help: Medicare just got me. How to cancel?

You probably already know this but you need to contact Social Security

(Contacting Social Security in Manila is almost impossible. I ended up flying to Guam and completed in 15 minutes what I tried for 7 months to accomplish with SS in Manila )

they do occasionally answer emails,

I would send a letter by LBC or any reliable courier company to SS in Manila stating you want to drop Medicare because it’s doesn’t work here in the Philippines

2 ways to drop coverage

To drop Part B (or Part A if you have to pay a premium for it), you usually need to send your request in writing and include your signature.

October is my 65th birthday month. I have looked previously and thought I opted out of Medicare in advance. But alas, I got dinged on my Social Security check this month. Pisses me off. I can't find a ONLINE way to cancel it. I'm not going back. Period. (Unless maybe a 49ers Super Bowl parade? naaaa. not even that.Can anyone guide me on how to stop them from taking Medicare out of my check? Does Cebu Consular office work with that? Is it even possible to get fast appointments?Thanks for any and all guidance! -@Larry Fisher

Yup when I unrolled from my medicare advantage insurance I thought I was done. I was expecting my ss checks to increase, but dropping the advantage plan reverted to Medicare without me knowing it.

Looks like you are going to face a mountain of red tape.

@gregparker6201 Did you need to make an appointment at Guam office or just walk-in?

@Enzyte Bob I'm going to make one try tomorrow when US Embassy Social Security takes phone calls (2 days per week for 3 hours). If I can't get through I'm booking a trip to Guam asap. Sadly I just looked there's nothing direct from Cebu to Guam, nor from Clark. I hate MNL but may have to bite the bullet. Sigh...

Larry Fisher said . . . . I'm going to make one try tomorrow when US Embassy Social Security takes phone calls (2 days per week for 3 hours). If I can't get through I'm booking a trip to Guam asap. Sadly I just looked there's nothing direct from Cebu to Guam, nor from Clark. I hate MNL but may have to bite the bullet. Sigh...

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Sometime ago I filled out a form online to make an appointment for the SS office in Manila. I got an email saying I will hear from them in 10 days. 10 days later they said I will have a telephone interview and they gave me the time and date, I think I had to wait two months.

Send the Embassy a letter using FedEx or some similar company requesting an appointment an asking for details on how to unroll from Medicare.

I would keep trying to make that telephone call, a trip to Guam will be $$$. It would be a shame when in Guam you run into more red tape.

Well they GOT ME! Right in the keester, multiple times!

1. I couldn't get through to Social Security at the Embassy, even though I started calling @ 7:59am.
2. A member gave me a phone number for Guam and I called and within 4 rings I had a real, live, person! Told me how fast and easy he could get Medicare canceled for me and I booked a ticket.

Here's where they got me again:

Went to B.I. in Cebu City. Was there when they opened the doors (mind you it's 2.5 hrs drive for me). Needed to get an Exit Clearance Certificate. I had everything I needed. Filled out the paper work, and the power goes out! Within 5 mins it's back up and I am at the 1st processing desk (of many). Took 90 mins to get that computer working! Long story shorter, took three hours, 500p. And they tell me on Tuesday to come back FRIDAY @3pm! WTF? really?

I knew it could take that long, but my hopes were up because of so many folks getting it all done, papers in hand, paying the expedite fee. I was calm and whiney (lol) to try and get the help to get done same day, with my sad tale of 3 hrs drive, etc. Then I get the "go ask the guards outside". That means pay somebody bud!

I actually had my cell recording (sneakily) when I went out there because I wanted to expose the corruption. The guy disappears, comes back and says he can't help because the guy that signs the ECC isn't there. It's all about paying that guy off. So I go to a fixer office nearby and ask them if they can get it expedited to me same day. OF COURSE THEY CAN! The fee is $3000 php. I gave them my pickup slip, paid them, and had to add FIVE FRIGGING HUNDRED to get them to deliver to my hotel when they get it done. It probably costs them 40-50p to have a grab deliver it.

So the guy that signs the cert is the excuse. We're supposed to believe a government employee of that type only works an hour a day signing papers. When the reality is, he and 1-3 others along the line below him are getting a piece of the action. Likely to the tune of 8-12x they're daily pay.

The government could charge me more. Having the process completed in one trip is worth more to the gov in fees, and then they could pay a little more and still have more income for the coffers. And happy customers too!

Sigh.

Larry Fisher said. . . . A member gave me a phone number for Guam and I called and within 4 rings I had a real, live, person! Told me how fast and easy he could get Medicare canceled for me and I booked a ticket.

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While in Guam, prior to cancelling Medicare get a complete physical.

Before moving to Las Vegas I had medical insurance with my employer. I decided to get a physical while still being covered under their plan, I ended up in the hospital getting by-pass surgery.

I moved to Las Vegas six weeks later.

Larry Fisher said. . . . A member gave me a phone number for Guam and I called and within 4 rings I had a real, live, person! Told me how fast and easy he could get Medicare canceled for me and I booked a ticket.
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While in Guam, prior to cancelling Medicare get a complete physical.
Before moving to Las Vegas I had medical insurance with my employer. I decided to get a physical while still being covered under their plan, I ended up in the hospital getting by-pass surgery.

I moved to Las Vegas six weeks later. - @Enzyte Bob

Naaaa, They'd tell me I'm already dead.

I'm only going for 1 day. No time to do that and get results. Heck I don't even have the Medicare card yet.

But it is a logical thing to do. I've gone against the grain most of my life. Why stop now? 😅

Larry

Larry Fisher said. . . . But it is a logical thing to do. I've gone against the grain most of my life. Why stop now? 😅

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The original Mayor Daily of Chicago had his medical checkup and the Doctor told him he was fit as a fiddle. That fiddle had a heart attack at the threshold of the door when leaving the doctors office and subsequently died.

