Retiree says they paid 4 Medicare premiums for 3 months, then SSA and Medicare sent them in circles

A retiree trying to make sense of a first Social Security payment ran into a problem that can feel especially high-stakes on a fixed income: the check arrived smaller than expected after two Medicare Part B premiums were deducted, even though the retiree believed those months had already been paid.

The confusion became even more frustrating when the retiree said Social Security and Medicare each pointed elsewhere for answers.

Here's what to know

In a Reddit thread, the original poster said three Medicare premiums were paid in June based on a July 1 coverage start. An August notice later shifted that start date to August, but an appeal eventually restored the original date.

From the poster's perspective, that sequence suggested one month may have been paid twice. The poster summed it up this way: "In short, I have paid for four months of Medicare premiums-July, August, and two payments taken from my first payment which would cover the month of September. I am seeing this as one month of overpayments. Am I correctly interpreting this?"

A commenter said the calculation may hinge on whether another premium is taken from the October benefit payment. "You actually owed Part B premiums for the months of July, August, and September. You don't owe the October premium until the September check comes in October (i.e. because checks are paid a month in arrears, but premiums are due as of the month of coverage, thus the October premium comes from the September check). So, if SSA withholds a premium from the October check, you have overpaid one premium."

More background

One commenter noted that "Medicare premium billing gets tangled fast when start dates get moved around and appeals are in the mix."

The original poster said phone calls did not clear things up. "They told me to take it up with Medicare. Guess what Medicare told me when I contacted them? Lol. And the cycle continues."

What can be done?

One commenter said Social Security should be able to say whether the October payment will have another Part B deduction.

If that answer still doesn't match the payment history, the commenter suggested filing an SSA-561 Request for Reconsideration on the award notice and stating that excess Medicare premiums were paid.

The commenter explained, "The local SSA office will transfer the appeal to the servicing payment center, where someone will eventually review the situation and will issue you a formal written response with appeal rights attached."

Where can I learn more?

Confusing Medicare deductions are just one example of the billing and insurance hassles people run into when charges don't add up, as these stories highlight. 

•  An Assurant customer said allegedly misleading tactics escalated after bizarre evidence arrived by mail.

•  In Colorado, homeowners saw annual insurance bills skyrocket and called to check for mistakes.

•  In Colorado, some residents said coverage was dropped over estimates that quickly ballooned.

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