange to send benefts to a relativeor other person who agrees to use the money or thewell-being o the person getting benefts. We callthis person a “representative payee.” For more inor-mation, ask or A Guide For Representative Payees (Publication No. 05-10076).

NOTE: People who have “power o attorney” or

someone do not automatically qualiy to be a representative payee.

I you get a pension rom non-covered workI you start receiving a pension rom a job or which

you did not pay Social Security taxes—or example,rom the ederal Civil Service Retirement System

or some state or local pension systems—your SocialSecurity benefts may need to be recalculated, andthey may be reduced. Also, tell us i the amount oyour pension changes.

I you get married or divorcedI you get married or divorced, your Social Security

benefts may be aected, depending on the kind obenefts you receive.

I your benefts are stopped because o marriageor remarriage, they may be started again i themarriage ends.

The chart on the next page includes examples.








I you get: Then:

Your own retirement benefts Your benefts will continue.

Spouse’s benefts

Your benefts will continue i

you get divorced and you areage 62 or older unless you weremarried less than 10 years.

Widow’s or widower’s beneftsYour benefts will continue iyou remarry when you are age60 or older.

Any other kind o benefts

Generally, your benefts willstop when you get married. Your

benefts may be started again ithe marriage ends.

I you change your nameI you change your name—by marriage, divorce or

court order—you need to tell us right away. I you donot give us this inormation, your benefts will be

issued under your old name and, i you have directdeposit, payments may not reach your account. Iyou receive checks, you may not be able to cash themi your identifcation is dierent than the name onyour check.

I you get benefts because

you are caring or a childI you receive benefts because you are caring ora child who is younger than age 16 or disabled, youshould notiy us right away i the child is no longer inyour care or changes address. Give us the name andaddress o the person with whom the child is living.

A temporary separation may not aect your benefts

i you continue to exercise parental control over thechild, but your benefts will stop i you no longer haveresponsibility or the child. I the child returns to yourcare, we can start sending benefts to you again.






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Your benefts will end when the youngest unmar-ried child in your care reaches age 16 unless the childis disabled. Your child’s benefts can continue asexplained on pages 18-19.

I someone adopts a childwho is receiving benefts

When a child who is receiving benefts is adopted,let us know the child’s new name, the date o theadoption decree, and the adopting parent’s name andaddress. The adoption will not cause benefts to end.

I you become a parent ateryou begin to receive benefts

I you become the parent o a child (including anadopted child) ater you begin receiving benefts, let usknow so we can decide whether the child is eligibleor benefts.

I you have an outstandingwarrant or your arrest

You must tell us i you have an outstanding arrestwarrant or:

• A crime that is a elony under the laws o the statein which you live; or

• A crime punishable by death or imprisonment ormore than one year in states that do not classiycrimes as elonies.

You cannot receive Social Security benefts or anymonths in which there is an outstanding arrest war-rant or a crime that is a elony (or a crime that is

punishable by death or imprisonment or more thanone year).




I you are convicted o a criminal oenseI you get Social Security benefts and are convicted

o a crime, Social Security should be notifed immedi-ately. Benefts generally are not paid or the months aperson is confned, but any amily members who areeligible may continue to receive benefts.

I you have committed a crime andare confned to an institution

Benefts usually are not paid to persons who com-

mit a crime and are confned to an institution bycourt order and at public expense. This applies i theperson has been ound:

• Not guilty by reason o insanity or similar actors(such as mental disease, mental deect or mentalincompetence); or

• Incompetent to stand trial.

I you violate a condition o parole or probationYou must tell us i you are violating a condition o

your probation or parole imposed under ederal or statelaw. You cannot receive Social Security benefts orany month in which you violate a condition o yourprobation or parole.