Got back from Guam yesterday afternoon.

Left home for the drive to Cebu and airport Sun 10am. Arrived Monday 5am in Guam. Had to rest! Decided to get early check-in at the hotel I booked for 1 night...HA! Original room cost 4436 php for 1 night all inclusive. Early check-in $93 USD or 5394 php! More than the damn room! oh yea, that's after a 2 US mile taxi ride from the airport using the meter to the tune of $23.40 before tip! Holy shit Guam is expensive!

Social Security Office is basically across the street from the airport. So that's another $50 plus tip. Arrived 1:45 pm. Out with paperwork signed and done 2:15 pm. Back to the hotel. got some sleep, ordered food delivery, slept till 1am, out of hotel 2:30 am back to airport. Flight to MNL then Cebu and drive home, got home 5pm Tues. So it took 57 hours, and some money to keep nearly $200 in my retirement monthly fund.

MUCH faster than Embassy in Manila, by MONTHS, which is REALLY sad.

Larry

Great update Larry, thanks for sharing that info and glad it worked out so well.

You know, in the States they say they just want to make sure you are aware of the consequences. If you tell the SSA (any of them anywhere) that you're not in the States, that usually is enough to bypass any would be in-person need. Also, I believe there is a form you submit requesting the cancellation. Done.

I'm having a hard time with you needing to travel to Guam. I'm not even involved and that hurts.

Cliff Spark commented . . . . You know, in the States they say they just want to make sure you are aware of the consequences.

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One consequence if later you want to rejoin there is a $$$ penalty.

@Cliff Spark

1. There is a form. Requiring an inked signature. Not an online request.

2. Have you tried mailing to a Social Security P.O. box in the states? DHL, FedEx,  UPS do not deliver to P.O. boxes.  So in what year would you expect said form to arrive in USA Social Security office if using Philippines mail? 🤣

3. US EMBASSY has a Social Security office. How many months to get an appointment since it's only available via email request which they state quite plainly may take 4-6 weeks just to get a response.  Let alone an appointment.

4. $500 USD for round trip airfare and hotel, 20 mins in the Social Security office, and it's done. 

Which would you choose?

Efficiency has long-term financial value. And peace of mind.

@Larry Fisher

4. $500 USD for round trip airfare and hotel, 20 mins in the Social Security office, and it's done.

Which would you choose?

Logically it would seem, take the trip to Guam. However:

I know an expat to whom it was discovered by 2D echo testing that he had severe stenosis of the aorta. Prognosis...6 months to maybe 5 years.

That means you need a heart valve replacement.

If the expat had no US medicare and needed replacement in the Phils, the private hospital here that is very capable of the procedure quoted 2.5M php. Much of that cost is for the US supplied bio heart valve. So. roughly $50K self-funded payment in cash would be required.

However, it turns out that said expat had been keeping up with medicare B and AARP medigap plan N payments so he organized the procedure with a US hospital online while in the Phils and spent a few K on airline tickets and had the procedure done in the US, no question better quality  by a dedicated surgical team at a specialized vascular hospital. For rhat, the cost was airline tickets plus $240 deductible plus 3 co-pays of $20 each for doctor visits. In addition to several more CT scans and 2D echos at 2-7K each (fyi, these cost 4000 to 25000 php at Chong Hua) there was the operation itself consisting of the team at a cost of about $200k total. The expat paid only $300.00 total and needless to say, is glad he kept his medicare and medigap going, and continues to keep it to this day, along with his wife. An added bonus was the trip home and visiting with his kids which he would have done anyway.

Wow danfinn, you sure are deep into other expat's finances. And to have all these medical costs down pat. I know someone else who rambles off stuff like it's reality.

Bro, after what the US healthcare system with Medicare Part B included did to my mother with Dementia, I wouldn't wish the US healthcare system on anyone with less than a million in the bank.

Furthermore, I am a smoker of 50+ years. My chances are slim anyways, so I frankly don't give a shit. I will not leave my wife broke. Especially because of medical bills. Nor will I assist in propping up and industry that is run by insurance companies and for profit healthcare is just flat stupid.

I have basically two family members alive. A brother that's a drunk and dope fiend maga nutjob that hasn't ever held a job for two months in his lifetime, nor owned a car, got kicked out of the Navy in A-school and somehow now has a discharge adjustment that allows him to get veterans benefits, and his valor is so strong (end sarcasm) for veterans and their (his) needs now that the fed is paying his room and board. But oh yea, screw all these people on welfare! lol So yea, being personally sober for over 40 years I have no interest in ever seeing him again. So yea, no intent to go back.

The other family member is threatening to move here to the Philippines now that he's seen me do it.

Cliff Spark commented . . . . You know, in the States they say they just want to make sure you are aware of the consequences.
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One consequence if later you want to rejoin there is a $$$ penalty.
- @Enzyte Bob

Fully aware. And it's 10%. paid per month.

@Larry Fisher

  I know someone else who rambles off stuff like it's reality.

Thus implying that what I related is not reality. From your post, I can see you are really troubled by something and, no kidding, you might benefit from some professional counseling. Your main objective is to stay alive and not to worry about how others measure up to your expectations. I think that would be a vast improvement over your current dark existence but I get it Larry, something screwed up your life big time, so, it's "no more Mr. nice guy", eh?

@danfinn

M<fer did I ever ask for your dissertation on costs and why I shouldn't cancel? I'm a grown man dipshit. And probably with better analytical skills than you think. I also know how to face reality quite well. But hey, you go take part in whatever dafk you want in other peoples lives and go along with your status quo. Not mine.

As our moderator would say. "And the topic remains".

Cheers, Steve.