As mentioned in last week's column, Medicare's Part B general enrollment period is under way. Most delayed enrollees pay a 10 percent surcharge for each year they could have enrolled but did not. However, if you or your spouse are still working, you can delay enrollment in Part B without paying a premium penalty or waiting for a general enrollment period. Those who have group health-plan coverage can enroll in Medicare Part B during an eight-month special enrollment period. It begins with the month employment ends or the month your group plan coverage ends, whichever comes first.

Part B coverage, also called medical insurance, helps pay for doctors' care, outpatient hospital visits and other medical services not covered by Medicare's hospital insurance (Part A). People are offered the option of signing up for Part B at the time they're automatically enrolled in Medicare's hospital insurance program. For 2008, the standard premium for Part B coverage is $96.40 per month. Some highincome individuals pay more.

If you have any questions about Medicare's general enrollment period or special enrollment period, or if you would like to sign up for Part B Medicare coverage, call Social Security's toll-free number, 1-800-772-1213, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. any business day.

Question and answer

Q.: My husband and I are both entitled to Social Security retirement benefits based on our individual work records. Will we each get our full benefit, or is
Advertisement
there a marriage reduction?

A.: You'll both get monthly benefits based on your own work records and the age you retire.

When each member of a married couple works in employment covered under Social Security and they meet all other eligibility requirements, their lifetime earnings are calculated independently to determine their benefit amounts. However, if one member of a couple earned low wages or didn't earn enough Social Security to be insured for retirement benefits, he or she may be eligible to receive benefits as a spouse. To learn more, visit our Web site at www.socialsecurity.gov or call us toll-free at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778).

Reaching age 65 or full retirement age in 2008? - If you will turn 65 or reach full retirement age in 2008 and have not filed a Social Security or Medicare application, we can provide you with information that will be helpful in determining when to file an application. Mail us the following information:

- Your name.
- Social Security number.
- Estimated 2007 earnings.
- Estimated 2008 earnings.
- Complete mailing address.
- Telephone number (both home and work).
-Date of birth.
- If you plan to retire in 2008, month in which you would.
- Spouse's Social Security number.
- Spouse's date of birth.
- If spouse is deceased, give date of death.

Send it to: Your Social Security, Social Security Administration, 3885 Main St., 3rd Floor, Bridgeport CT 06606. Attn: A. Renzoni. Anthony Renzoni is district manager of the Bridgeport office of the Social Security Administration.

His column appears every Monday.