I you leave the United StatesI you are a U.S. citizen, you can travel to or live in

most oreign countries without aecting your SocialSecurity benefts. There are, however, a ew coun-tries where we cannot send Social Security payments.These countries are Cambodia, Cuba, North Korea,

Vietnam and areas that were in the ormer SovietUnion (other than Armenia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuaniaand Russia). However, exceptions can be made orcertain eligible benefciaries in countries other thanCuba and North Korea. For more inormation about






these exceptions, please contact your local SocialSecurity ofce.

Let us know i you plan to go outside the UnitedStates or a trip that lasts 30 days or more. Tell us the

name o the country or countries you plan to visitand the date you expect to leave the United States.We will send you special reporting instructions andtell you how to arrange or your benefts while youare away. Be sure to notiy us when you return to theUnited States.

I you are not a U.S. citizen and you return to live

in the United States, you must provide evidence oyour noncitizen status in order to continue receivingbenefts. I you work outside the United States, dier-ent rules apply in determining whether you can getyour benefts.

For more inormation, ask or Your Payments WhileYou Are Outside The United States (Publication No.

05-10137).

I your citizen status changesI you are not a citizen, let us know i you become

a U.S. citizen or your noncitizen status changes. Iyour immigration status expires, you must give usnew evidence that shows you continue to be in theUnited States lawully.

I a benefciary diesLet us know i a person receiving Social Security

benefts dies. Benefts are not payable or the montho death. That means i the person died any timein July, or example, the check received in August(which is payment or July) must be returned. I directdeposit is used, also notiy the fnancial institutiono the death as soon as possible so it can return anypayments received ater death.











Family members may be eligible or Social Securitysurvivors benefts when a person getting benefts dies.

I you are receiving Social Security

and Railroad Retirement beneftsI you are receiving both Social Security and

Railroad Retirement benefts based on your spouse’swork and your spouse dies, you must tell us imme-diately. You will no longer be eligible to receive bothbenefts. You will be notifed which survivor beneftyou will receive.

Working and getting Social Securityat the same time

How earnings aect your beneftsYou can continue to work and still get Social

Security retirement benefts. Your earnings in (andater) the month you reach your ull retirement agewill not aect your Social Security benefts. However,your benefts will be reduced i your earnings exceedcertain limits or the months beore you reach yourull retirement age. (The ull retirement age is 65 and10 months or people born in 1942 and will graduallyincrease to 67 or persons born in 1960 or later.)

• I you are younger than ull retirement age, $1 inbenefts will be deducted or each $2 in earningsyou have above the annual limit ($12,960 in 2007).

• In the year you reach your ull retirement age, yourbenefts will be reduced $1 or every $3 you earnover a dierent limit ($34,440 in 2007) until themonth you reach ull retirement age. Then youget your ull Social Security beneft payments, nomatter how much you earn.

I you are younger than ull retirement age andsome o your benefts are withheld because your







earnings are more than $12,960, there is some goodnews. When you reach ull retirement age, your beneftswill be increased to take into account those months inwhich you received no beneft or reduced benefts.

Also, any wages you earn ater signing up or SocialSecurity may increase your overall average earnings,and your beneft probably will increase.

For more inormation, ask or How Work AectsYour Benefts (Publication No. 05-10069).

A special monthly ruleSometimes people who retire in mid-year already

have earned more than the yearly earnings limit. Thatis why there is a special monthly rule that applies toearnings or one year, usually the frst year o retire-ment. Under this rule, you can get ull Social Securitybenefts or any whole month you earn under a certainlimit, regardless o your yearly earnings.

In 2007, a person younger than ull retirement age(age 65 and 10 months or people born in 1942) is con-sidered retired i monthly earnings are $1,080 or less.For example, John Smith retires at age 62 on August30, 2007. He will make $45,000 through August. Hetakes a part-time job beginning in September, earn-ing $500 per month. Although his earnings or theyear substantially exceed the 2007 limit ($12,960), hewill receive a Social Security payment or Septemberthrough December. This is because his earnings inthose months are less than $1,080, the special “frstyear o retirement” monthly limit or people youngerthan ull retirement age. I Mr. Smith earns morethan $1,080 in any o those months (September

through December), he will not receive a beneftor that month.

