By Ed Anzore

When I was 64.5 years old, I received a letter from the Health Service System (HSS) to sign up for Medicare and send my letter of acceptance so they could move me into my health plan when I turned 65.  So 90 days before my 65th birthday, I signed up for Medicare. I was informed on their website that the process takes two to four weeks. After some eight weeks went by, I still had not heard from Medicare. In the meantime, I began receiving letters from HSS telling me I would be removed from my healthcare plan after 42 years of being in the system.

My options? One, get switched to Blue Shield, which I would have to pay for, or two, go without health insurance.  Since I have been a patient at Kaiser for 42 years, that was not a viable for me and my wife. I had to sign a waiver for no insurance provided by HSS.

Here is what I learned.

My birthday is the 24th. Medicare starts on the first day of your birthday month. Even though you can only sign up no earlier than 90 days, I lost 25 days of those 90 days. You are also at the whim of Medicare to complete your application and there is nothing HSS can do until you send them your Medicare letter of acceptance.

Fortunately, on my last visit to Social Security, I was given the name and the telephone number of the person handling my application in Richmond California. I called her and she was able look up my account and fix it right then and there. Two days later I received my letter of acceptance for Medicare Part A . Health Service System staff were very kind and had me enrolled two days before being removed.

Since I did not have the quarters necessary for social security, I could not sign up any earlier. They told me that if you start collecting social security any time before 65 years old, you are automatically enrolled into Medicare and a card shows up at your address months before your 65th birthday.

When I called Kaiser to update them on my situation, the customer service rep told me Kaiser knows you are coming, and they will still treat you even though HSS had not yet enrolled me. I could still go to a Kaiser clinic and if there were any deductibles due, they would bill me later.

So unless you are enrolled in Social Security before 65, you may run into this same issue. I hope this helps others in my same situation.