[Zeke]

Key part? Small number of government employees?

However, that happens to be germane to the thread as JB used to work for a government agency in CA. In CA, government employees pay into a state system call CalPERS and they don't have SS deductions. I have 3 teachers in the close family, one retired. She gets her CalPERS pension and IDK what she does about heath ins. The other 2 are working so they are covered with the usual contract health ins provided with school district employment.

It may just be that JB is getting a CalPERS pension, or state disability as he WAS injured. So now at age 65 he has to make this go right. And it's not easy. So far, good info in this thread.

The kye takeaway is that one MUST address Medicare at age 65. I was covered until age 68 under my wife's employment. When I finally signed up for Medicare 3 years later, they wanted to pile on the penalties. I had to get a letter from my wife's HR to indicate that my part of her health plan was indeed deducted from her check. Had they gone out of business or something of that nature I would have had a lot of hoops to jump through.

Furthermore, I know a person that has big bucks and ignored the Medicare requirement age. When he finally figured out that Medicare with a comprehensive Supplemental plan was going to be his best bet, they nailed him with a life time penalty of 30% added. Plus his interest income is substantial so he's already paying a lot more than I.

He is 76 and is pretty uninsurable on the open market with his income. Lifetime smoker too, so he's out to lunch.