When You Get Benefits...What You Need To Know U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Social Security Administration SSA Publication No. 05-10077 January 1994 ICN 468300 Why You Should Read This Booklet Now that your Social Security benefits have started, you have important rights and equally important responsibilities. This booklet explains them to you. It tells you what services we offer you and what we'll do to keep you up-to-date about changes that may affect your benefits. It also explains what you need to report to us so that we can keep your benefits coming on time every month and in the right amount. We suggest that you take time now to read this booklet and then put it in a safe place so you can refer to it in the future. If you receive a Supplemental Security Income (SSI) check in addition to a Social Security check, remember that there are different rules for that program. The booklet, When You Get SSI What You Need To Know (Publication No. 05-11011), explains those rules. Copies are available from Social Security. There are also different rules for people who receive Social Security benefits because they have a disability. The booklet, When You Get Social Security Disability Benefits What You Need To Know (Publication No. 05-10153), tells about those rules. Copies of that booklet are also available from Social Security. What's Inside Part 1: About Your Benefits Your Social Security Checks Direct Deposit Paying Taxes On Your Benefits Part 2: Services We Offer Our Toll-Free Telephone Numbers Free Service What We Will Report To You Part 3: What You Need To Report To Us Your Responsibilities Any Change In Your Estimated Earnings If You Move Changing Direct Deposit Accounts A Person Who Is Unable To Manage Funds Getting A Pension From Non-Covered Work Marriage Or Divorce If Your Name Is Changed Caring For A Child Who Receives Benefits Adoption Imprisonment Leaving The United States The Death Of A Beneficiary Part 4: Working And Getting Social Security At The Same Time How Earnings Affect Your Check A Special Monthly Rule What Income Counts ... And When Do We Count It? Reporting Your Earnings Your Earnings Estimate And Your Benefits Part 5: Other Important Information If You Become Disabled Benefits For Children A Word About Medicare Can You Get SSI? If You Disagree With A Decision We Make Part 6: The Most Frequently Asked Questions Part 1 About Your Benefits Your Social Security Checks Social Security benefits are paid on the third day of the month. If the third falls on a weekend or on a Monday holiday, benefits will be paid on the previous Friday. The post office makes a considerable effort to deliver Social Security checks on time, but sometimes mail is delayed. If your check is not delivered on its due date, allow three more workdays before reporting the missing check to Social Security. The most common reason checks are late is because a change of address was not reported. You shouldn't sign a check until you are at the place where you will cash it. If you sign it ahead of time and lose it, the person who finds it could cash it. If your check is lost or stolen, contact Social Security immediately. Your check can be replaced, but it takes time. To be safe, you should cash or deposit your check as soon as possible after you receive it. A government check must be cashed within 12 months after the date of the check or it will be void. If you receive a check you know is not due you, take it to any Social Security office. Or, return it to the U.S. Treasury Department, Division of Disbursement, at the address on the check envelope. Enclose a note telling why you are sending the check back. Direct Deposit Many people want their Social Security benefit sent directly to their savings or checking account. They find that direct deposit of their benefits is safer and more convenient than getting their checks by mail. If you would like to start direct deposit, contact us so that we can make the change for you. If you decide to change financial institutions, don't close your old account until direct deposit to your new account has started. You can call your financial institution to make sure it has received your check. Paying Taxes On Your Benefits Some people who get Social Security have to pay taxes on their benefits. You will be affected only if you have substantial income in addition to your Social Security benefits. If you file a Federal tax return as an "individual," and your combined income* is between $25,000 and $34,000, you may have to pay taxes on 50 percent of your Social Security benefits. If your combined income is above $34,000, 85 percent of your Social Security benefits is subject to income tax. If you file a joint return, you may have to pay taxes on 50 percent of your benefits if you and your spouse have a combined income * that is between $32,000 and $44,000. If your combined income * is more than $44,000, 85 percent of your Social Security benefits is subject to income tax. If you are a member of a couple and file a separate return, you probably will pay taxes on your benefits. No one pays taxes on more than 85 percent of his or her benefits. Some pay taxes on a smaller amount of their benefits according to a formula developed by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). After the end of each year, you will receive a Social Security Benefit Statement (Form SSA-1099) in the mail showing the amount of benefits you received. You can use this statement when