Senior Advocate: Notify Social Security of mom's address change
Dec
24
Written by:
12/24/2008 10:32 AM
By Betty Berry
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Q: My mother is considering moving to California from another state, and I will be helping her make that move. I need to know what steps I should take to make sure her Social Security benefits will be properly transferred.
A: Prompt notification of a change of address always helps make a smooth transition, and notifying Social Security of a change is basically no different.
You didn't indicate whether your mother receives her Social Security benefits in check form or if she has selected the easy and safe option of automatic deposit.
If she receives her benefits in check form all she needs to do is notify Social Security of the new address. However, since it will take at least 30 days for the change to take effect, you want to make sure you provide the post office with her change of address information so that if a check is mailed to her former address it can be forwarded to her new location.
This might also be a good time to consider changing to the electronic automatic deposit. As I mentioned, it is a much safer way of receiving Social Security benefits.
To complete an address change for automatically deposited benefits you will need to do three things. First, your mother will need to open an account at a new financial institution. Next, make arrangements to have the benefits deposited in that new account. She must provide Social Security with the financial institution's routing information and her account number.
The third and final step is most important. She must keep her current account open until the new account has been credited with a monthly deposit. If you close out the old account before the change-of-address transaction is completed, there won't be anywhere for the automatic deposit to be directed, and it will be returned to Social Security.
While you are notifying Social Security of the change of address remember to also notify Medicare and any other health insurance coverage she has.
If she is going to have to change insurance coverage, I suggest you contact HICAP (Health Insurance Counseling Advocacy Program) for assistance in making that change. There are HICAP counselors at most Senior Centers in Ventura County.
Q: I know that I must pay a Medicare Part B deductible each year, but since I see several doctors I am ashamed to admit I never know which doctor I should pay. I know there must be some simple explanation. Can you help?
A: Don't be ashamed for even a minute. There are many seniors who face this dilemma each year, and you are right, there is a simple explanation. The key to the puzzle can be found in your Medicare Summary Notice (MSN).
The annual Medicare Part B deductible for 2009 will be $135, and it will be applied on a first claim received, first claim paid basis. This means that when the New Year begins, Medicare will apply your deductible amount to the first claim or claims received until the full $135 deductible has been fully met.
The first claim received may or may not be for the first provider you visited in the New Year. Your MSN will show you which provider's services(s) were applied to the deductible amount, the amount of the deductible owed to a particular provider and how much of your deductible has been met.
You should then receive a bill from the provider for the amount owed.
Once you have satisfied your $135 deductible, subsequent MSNs will state that your deductible has been met for the year.
Your provider does have the option of requesting the deductible amount at the time of your visit; however, since your deductible status may not be known at that time it is suggested that you wait until you receive your MSN before making any payment.
If you do make a payment before receiving your MSN and it is more than the amount that Medicare reports was applied toward your deductible, you are entitled to a refund of the difference from your provider.
If you are refused a refund, you should contact Medicare's Customer Service Department at the number shown on your MSN for assistance in resolving the problem.
— Betty Berry is a senior advocate for Senior Concerns. The advocates are at the Goebel Senior Adult Center, 1385 E. Janss Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91362; or call 495-6250. You are invited to submit questions on senior issues.