# Medicare B, signed up late, need to start it earlier than July **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 1, 2018, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medicare-b-signed-up-late-need-to-start-it-earlier-than-july/809840 "2018-03-01T17:41:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DummyGladHands](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/49beb7/32.png) [@DummyGladHands](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DummyGladHands)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2018, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medicare-b-signed-up-late-need-to-start-it-earlier-than-july/809840/1 "2018-03-01T17:41:55Z")
My partner didn’t sign up for B when he turned 65. He had no other health ins., I think he simply thought he was invincible. Yadda yadda “I lived thru Viet Nam etc.” He’s an idiot. So now he’s signed up and is accepting the penalty that he will pay from his SS, forever. However, it doesn’t kick in until July this year. And he’s having dizzy spells that include leg tremors. And weird BP #'s. We called the doc’s office to find out the cost of a non-insured appt. and that won’t work. But she told us she had heard of SS allowing Part B to be started early. I have called SS and they confirm that yes, sometimes they do. Anyone have any experience with this? And yes, I KNOW he’s a dumbass-don’t remind me. ---
**Author:** ![Cub\_Mistress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea666f/32.png) [@Cub\_Mistress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cub_Mistress)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2018, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medicare-b-signed-up-late-need-to-start-it-earlier-than-july/809840/2 "2018-03-03T14:10:28Z")
If “lived through Vietnam” means he is a veteran, try contacting the VA. Veterans are covered if they don’t have other health insurance. It can’t hurt to ask. > **[VA health care | Veterans Affairs](https://www.va.gov/health-care/?from=explore.va.gov)** > > With VA health care, you’re covered for regular checkups with your primary care provider and appointments with specialists (like cardiologists, gynecologists, and mental health providers). You can access Veterans health care services like home health... ---
**Author:** ![Buttercup\_Smith](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buttercup_smith/32/473_2.png) [@Buttercup\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buttercup_Smith)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2018, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medicare-b-signed-up-late-need-to-start-it-earlier-than-july/809840/3 "2018-03-03T20:11:03Z")
Veterans are covered even if they have other insurance. ---
**Author:** ![Cub\_Mistress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea666f/32.png) [@Cub\_Mistress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cub_Mistress)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2018, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medicare-b-signed-up-late-need-to-start-it-earlier-than-july/809840/4 "2018-03-03T23:58:54Z")
some relevant information from the Stars and Stripes =“[https://www.stripes.com/blogs-archive/the-rumor-doctor/the-rumor-doctor-1.104348/do-veterans-have-a-right-to-free-health-care-for-life-1.161485#.Wps1\_OjwZPY](https://www.stripes.com/blogs-archive/the-rumor-doctor/the-rumor-doctor-1.104348/do-veterans-have-a-right-to-free-health-care-for-life-1.161485#.Wps1_OjwZPY)”][https://www.stripes.com/blogs-archive/the-rumor-doctor/the-rumor-doctor-1.104348/do-veterans-have-a-right-to-free-health-care-for-life-1.161485#.Wps1\_OjwZPY](https://www.stripes.com/blogs-archive/the-rumor-doctor/the-rumor-doctor-1.104348/do-veterans-have-a-right-to-free-health-care-for-life-1.161485#.Wps1_OjwZPY) ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2018, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medicare-b-signed-up-late-need-to-start-it-earlier-than-july/809840/5 "2018-03-04T01:39:47Z")
Did he recently quit working? If so COBRA is a possibility: > [@](#): > > If you are entitled to elect COBRA coverage, you must be given an election period of at least 60 days (starting on the later of the date you are furnished the election notice or the date you would lose coverage) to choose whether or not to elect continuation coverage. > **[cobra-continuation-health-coverage-consumer.pdf](https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ebsa/about-ebsa/our-activities/resource-center/faqs/cobra-continuation-health-coverage-consumer.pdf)** > > 201.79 KB ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2018, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medicare-b-signed-up-late-need-to-start-it-earlier-than-july/809840/6 "2018-03-04T22:13:47Z")
> [@Buttercup\_Smith](#): > > Veterans are covered even if they have other insurance. All veterans? Even those of us that served stateside? ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2018, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medicare-b-signed-up-late-need-to-start-it-earlier-than-july/809840/7 "2018-03-04T23:31:05Z")
> [@DummyGladHands](#): > > My partner didn’t sign up for B when he turned 65. He had no other health ins., I think he simply thought he was invincible. Yadda yadda “I lived thru Viet Nam etc.” He’s an idiot. > So now he’s signed up and is accepting the penalty that he will pay from his SS, forever. However, it doesn’t kick in until July this year. And he’s having dizzy spells that include leg tremors. And weird BP #'s. We called the doc’s office to find out the cost of a non-insured appt. and that won’t work. > But she told us she had heard of SS allowing Part B to be started early. I have called SS and they confirm that yes, sometimes they do. > Anyone have any experience with this? > And yes, I KNOW he’s a dumbass-don’t remind me. Two good sources that you or he can call for information: > **[Home](https://www.shiphelp.org/)** > > State Health Insurance Assistance Programs provides free insurance counseling and assistance to Medicare beneficiaries, their families, friends, and caregivers. [https://www.medicarerights.org/about-us/contact-us](https://www.medicarerights.org/about-us/contact-us) (call their national helpline) This is right in the wheelhouse of these organizations. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2018, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medicare-b-signed-up-late-need-to-start-it-earlier-than-july/809840/8 "2018-03-05T00:58:02Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > All veterans? Even those of us that served stateside? > [@](#): > > Veterans medical benefits are determined by a priority system. Anyone who served on active duty in the military may be eligible for at least some VA healthcare benefits. Someone who was in the reserves or National Guard may also qualify if he was called up for active duty. > > But the VA health system can’t provide full care for all veterans. So the VA has set up a complicated priority system to determine veterans’ benefits and out-of-pocket costs. The system divides veterans into eight groups, with the highest-priority groups eligible for the most services at the lowest costs. > > The priority groups are based on service-connected disability, other disability, and income. Veterans with severe service-connected disabilities get the broadest coverage; veterans with less severe service-connected disabilities, or other disabilities combined with low income, are given midlevel priority; veterans without disability or low income get the least VA care. > **[A Guide to Veterans' Benefits - Caring.com](https://www.caring.com/resources/veterans-benefits/)** > > Are you or your spouse a U.S. military veteran? Read on for a guide to the veterans benefits available to offset your medical and senior care costs.