you are completing your federal income tax return to find out if any of your benefits are subject to tax. Most people who are neither residents nor citizens of the U.S. will have up to 15 percent of their benefits withheld. If you are subject to this tax and you become a U.S. resident or citizen, you should notify Social Security. For more information, call the IRS's toll-free telephone number, 1-800-829-3676, to ask for Publication 554, Tax Information for Older Americans, and Publication 915, Social Security Benefits and Equivalent Railroad Retirement Benefits. Part 2 Services We Offer Our Toll-Free Telephone Numbers For your convenience, Social Security provides toll-free telephone service. The number is 1-800-772-1213. Most inquiries and reports can be handled by phone, saving you the time and expense of a trip to our office. You can call anytime (24 hours a day). If you call between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., you can speak to a service representative. And if you have a push-button (tone) phone, recorded information and services are available after 7 p.m. weekdays and 24 hours a day on weekends and holidays. Hearing-impaired callers using "TDD" equipment can reach Social Security between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. on business days by calling 1-800-325-0778. If you want to speak to a representative, the best times to call are early in the morning and early in the evening. And, if you can, it's best to call later in the week and later in the month. Be sure to have your Social Security number handy when you call. The Social Security Administration treats all calls confidentially whether they're made to our toll-free numbers or to one of our local offices. We also want to ensure that you receive accurate and courteous service. That is why we have a second Social Security representative monitor some incoming and outgoing telephone calls. Free Service You never have to pay for information or service at Social Security. Some businesses advertise that they can provide name changes, Social Security cards, or earnings statements for a fee. All these services are provided free by Social Security. The Social Security Administration itself is the best source of information about Social Security. What We Will Report To You From time to time, we will send you important information about your Social Security benefits. Here is a list of some of the things we'll report to you: Cost-Of-Living Adjustments (COLA) Each January, your benefits will increase automatically if the cost of living has increased. We will notify you of your new benefit amount in January. Annual Earnings Limit There is a limit to the amount you can earn and still receive all your Social Security checks. This amount increases each year also. We will notify you of the new amount each January. For more information, see Part 4 of this booklet. Your Earnings Report Forms If we know you're working, we'll send you a form in January to report your earnings and another form in September to revise your earnings estimate. It's your responsibility, though, to inform us of your earnings, even if you don't receive the report forms in the mail. A Benefit Statement For Your Tax Return In January, we will send you a Social Security Benefit Statement (Form SSA-1099) that shows the total amount of benefits you received in the previous year. You may need this when you file your income tax return. You also can use the SSA-1099 when you need proof of your benefit amount. Any Other Changes In Your Benefit If any other change occurs that affects the amount of your benefit, we will let you know promptly. How We Will Report To You We usually use the mail when we want to contact you, but sometimes a Social Security representative may come to your home. Our representative will show you identification before talking about your benefits. If you ever doubt someone who says he or she is from Social Security, call the Social Security office to ask if someone was sent to see you. Part 3 What You Need To Report To Us Your Responsibilities It is important to notify us promptly whenever one of the changes listed on Pages 9-14 occurs. Information you give to another government agency may be provided to Social Security by the other agency, but you also must report the change to us. Failure to report a change can result in an overpayment. If you are overpaid, we will recover any payments not due you. Also, if you fail to report changes timely or you make a false statement, you can be penalized by a deduction from payments or a fine or imprisonment. You can call, write, or visit us to make a report. Have your claim number handy. If you receive benefits because of your own work, your claim number is the same as your Social Security number followed by a letter. If you receive benefits on someone else's work record, your claim number will be shown on your check or on any letter about your benefit that you get from Social - Security. Any Change In Your Estimated Earnings If you're working, we usually ask you to estimate your earnings for the year. If you later learn your earnings will be higher or lower than you estimated, let us know as early in the year as possible so that we can adjust your benefits. See "Working And Getting Social Security At The Same Time" on Page 15 for help in making accurate estimates. If You Move Let us know your new address and phone number as soon as you know them. Tell us when you plan to move. Even