I'm 65, will turn 66 in six month, am still working and plan to comtimue. I woulf like to keep the health cate provided by my employer -- a high deductible policy with employer donations to my HSA. I also would like to increase my meager sacings by applying for my late husband's social security benefits, which are less than mine, and put off claiming my own benefits until I quit woking. But social security tells me that to get spousal benefits I have to apply for Medicare and neither I nor my employer can contribute to my HSA. My employer also is not allowed to pay for the cost of Part B or a medigap policy. Is there anyway I can keep my curret health care coverage and get my spousal benefits? Or is there any way my employer is allowed to compensate me for the loss of my employee healthcare benefits, if I have to sign up for Medicare?

Hi,

I'm not an expert on HSA, so I can't advise you about that. Nor do I have any way of knowing if your employer would compensate you for the loss of your healthcare benefits.

What I can tell you is that if you are at least age 65 and you sign up for either retirement benefits on your own account or widow's benefits, you will automatically be enrolled in Part A of Medicare. And, the effective date of your Part A coverage could be as much as 6 months prior to the month that you file your application for monthly Social Security benefits if you were at least age 65 all of that time.

Without regard to the cost of your healthcare coverage, your best strategy for claiming benefits would likely be to either:
1) File for reduced widow's benefits now and then switch to your own retirement benefits at age 70; or,
2) File for reduced retirement benefits now and then file for unreduced widow's benefits at age 66.

You would likely want to start out drawing the lower benefit first and then file for the other benefit when it reaches it's highest possible rate. Our maximization software can sort out your Social Security options and help you determine your best option for claiming benefits.

You may be passing up a substantial amount of money by not filing for Social Security benefits, so you'll want to make sure that any savings you receive from your HSA contributions, etc. is enough to offset the loss of those benefits.

Best, Jerry