Beginning in 2008, only the yearly limits will applyto him because he will be beyond his frst year o








retirement and have already used the special monthlyrule during that year.

I you are sel-employed, the monthly limit is basedon whether you perorm substantial services in your

business. In general, i you work more than 45 hours amonth in sel-employment, you will not be able to getbenefts or that month.

For detailed inormation about whether your workis substantial, ask or When You Retire From YourOwn Business: What You Need To Know (PublicationNo. 05-10038).

I you worked or wagesWages count toward the earnings limit when they

are earned, not when they are paid. I you have incomethat you earned in one year, but the payment wasdeerred to a ollowing year, these earnings will not becounted or the year you receive them. Some exampleso deerred income include accumulated sick or vaca-tion pay, bonuses, stock options and other deerredcompensation. I you are paid wages in one year orwork you did in previous years, you should contact us.

We have arrangements with the Internal RevenueService to have employers report some types o deerredcompensation directly on the Form W-2. Theseamounts are shown in a box labeled, “NonqualifedPlan.” We will subtract the amount shown in the boxrom your total earnings to determine which earningswe count or that year.

I you are sel-employedI you are sel-employed, income counts when you

receive it—not when you earn it—except i it is paidin a year ater you become entitled to Social Securityand was earned beore you became entitled to SocialSecurity. For example, i you started getting SocialSecurity in June 2006 and you receive some money













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in February 2007 or work you did beore June 2006,it will not count against your 2007 earnings limit.However, i the money you receive in February 2007was or work you did ater June 2006, it will count

against your 2007 earnings limit.

Reporting your earningsBecause your earnings may aect your Social

Security benefts, we need to know how much you earnduring the year. Usually, we get that inormation rom:

• The earnings your employer reports on your W-2; and

• Your sel-employment earnings reported on yourincome tax return.

You need to report your earnings to us ater the endo the year only i:

— You are eligible or the special monthly rule (seepage 14) and you earned less than the monthlylimit (i so, let us know so we can pay youbenefts or that month);

— Some or all o the earnings shown on your W-2were not earned in the year reported;

— Your wages were over the limit and you also hada net loss in sel-employment;

— Your W-2 shows employer-reported wages that

you will include on a sel-employment tax return(ministers, or example);

— You fled a sel-employment tax return, but youdid not perorm any services in your business oryou fle your tax return on a fscal year basis;

— You are a armer and you get ederal agriculturalprogram payments or you have income rom

carryover crops; or— We withheld some benefts, but you had no

earnings or the year or your earnings were lessthan you told us.




I we have to adjust the amount o your benefts,based on your report, we will tell you. It is importantor you to review the inormation. About mid-year, wemay send you a letter asking you to estimate your cur-

rent and next year’s earnings. Your estimates will helpus avoid paying you too much or too little in benefts.

NOTE: I you also are receiving SupplementalSecurity Income (SSI) payments in addition to yourSocial Security benefts, you must report all o yourearnings to Social Security.

Your earnings estimate and your beneftsWe adjusted your benefts this year based on the

earnings you told us you expected to receive this year.

I other amily members get benefts based on yourwork, your earnings may aect the total amily ben-efts. But, i you get benefts as a amily member, your

earnings aect only your benefts.Revising your estimate

When you work, you should save your pay stubs. Atany time during the year, i you see that your earningswill be dierent rom what you estimated, you shouldcall us to revise the estimate. This will help us keepthe amount o your Social Security benefts correct.

Other important inormation

Retirement benefts or widows or widowersYou can switch to retirement benefts based on your

own work i they are higher than those you receive as

a result o your deceased spouse’s work. These beneftsmay be higher as early as age 62 or possibly as late as age70. The rules are complex and vary depending on yoursituation. I you have not talked with a Social Securityrepresentative about retirement benefts (or your circum-






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stances have changed), contact your local Social Securityofce to discuss the options available to you.

