My dad is 65 does he have to get medicare if he dont want to?

Question

My dad is 65 does he have to get medicare if he dont want to?

Answer 1

http://www.todaysmedicare.com

If he does not want to enroll in Medicare Part B he does not have to. Yes there is a 10% per year penalty if you do not enroll and decide to enroll later UNLESS you have credible health insurance coverage at least as good as Medicare.

Example: An employer paid plan or a retiree plan. You should check with your current coverage because some of the active plans REQUIRE you to be enrolled in Medicare part B. The link above simplifies this and will provide you wit more details

Answer 2

Why wouldn't he?!?!

He SHOULD get medicare... Unless he is still ACTIVELY employed & has insurance through his current job.

If he's retired, he should get it. Even if he has retiree insurance he should still get medicare a & b. Most health insurance stops paying primary when a retired person is medicare age. That means they will, at times, only pay 20% & without medicare, he's pay 80% of all his bills.

Answer 3

My question would be, why would he not want to?  Part A has no cost and Part B will help with his doctor bills.

Answer 4

No your father does not have to enroll in medicare if he doesn't  choose to.  it is his decision on what he wants to do

Answer 5

He's not required to avail himself of Medicare coverage, but he'd be a fool to NOT avail himself.  He's paid for it, and it is his to use.  If he wants to purchase private health insurance on his own, or pay the total costs of his medical care out of his own pocket, he's certainly entitled to do so.

Answer 6

Nothing....he doesn't want it.

Answer 7

He doesn't, but a better question is...does he have health insurance that covers 100% of everything?

I would bet a $1 he doesn't.

Answer 8

yes - he's paid for it and can file 2-3 months prior to his 65th birthday.

Answer 9

If he has worked enough in his lifetime, he is eligible for Part A (hospital coverage) and it costs him nothing, since he has contributed to it by working. Part B (doctors and out patient coverage) has a premium that he must pay ($96.40 per month in 2008 unless his income was over $82,000 if single or $164,000 if married).

If he has health insurance through an employer, he does not have to apply for medicare-there is no penalty. If he ever loses his group insurance, he can apply for medicare within 8 months after his group health insurance terminates with no penalty.

If he does not have health insurance and does not not sign up for medicare when he is eligible, there is a 10% penalty on the premium for part B for each 12 month period that he did not have part B. There is no penalty for not signing up for part A.

Medicare may help with some of his group insurance out of pocket and deductible costs. He should check with his employer. If his employer is 20 employees or less, medicare will be primary  and his group health insurance will be secondary.

Here is the link to Medicare and the FAQs section will help answer alot of your questions.

http://www.medicare.gov/Default.asp