The Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) administers Medicare benefits for many former railroad workers. RRB Medicare differs from regular Social Security Medicare in several ways; eligibility requirements must be fulfilled to be eligible, premiums are often deducted directly from wages rather than being invoiced separately and any questions about its operation should be directed towards your local RRB field office. To find out more, reach out today.
Individuals enrolled in RRB Medicare can enroll in Part B during a seven-month window that begins three months before their 65th birthday and ends three months prior to that birthday, otherwise a late enrollment penalty will apply. Furthermore, non-RRB or Social Security retirement beneficiaries can sign up during certain open enrollment periods as well.
Most individuals enrolled in RRB Medicare will have their Part B premium automatically deducted from their Railroad Retirement or disability annuity check, while premium-free Part A may also apply to them. Individuals not receiving RRB payments or Social Security can enroll for Part B by filling out CMS-40B; for those receiving payments for end stage renal disease (ESRD) but not RRB benefits (form CMS-43) the enrollment form and Part A/Part B enrollment should use form CMS-43.
RRB Medicare benefits depend on which plan a person selects and their medical needs. For instance, RRB plan GA-23111 offers coverage of 92% of eligible expenses with an annual deductible per person of $100 calendar year; additionally it includes routine and preventive services such as pap smears and mammograms as part of its benefits package.
Other plans may also be available, including Plan E offered by rail labor organizations which covers 70% of eligible expenses with a $100 calendar-year deductible per person, supplemented by GA-46000 which covers 94% with no calendar-year deductible.
Individuals enrolled in both GA-23111 and GA-46000 should be mindful that these plans work in concert and do not duplicate coverage; accordingly, it is vitally important to keep a running total of what each program provides in terms of total coverage. Individuals receiving Railroad Retirement benefits or disability annuity should submit claims only through their chosen RRB Medicare carrier in order to ensure timely payment of claims. In doing this, RRB can ensure all appropriate claims are paid on time. Additionally, this will help prevent duplicate payments by decreasing the amount of paperwork that needs to be filled out. Individuals enrolled in GA-23111 should submit claims for both Medicare Part A and Part B to their carrier, making sure to inform them that these claims relate to both types of coverage.