In a previous article you published you state that with file and suspend strategy if you pay for Medicare B premium directly from SS your benefit when you ask for it in the future will be no larger than when you suspended its receipt. As you state this is a really nasty Gotcha.

My question is whether this is also true for a Restricted application?

If so can this be reset if one started this way and starts paying for Medicare B independently via check?

Thank you

Hi,

To clarify what you're referring to in your first paragraph, if you are enrolled in Part B of Medicare and you voluntarily suspend your Social Security benefits, you must pay your Part B premiums out-of-pocket (e.g. by check, online bill pay, credit card, etc.) Medicare should send you a bill for the Part B premiums when this occurs, and failure to pay the premiums could result in the termination of your Part B coverage. If you don't pay your premiums and you don't want your Part B coverage to be terminated, the alternative would be to reinstate your Social Security benefits so that your Part B premiums could be withheld from your Social Security benefits. And, of course, you would not receive delayed retirement credits (DRC) for any months that your benefits are paid and not voluntarily suspended.

If you file a restricted application for spousal benefits and you're receiving those benefits while you're enrolled in Part B of Medicare, Social Security will automatically withhold your Part B premiums from your benefit payments. You can't accrue DRCs on spousal benefits so you aren't permitted to voluntarily suspend them, nor would you want to.

If a person is enrolled in Part B of Medicare and is receiving any type of Social Security benefits, their Part B premiums must be withheld from their benefits. They do not have the option to pay their Part B premiums out-of-pocket instead. If a person has Part B coverage and they aren't receiving Social Security benefits, they must pay their premiums out-of-pocket. The method of payment for Part B premiums can change back and forth depending on the person's status with regard to Social Security payments.

Best, Jerry