Enrollment Problems
These guides are for problems that have already happened — a penalty now sitting on your premium, a tax bill nobody warned you about, a window that closed before you knew it was open. Each one explains the rule in plain English, what it actually costs, and which of your options are still there.
They are not guides to choosing a plan, and they will not tell you which Medicare option is best for you. For free, personal help with a decision, your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) gives it at no charge — find your state’s at shiphelp.org.
Which of these is your situation?
4 situations. Pick the one that matches and it will explain the rule, what it costs, and what you can still do.
- When a Medicare Advantage plan pulls out of your area, the usual rule is suspended: a Medigap company cannot refuse you cover because of your health. And you have longer to act than you think — the clock runs from the day your plan stops, not the day the letter arrives. Switching From Medicare Advantage Back to Medigap
- You turned Part B down, or dropped it later, and now you need it. Getting back in usually means waiting until January, months with no cover in between, and a higher monthly bill for the rest of your life. Here is what that actually costs. Opted Out of Medicare Part B: What It Costs to Get Back In
- Medicare Part A can start up to six months before you applied. Money you paid into a health savings account in those months should never have gone in, and the IRS charges 6% a year for every year it stays there. Here is how to work out what you owe and put it right. HSA Contributions After Medicare: The 6-Month Lookback
- If your employer is small, Medicare was supposed to pay your bills first. If you never signed up for Part B it paid nothing, your work plan paid only its smaller second share, and the difference came to you. What you can claim back turns on one thing — and there is a six-month clock on it. Small Employer: Medicare Should Have Paid First
None of those?
If you are holding a bill or a denial letter, that is a different set of guides — the Medicare denial guides cover specific billing situations.
If you would rather talk it through with someone, every state runs free Medicare counselling with no connection to any insurance company. Find yours at shiphelp.org.