Part B at 65? and SSDI to SS Retirement

[pts4560]

My friend is on SSDI and has been since 2015. He received Medicare Part A and declined Part B back in 2015 since his wife works and they are covered under her insurance plan. He will be turning 65 in September 2022 and recently received another medicare letter as well as another Medicare card showing that he has had Part A since 2015 and that Part B starts 9/1/2022.

My question is, now that he is 65, does he need to accept the Part B, even though his wife is still employed and they have insurance? -- Also he was born in September 1957 and checking the SSA site shows he is eligible for full SS at 66 and 6 months.

Will SSDI change over to SS Retirement at 65, or at 66 and 6 months?

[darkpurple]

no they can decline part b without any penalties

[Keith 62]

SSDI will turn over to regular retirement at age 66 and 6 months.

[pts4560]

I guess we were wondering why he is receiving another medicare card with Medicare Part B showing effective 9/1/22 when he declined Part B back when he was first eligible for Medicare and since his transfer to retirement benefits wont happen for another 18 months from that 9/1/22 date?  Did he get the new card and enrollment into Part B again because he is turning 65 that month?  And since his wife still has 3 years until retirement, and they will most likely stay on her insurance, I assume he can decline Part B again?

[newdawn]

I guess we were wondering why he is receiving another medicare card with Medicare Part B showing effective 9/1/22 when he declined Part B back when he was first eligible for Medicare and since his transfer to retirement benefits wont happen for another 18 months from that 9/1/22 date?  Did he get the new card and enrollment into Part B again because he is turning 65 that month?  And since his wife still has 3 years until retirement, and they will most likely stay on her insurance, I assume he can decline Part B again?

Did he get the new card and enrollment into Part B again because he is turning 65 that month?

Yes, I believe once you turn 65, it's an automatic new enrollment period since it becomes age-based rather than disability-based. For example, those who are disabled and have a medigap/supplemental plan will see their monthly medigap premiums DROP dramatically once they hit age 65.

And since his wife still has 3 years until retirement, and they will most likely stay on her insurance, I assume he can decline Part B again?

I'm not sure. Have they/you gone through the questions that this tool provides?
https://www.medicare.gov/basics/get-started-with-medicare/sign-up/when-can-i-sign-up-for-medicare

I think if the wife's employer has more than 20 employees, he should be able to decline Part B. However, once she stops working, he'll have an 8-month window to sign up for Part B in order to avoid any penalties if in the future he chooses to take Part B.