I feel more secure

Howdy to all,

Today I had to make a visit to the Social Security office down in Boca Raton. This was to try and get my surcharges for Medicare part B and D lessened because of my “one time event”.. That is a nice way of saying my butt was kicked out of The Office, and I won’t find another job because I’m old..

First, and utmost, I want to say the young lady at the SS office was incredibly helpful and cheerful, all the while doing a job that most people would run from. She was wonderful. More on that part in a few moments.

Getting there… Oh, my. I swear this Garmin GPS hasn’t a clue where any address is. And certainly not the best way to get there. I had a general idea of where the building was when I left home. And every time I’d ignore the GPS and take a different turn, it would recalculate and lower the amount of time to get to the destination. But, as I said, I had a “general idea” of the location. When I got close, I tried to follow the GPS. It demanded I make a left turn where there was no street. And when I went past it, the GPS had me make a U-Turn and then wanted me to make a right, into the same spot.

Luckily, I remember reading the SS Office was in a building next to Embassy Suites, and I saw it on the other side of the road. Made another U-turn, drove around the Embassy building and there it was.

Anyway, I was very early — I figured I’d get lost — and so I got up the the SS office 40 minutes early. And promptly was informed that this was a government building and no weapons (including my Swiss Army knife) was allowed. Back to the truck and back up to the office I went.

Now I could get in — They use a Kiosk to check you in and triage you into a queue. I was lucky, in my queue, I was number 31 and they were on 28. A few minutes later I was called in where a not so nice gentleman proceeded to inform me I shouldn’t be in Boca, and I hadn’t filled out the form that was needed.

Um, the SS phone call picked the place and time, and I never got this form. So he hands me the first 3 pages of an 8 page form and says go sit and fill it out and we’ll call for you. Well, the silly thing wants fill in the blank answers, but I’m to use the instructions on pages I don’t have. I did my best to fill in what I could — almost completely WRONG!!!.

That’s when things improved. The young lady I mentioned above, called my name. After she listened patiently to my rants and explanations, she did everything she could to explain what was needed where and how / why. She also determined the best numbers ($$) we could enter into the form to try and get the best rates for me — Thank you so much!!!

My Medicare part B was $175 per month higher than the new penalty of about $144 per month .. (Saving about $2100 per year)

My Medicare part D was $57 per month higher than the new penalty of about $12 per month.. (Saving about $700 per year).

So my present penalty for having made a living South Florida income in 2018 will be around $850 instead of over $3600.

Of course I will have to trek to the new (to me) Social Security office in Ohio in 2021 to do the same because I made too much in 2019. And then again in 2022 because the selling of the house in Florida will be a capital gains income in 2020, and I’ll have been presumed to have made too much again.

UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

At least this is one thing done.

Oh, another Medicare issue was NOT solved yesterday. I was to call The Office’s benefits number and have them cancel COBRA medical on 3/1 (Medicare starts) but to bill me for the Dental / Vision plans.

Well, they told me COBRA was automatically ending at the end of month because of Medicare, and they couldn’t separate Dental/Vision. The service person opened a “ticket” on it after I told her that LEGALLY, they do have to allow it. I sent the appropriate website pages from the Department of Labor and a Medicare support group, to the H.R. rep who dumped our butts back in December. She forwarded it to benefits. They are supposedly going to get back to me this week.

If they don’t, I am out of coverage on 2/28. And to make it more fun, tomorrow I have a Dentist appointment!!!

UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh the home sell/buy front, the movers come on Thursday (I confirmed yesterday) to pack up the house, and then load the truck on Friday.

Up north, things are supposedly going fine. Agent wrote, “No news, is good news”. I don’t believe that for a moment… No news means ignored and/or forgotten…

I have my hotel reservations for Ohio, for my homeless period. But will find a place on the drive in Florida?/Georgia?/Tenn?/ wherever, during the drive up. Don’t know where I’ll be since I don’t know what time I’ll leave on 3/3…

So there’s your update.

Hope everybody is enjoying life.

One last thing — come on people, use that Amazon Affiliate link… I need money to pay off the surcharges… Please?? And thank-you to those who are using it.

Enjoy