Coronavirus and health insurance if clients are working and age 65 plus

As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, if a client lost their group health insurance through their job or their spouse’s job and they’re age 65 or older, they'll want to enroll in Medicare coverage right away. They most likely will qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (www.medicare.gov).

If they already signed up for Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) while they were actively working, they’ll need to complete the following two forms and mail them together to their local Social Security office (www.ssa.gov):

• Application for enrollment in Medicare Part B (medical insurance) Form 40B (www.cms.gov) (and in Spanish)
• Request for employment information Form L564 (www.cms.gov) (and in Spanish)

If they have not yet signed up for Medicare Part A and Part B and want to enroll, they should go to Social Security (www.ssa.gov).

The sooner they enroll, the better. Social Security will honor the date it receives their application, even under COVID19-related circumstances in which the client's unable to get the employer’s signature on the Request for employment information (Form L564 (www.cms.gov). Social Security will accept the following documentation during this Special Enrollment Period:

• Income tax returns that show health insurance premiums paid.
• W-2s that show pre-tax medical contributions.
• Pay stubs that reflect health insurance premium deductions.
• Health insurance cards with a policy effective date.
• Explanations of benefits paid by your employer health plan.
• Statements or receipts that show payment of health insurance premiums.

Once they’re enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B, they can choose to also enroll in a Medicare Supplement and a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan or enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan.

United Health Care conducts call campaign about COVID-19 to Medicare members

United Health Care (UHC) is conducting a virtual call campaign to all of its Medicare members to: 

• Educate them about COVID-19 prevention measures.
• Provide plan- and state-specific resources.
• Give updates on the current situation using guidance from the CDC and the World Health Organization. 

The calls are automated, however, the member has the option to connect with a live advocate, in which they're asked to enter their birth year to verify their identity to discuss any member-specific information as part of the routine verification process. At no point during the virtual call are members asked to enter a Medicare ID, Social Security number, or full date of birth. If the member is not reached, UHC will leave a voicemail that includes a call back number the member can use to connect with a live advocate.