Benefts or childrenI a child is getting benefts based on your work,

there are important things you should know abouthis or her benefts:

• When a child reaches age 18

— A child’s benefts stop with the month beore thechild reaches age 18, unless the child is either

disabled or is a ull-time elementary or secondaryschool student.

— About fve months beore the child’s 18th birth-day, the person receiving the child’s benefts willget a orm explaining how benefts can continue.

— A child whose benefts stopped at age 18 can havethem started again i he or she becomes disabled

beore reaching age 22 or becomes a ull-timeelementary or secondary school student beorereaching age 19.

• I a child is disabled

— A child can continue to receive benefts ater age18 i he or she has a disability. The child alsomay qualiy or SSI disability payments. Call us

or more inormation.• I a child age 18 is a student

— A child can receive benefts until age 19 i heor she continues to be a ull-time elementaryor secondary school student. When your child’s19th birthday occurs during a school term,benefts can be continued until completion o

the term, or or two months ollowing the 19thbirthday, whichever comes frst.

— Social Security should be notifed immediatelyi the student drops out o school, changes rom




ull-time to part-time attendance, is expelled orsuspended, or changes schools. We also should betold i the student is paid by his or her employeror attending school.

— We send each student a orm at the start and endo the school year. It is important that the ormis flled out and returned to us. Benefts could bestopped i we do not receive the orm.

— A student can keep receiving benefts during avacation period o our months or less i he or sheplans to go back to school ull time at the end o

the vacation.— A student who stops attending school generally

can receive benefts again i he or she returns toschool ull time beore age 19. The student needsto contact us to reapply or benefts.

• How divorce aects a stepchild’s benefts

— I a stepchild is receiving benefts based on yourwork and you and the child’s parent divorce, thestepchild’s beneft will end the month ater thedivorce becomes fnal. You must tell us as soonas the divorce becomes fnal.

Can you get SSI?I you have limited income and resources, SSI

may be able to help. SSI is a ederal program that wemanage. It is fnanced rom general revenues, not romSocial Security taxes.

SSI pays monthly checks to people who are age 65 orolder, or who are blind or disabled. I you get SSI, youmay get other benefts, too, such as Medicaid, oodstamps and other social services.

We do not count some income and some resourceswhen we decide whether you are eligible or SSI. Yourhouse and your car, or example, usually are not






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counted as resources. Call us or more inormation orto apply or SSI.

A message about ood stamps

You can get a ood stamp application and inormationat any Social Security ofce. Or call our toll-reenumber. Ask or Food Stamps And Other NutritionPrograms (Publication No. 05-10100) or Food StampFacts (Publication No. 05-10101).

I you disagree with a decision we makeI you have any questions about your payment

amount or about inormation we send you, contact us.

I you disagree with a decision we make, you havethe right to ask that it be reconsidered. Your requestmust be in writing and fled with any Social Securityofce within 60 days o the date you receive the letteryou are questioning.

I you still are not satisfed, there are urther stepsyou can take. Ask or Your Right To Question TheDecision Made On Your Claim (Publication No.05-10058).

Your right to be represented

You have the right to be represented by an attorneyor other qualifed person o your choice in any busi-ness with us. This does not mean you have to have anattorney or other representative, but we will be glad towork with one i you wish.

For more inormation about getting a representative,ask or Your Right To Representation (Publication No.05-10075).

Protection o your personal inormationYou should keep your Social Security card in a sae

place with your other important papers. Do not carry


























it with you unless you need to show it to an employeror service provider.

Social Security keeps personal and confdentialinormation—names, Social Security numbers, earn-

ings records, ages and benefciary addresses—ormillions o people. Generally, we will discuss yourinormation only with you. When you call or visit us,we will ask you several questions to help us veriyyour identity. I you want someone else to help withyour Social Security business, we need your permis-sion to discuss your inormation with that person.

