When Linda Hagdorn applied for Medicare Part B earlier this year, she believed she had submitted everything needed.<\/p>\n
Instead, the Philadelphia-area woman says one missing document triggered months of higher monthly charges and repeated calls to the Social Security Administration before the issue was finally resolved.<\/p>\n
“I submitted all the documentation, and I neglected to include verification that I had the insurance,” Hagdorn said. “I didn’t know. It was an honest mistake.”<\/p>\n
A common Medicare rule trips up some seniors<\/p>\n
Medicare generally requires people to enroll in Part B, which covers doctor visits and other outpatient medical services, when they first become eligible.<\/p>\n
However, people covered under a spouse’s or their own current employer health plan can qualify for a Special Enrollment Period and avoid late enrollment penalties if they provide documentation proving that coverage, according to AARP<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Hagdorn said she delayed enrolling because she was covered under her husband’s employer-sponsored health insurance.<\/p>\n When she applied for Part B in January, she accidentally left out documentation showing she had maintained that coverage, she said.<\/p>\n Soon afterward, she received notice that she would be charged a higher premium.<\/p>\n “I didn’t think they were going to penalize me as a senior citizen,” Hagdorn said.<\/p>\n Extra money came out of her check every month<\/p>\n Hagdorn said about $102 in additional charges was deducted from her Social Security payment each month while she tried to resolve the issue.<\/p>\n According to Medicare<\/a>, late enrollment penalties are added to monthly premiums and can continue for as long as a beneficiary maintains that coverage. In many cases, the Part B penalty equals 10% of the standard premium for each full 12-month period someone could have enrolled but did not.<\/p>\n Hagdorn said she quickly obtained the missing documentation and submitted it, but the penalty remained in place.<\/p>\n She said she repeatedly contacted Social Security over the next six months.<\/p>\n “Yes, Mrs. Hagdorn, all of your paperwork is in here, but a human needs to [review it],” she recalled being told. “That was insulting to me because I was kind of like, you don’t have humans there? Aren’t I talking to a human?”<\/p>\n She said representatives were courteous but unable to provide answers about when a final decision would be made.<\/p>\n “The agents were nice. They were kind to me. They weren’t helping me,” she said.<\/p>\n Resolution came after contacting CBS News Philadelphia<\/p>\n After months of unsuccessful attempts, Hagdorn contacted In Your Corner.<\/p>\n Within days, she said two credits totaling $609 appeared in her bank account, and her Medicare premium was corrected.\u00a0<\/p>\n “I am so happy,” Hagdorn said. “I don’t feel that I would be this far if I didn’t reach out and ask for help and accept the help.”<\/p>\n CBS News Philadelphia asked the Social Security Administration why the matter remained unresolved for months after Hagdorn submitted the requested documentation. A spokesperson declined to comment on an individual case.<\/p>\n Watchdog audit finds broader concerns<\/p>\n Hagdorn’s experience comes as a recent Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General audit found problems involving Medicare Part B penalty assessments.<\/p>\n The audit reviewed<\/a> a sample of Medicare Part B applications and estimated that approximately 12,000 beneficiaries may have had applications processed incorrectly, resulting in roughly $12 million in improperly assessed penalties. The report found errors involving employer-sponsored group health coverage, Special Enrollment Period determinations and other exceptions that can reduce or eliminate penalties.<\/p>\n Investigators also found Medicare enrollment notices did not always clearly explain late enrollment penalties or the consequences of delaying enrollment.<\/p>\n Hagdorn hopes others can learn from her experience<\/p>\n For Hagdorn, the biggest lesson is making sure every required document is submitted and following up quickly if something does not seem right.<\/p>\n She also worries about other seniors who may not realize a mistake has occurred or may struggle to navigate a complicated government process.<\/p>\n “What about my fellow senior citizens?” Hagdorn said. “What if they don’t know?”<\/p>\n What Medicare beneficiaries should know<\/p>\n People who delay Medicare Part B enrollment because they are covered by a current employer’s health insurance, either their own or a spouse’s, generally can avoid late enrollment penalties by documenting that coverage when they enroll.\u00a0<\/p>\n Medicare advises beneficiaries to keep records of employer coverage and review enrollment requirements carefully.<\/p>\n Looking for help with a consumer issue?\u00a0Click here<\/a>\u00a0to submit your complaint to In Your Corner.<\/p>\n \n More from CBS News\n <\/p>\n