APPENDIX A - Educational Information
Active Employees Eligible for Medicare
As an active full-time employee eligible to enroll in one of the City ’ s medical plans , you may have the option to enroll in Medicare at the time you become age 65 . Approximately three ( 3 ) months prior to your or your spouse ’ s 65 th birth date , Human Resources will email you basic information about Medicare .
Did you know …
The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services ( CMS ) regulations require the City to verify your enrollment in Medicare . When you do enroll in Medicare , you may remain enrolled in a City employee medical plan . However , Medicare has established rules about how the City of Arlington medical plan must coordinate with its coverage . Note : If you choose not to enroll in Medicare , notify Human Resources . Eligibility to enroll in Medicare qualifies as a life event / change in family status . If you choose to enroll in Medicare and would like to discontinue your City medical coverage , you will need to complete an Enrollment Change Form and provide a copy of your Medicare card within 30 days of your enrollment to drop your City employee medical plan .
The Social Security Administration website is www . socialsecurity . gov . To apply for Medicare , you may complete an application on-line or you may apply in person at one of the Social Security Administration offices . You should call and make an appointment as the wait can be long .
The effective date for Medicare is typically the 1 st day of the month in which you become age 65 . However , Medicare coverage becomes effective the first day of the month prior to the month of your birth date when your birth date falls on the 1 st day of the month .
You can find publications about coordination of benefits at www . mymedicare . gov which will include the most current documents . You are encouraged to review Medicare publications to become familiar with enrollment options .
IMPORTANT : Current tax regulations do not allow individuals enrolled in Medicare to make payroll direct deposits into an individual Health Savings Bank Account . If you are currently making payroll direct deposits into your HSA , complete a new HSA Payroll Direct Deposit form with the amount indicated as $ 0.00 and provide to Human Resources prior to the month of your Medicare enrollment . Review the impact of enrollment in Medicare and HSA ’ s at www . irs . gov Publication 969 .
NOTE : Human Resources staff may not provide advice or interpret Social Security or Medicare regulations as they apply to individual circumstances . The City has provided the above resources and links to assist you in your research / review of Medicare information with the Medicare and Social Security eligibility / enrollment experts .
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