CTPF 2027 MEDICARE HEALTH INSURANCE HANDBOOK 14 Medicare Premium Payment CTPF enrollees must maintain all required Medicare Part A, Part B, Part B IRMAA and Part D IRMAA payments timely to stay enrolled in our plans. Medicare Part A Premium You may qualify for premium-free Part A coverage if you paid Medicare taxes while working. Members hired on or after April 1, 1986, paid Medicare taxes through payroll deductions. Premium Free Medicare Part A You must earn 40 Medicare “quarters” or “credits” to qualify for premium-free Medicare Part A; or 30+ quarters to qualify for a reduced premium. You receive Medicare Part A at no cost if you receive a Social Security or Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) benefit. You can apply for Medicare through a spouse if you have been married at least one year, or through an ex-spouse (living or deceased), if you were married for at 10+ years. Paying for Medicare Part A If you do not qualify for premium-free Part A coverage, you must purchase this coverage if your pension Benefit Effective Date was prior to July 1, 2016. CTPF can take over this responsibility and pays Medicare on your behalf when you enroll in CTPF’s MedPay program. CTPF’s MedPay Program If you must pay for Medicare Part A and your pension Benefit Effective Date is prior to July 1, 2016, CTPF can take over payment responsibility when you enroll in CTPF’s MedPay Program. Through this program, CTPF makes Medicare Part A, Part B, and IRMAA Part B* premium payments on your behalf, and deducts your share (after applying the applicable premium subsidy) from your pension benefit. Enrolling in MedPay Make your first Medicare premium payment to CMS, then immediately send CTPF: 1. A copy of your first Notice of Medicare Premium Payment Due, issued by CMS 2. A copy of your check for your first payment 3. CTPF Form 301 (available from Member Services or download at www.ctpf.org) CTPF will process your request and make all subsequent Medicare Part A, Medicare Part B, and IRMAA Part B premium payments on your behalf. Your share of the premium payment (after CTPF premium subsidy, if applicable) will be deducted from your pension benefit. Medicare Part B Premium Almost everyone must pay for Part B coverage. You are responsible for making payments directly to Medicare, and will receive a monthly or quarterly bill unless you: • receive a Social Security benefit. Medicare deducts the Part B premium cost directly from monthly SSA benefits. • participate in CTPF’s MedPay program if eligible. CTPF pays Medicare on your behalf. Pay Medicare Part B bills promptly to avoid losing all your health insurance coverage. If you are not eligible for the CTPF MedPay program, CTPF recommends enrolling in the Medicare Easy Pay Program to help avoid payment lapses. Easy Pay allows Medicare to deduct your monthly premium payment directly from your checking or savings account. Medicare administers Easy Pay; obtain an application at www.medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE. Part B Assistance Some individuals may qualify for a state-sponsored Part B premium assistance program. If you qualify, Medicare will notify CTPF and your premium will be adjusted accordingly. Medicare Part D Premium All CTPF plans include Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage. The cost of Part D coverage is included in your premium. For help in understanding how Part D drug plans work, please visit the Medicare website under Costs for Medicare drug coverage: www.medicare.gov/part-d/ Part D Penalties If you do not enroll in a Medicare Part D drug plan when you first become eligible for Medicare, you may have to pay a Late Enrollment Penalty (LEP), unless you have proof of other creditable coverage. Medicare Part D penalties are the total responsibility of the member. Members assessed a LEP will have this amount deducted from their pension check. Note: All CTPF-sponsored Medicare plans have included creditable prescription coverage since 2006. MEDPAY
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