I remember when I entered the " age of Aquarius " now I am entering the age of confusion. Yup, it's time to apply for social security. Along with that comes medicare,medicaid or Obamacare,or whatever they are calling it now. It is all a bewildering maze of government programs and bureaucracy. It would take years of training to fully understand the system and that I believe is by design. That is how you create jobs ! At least government jobs that is. The premise is a simple one, make the system so vastly complex and interwoven with other programs that it takes a trained professional to navigate through it all. It works really well with those of retirement age because by then we are already pretty much fed up with the government in the first place ! My thinking is, I just want my money back that I already paid in, but no, I have to apply for that benefit ! Hey Jack, it's my money !
Now take medicare. You got your part A and part B. You are automatically enrolled in part A when you file for social security, in most states, but you can decline part B. There are others however, part D, H and I don't even know the other letters. I do know they don't go in order. And then there are supplements to medicare that aren't a part of ,medicare but assist with what medicare doesn't pay for or cover in any of the " parts " available from the government. Now this stuff is all available to the hard working taxpayer, who has paid in a minimum of forty quarters to the system. Unless of course you didn't work at all then you get it for free. Or if you are disabled at some point, then you get it free and tax free ! Oh, and it is a larger amount than if you had remained healthy and worked all your life too. That ,makes sense now doesn't it ? As I said, the age of confusion. I think I am starting to understand some of it though. The government is insisting I have health care so I can remain healthy. If I don't have health care I can be fined. Of course the fine is less than the insurance costs. But if I remain healthy because I paid for health insurance long enough to " qualify " for medicare I can then continue to pay for health insurance ( medicare ) by the government conveniently deducting the money from my social security benefits. Or, I could become disabled, for a myriad of reasons both physical and mental, and just collect social security disability, regardless of the amount I have paid in and receive free medical care too ! What a wonderful system.
I do need to make an appointment to see the social security representative at my local office. I have been informed to be sure to bring all my documents with me, ie: birth certificate,marriage certificate etc.I need to be able to prove who I am after all. My retired identifiaction card from the U.S.Navy is certainly no proof of citizenship or eligibilty for any government program. Of course if I had a green card I would be good to go, but that is another topic.
There are many decisions to be made here and I am confused. Trying to understand all the "choices" is certainly a challenge. There are " periods of enrollment " to be taken into consideration too. If you miss that window, too bad, out of luck until it comes around again. I'm thinking it will be easier to just go to work ! I'll retire alright, I just won't tell the boss.
Now take medicare. You got your part A and part B. You are automatically enrolled in part A when you file for social security, in most states, but you can decline part B. There are others however, part D, H and I don't even know the other letters. I do know they don't go in order. And then there are supplements to medicare that aren't a part of ,medicare but assist with what medicare doesn't pay for or cover in any of the " parts " available from the government. Now this stuff is all available to the hard working taxpayer, who has paid in a minimum of forty quarters to the system. Unless of course you didn't work at all then you get it for free. Or if you are disabled at some point, then you get it free and tax free ! Oh, and it is a larger amount than if you had remained healthy and worked all your life too. That ,makes sense now doesn't it ? As I said, the age of confusion. I think I am starting to understand some of it though. The government is insisting I have health care so I can remain healthy. If I don't have health care I can be fined. Of course the fine is less than the insurance costs. But if I remain healthy because I paid for health insurance long enough to " qualify " for medicare I can then continue to pay for health insurance ( medicare ) by the government conveniently deducting the money from my social security benefits. Or, I could become disabled, for a myriad of reasons both physical and mental, and just collect social security disability, regardless of the amount I have paid in and receive free medical care too ! What a wonderful system.
I do need to make an appointment to see the social security representative at my local office. I have been informed to be sure to bring all my documents with me, ie: birth certificate,marriage certificate etc.I need to be able to prove who I am after all. My retired identifiaction card from the U.S.Navy is certainly no proof of citizenship or eligibilty for any government program. Of course if I had a green card I would be good to go, but that is another topic.
There are many decisions to be made here and I am confused. Trying to understand all the "choices" is certainly a challenge. There are " periods of enrollment " to be taken into consideration too. If you miss that window, too bad, out of luck until it comes around again. I'm thinking it will be easier to just go to work ! I'll retire alright, I just won't tell the boss.
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