How can employers help employees who are turning 65 or thinking about retirement?
One of the biggest concerns for employees as they turn 65 and start thinking about retirement is how to sign up for Medicare. It can seem overwhelming and complicated.

One of the best things you can do as an employer is to learn the Medicare basics and know where to refer your employees when they have questions.

What is Medicare?
Medicare is a federal health insurance program for people aged 65 or older, people under age 65 with certain disabilities, and people of all ages with End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD).

There are two main parts to Original Medicare: Part A and Part B.

• Medicare Part A is hospital insurance. It covers services while in the hospital or a skilled nursing facility. Most people don’t pay a monthly premium for Medicare Part A as long as the beneficiary or their spouse paid Medicare taxes for a certain period of time while working.
• Medicare Part B is medical insurance. It covers services received from physicians, durable medical equipment, outpatient care, etc. Beneficiaries pay a monthly premium for Part B and the average cost is $135.50 for 2019 (this may vary based on income).

Medicare Made Easy Guide
To help you and your Medicare-eligible employees understand Medicare, Health New England has put together a guide with all the basics about Medicare. Read and share the Medicare Made Easy Guide with your employees.

Medicare Basics

• If the employee is already collecting Social Security benefits prior to their 65^th birthday, they will automatically be enrolled in Medicare Part A & Part B upon turning 65. Their Medicare card will be delivered in their mailbox approximately 60-90 days prior to their 65^th
• If the employee isn’t collecting Social Security and they want to enroll in Medicare upon turning 65, they can do so up to 3 months before their 65^th birthday or 60 days prior to retirement from an employer if after age 65.
• If you have an employee who is continuing to work past age 65, it’s important to note that they can waive their Part B enrollment if they have credible employer group coverage (and the employer and insurer don’t require that they purchase Part B). The group coverage must be at least as good as Original Medicare and the employee is not a sole proprietor.
• If the employee has credible employer group coverage (at least as good as Medicare), they should not be assessed a Part B late enrollment penalty upon enrolling in Part B at retirement. The employee will be given an attestation letter that the employer must complete, noting they had credible employer group coverage. Once this is returned to Social Security, the Part B late enrollment penalty will be waived. This does not apply to sole proprietors.

How does someone sign up for Medicare?
To sign up for Medicare Part A & Part B, individuals can either visit or call their local Social Security office or go to the Social Security website at www.ssa.gov.

Health New England can help
At Health New England, we are here to help. We have knowledgeable Medicare Plan Specialists who know the ins and outs of Medicare. They are licensed through the State and trained yearly on the Medicare rules and regulations.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have questions about Medicare or if you have an employee thinking about retirement. Email us at MedicareReferral@HNE.com or call us at (413) 787-0010.