[Gigi3000]

If you have no insurance before going on Medicare, are your premiums permanently higher?

[villagetinker]

I do not remember any questions about prior or current insurance when we applied for medicare, ask SHINE, they advertise in the Daily Sun, but I think the in person meetings have been cancelled.

[kathyspear]

I think Gigi is referring to the fact that if you don't sign up for Medicare Part B when you are eligible AND you don't have coverage through your or your spouse's employer, then if/when you do sign up at some point you have to pay an extra 10% or so for EACH YEAR that you did not sign up and have other coverage. It is my understanding that those penalties are for the duration. They want to make sure that people don't wait until they are well past 65 and/or having significant health issues to start paying into the system.

kathy