We urge you to be careul with your Social Securitynumber and to protect its confdentiality wheneverpossible.

We are committed to protecting the privacy o yourrecords. When we are required by law to give inor-mation to other government agencies that administerhealth or welare programs, such as Medicaid and ood

stamps, those agencies are not allowed to share thatinormation with anyone else.

A word about Medicare

Medicare is a health insurance plan or people whoare age 65 or older. People who are disabled, or have

permanent kidney ailure or have amyotrophic lateralsclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease) can get Medicare atany age.

Medicare has our parts• Hospital insurance (Part A) helps pay or inpatient

hospital care and certain ollow-up services.

• Medical insurance (Part B) helps pay for doctors’services, outpatient hospital care and othermedical services.






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• Medicare Advantage plans (Part C) are available inmany areas. People with Medicare Parts A and B canchoose to receive all o their health care servicesthrough a provider organization under Part C.

• Prescription drug coverage (Part D) helps pay ormedications doctors prescribe or medical treatment.

Who is eligible or hospital insurance (Part A)?Most people get hospital insurance when they turn

65. You qualiy or it automatically i you are eligibleor Social Security or Railroad Retirement benefts.Or you may qualiy based on a spouse’s (includingdivorced spouse’s) work. Others qualiy because theyare government employees not covered by SocialSecurity who paid the Medicare tax.

I you get Social Security disability benefts or 24months, you will qualiy or hospital insurance.

I you get disability benefts because you haveamyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease),you do not have to wait 24 months to qualiy.

Also, people who have permanent kidney ailure thatrequires maintenance dialysis or a kidney replacementqualiy or hospital insurance i they have worked longenough or i they are the spouse or child o a personwho has worked long enough.

Who can get medical insurance (Part B)?Almost anyone who is eligible or hospital insurance

can sign up or medical insurance. Part B is an optionalprogram. It is not ree. In 2007, the standard monthlypremium is $93.50. Some people with higher incomes

will pay higher premiums.




Who can get Medicare Advantage plans (Part C)?Anyone who has Medicare hospital insurance (Part

A) and medical insurance (Part B) can join a MedicareAdvantage plan. Medicare Advantage plans include:

• Medicare managed care plans;

• Medicare preerred provider organization (PPO) plans;

• Medicare private ee-or-service plans; and

• Medicare specialty plans.

You might have to pay a monthly premium because othe extra benefts the Medicare Advantage plan oers.

Who can get Medicare prescriptiondrug coverage (Part D)?

Anyone who has Medicare hospital insurance (Part A)or medical insurance (Part B) or a Medicare Advantageplan (Part C) is eligible or prescription drug coverage(Part D). Prescription insurance is optional, and you payan additional monthly premium or the coverage.

For more inormation, contact us and ask orMedicare (Publication No. 05-10043).

Help with Medicare expensesor people with low income

I you have a low income and ew resources, yourstate may pay your Medicare premiums and, in somecases, other “out-o-pocket” medical expenses, such asdeductibles and coinsurance.

Only your state can decide whether you qualiyor help under this program. I you think you qualiy,contact your state or local medical assistance

(Medicaid) agency, social services or welare ofce.You can get more inormation about this programrom the publication, You could save in Medicareexpenses (Publication CMS-10126). To get a copy,









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call the Medicare toll-ree number, 1-800-MEDICARE(1-800-633-4227). I you are dea or hard o hearing,you may call TTY 1-877-486-2048.

“Extra help” with Medicare prescription costsI you have limited income and resources, you

may qualiy or extra help to pay or your prescriptiondrugs under Medicare Part D. Social Security’s roleis to help you understand how you may qualiy andto process your application or extra help. To seei you qualiy or to apply, call Social Security’s

toll-ree number or visit our website.




Social Security AdministrationSSA Publication No. 05-10077ICN 468300Unit o Issue - HD (one hundred)January 2007 (Destroy prior editions)

social security: 10077

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