if you receive your benefits by direct deposit rather than by mail, Social Security must have your correct address so we can send letters and other important information to you. Your benefits will be stopped if we are unable to contact you. When you report your new address, let us know the names of any family members who also should receive their Social Security checks there. Be sure to file a change of address with the post office, too. Changing Direct Deposit Accounts If you change financial institutions or open a new account, we can change your direct deposit information over the telephone. Have your new and old account numbers handy when you call us. They will be written on your checks or account statements. A Person Who Is Unable To Manage Funds Sometimes a person is unable to manage his or her own funds. When this happens, Social Security should be notified. We can then arrange to send benefits to a relative or other person who agrees to use the money for the well-being of the beneficiary. We call this person a "representative payee." Please Note: If a person has "power of attorney" for someone, that does not automatically qualify him or her to be the representative payee. Getting A Pension From Non-Covered Work If you start receiving a pension from work not covered by Social Security for example, from the federal civil service system or some state or local pension systems your Social Security benefit may need to be refigured or offset. Also, tell us if the amount of your pension changes. For more information, call Social Security to ask for a copy of the factsheets, Government Pension Offset (Publication No. 05-10007) for government workers who may be eligible for Social Security benefits on the record of a husband or wife and A Pension From Work Not Covered By Social Security (Publication No. 05-10045) for government workers who are also eligible for their own Social Security benefits. Marriage Or Divorce If you get married or divorced, it may affect your Social Security benefits, depending on the kind of benefits you receive. If you get: Your own retirement benefits your benefits will continue. Wife's or husband's benefits your benefits will stop if you get divorced unless you are 62 or older and you were married at least 10 years. Widow's or widower's (including divorced widow's and widower's) benefits your benefits will continue if you remarry when you are 60 or older. Disabled widow's or widower's (including disabled divorced widow's and widower's) benefits your benefits will continue if you remarry when you are 50 or older. Any other kind of benefits your benefits will stop if you get married, except in special circumstances. Your benefits may be started again if the marriage ends. If Your Name Is Changed If you change your name because of marriage, divorce, or court order notify us of the change so we can show the new name on our records. Caring For A Child Who Receives Benefits If you are receiving benefits because you are caring for a child who is under 16 or disabled, you should notify us right away if the child leaves your care. Give us the name and address of the person with whom your child is living. A temporary separation may not affect your benefits if you continue to exercise parental control over the child, but your benefits will stop if you no longer have responsibility for the child. When the child returns to your care, we can start sending benefits to you again. Your benefits will end when the youngest unmarried child in your care reaches 16. Your child's benefits can continue as explained in the "Benefits For Children" section of Part 5 of this booklet. If you become the parent of a child after you begin receiving Social Security benefits and the child is in your care, be sure to notify us so that the child can also receive benefits. Adoption When a child who is receiving benefits is adopted, let us know his or her new name, the date of the adoption decree, and the adopting parent's name and address. The adoption will not cause benefits to end. Imprisonment Social Security must be notified immediately if a beneficiary is imprisoned for committing a felony. Benefits will not be paid during the months of imprisonment, but family members eligible for benefits can continue to receive them. Leaving The United States If you are a United States citizen, you can travel or live in most foreign countries without affecting your eligibility for Social Security benefits. However, there are a few countries where we cannot send Social Security checks. These countries are Cuba, Cambodia, North Korea, Vietnam, and the republics that were formerly in the U.S.S.R. (except Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania). Let us know if you plan to go outside the U.S. for a trip that lasts 30 days or more. Tell us the name of the country or countries you plan to visit and the date you expect to leave the U.S. We will send you special reporting instructions and tell you how to arrange for your checks while you are abroad. Be sure to notify us when you return to the U.S. If you work outside the U.S., different rules apply in determining if you can get your benefit checks. For more information about working or staying outside the U.S., call us to ask for a copy of the booklet, Your Social Security Checks While You Are Outside The United States (Publication No. 05-10137). The Death Of A Beneficiary When a person who receives Social Security benefits dies, no benefit is payable for the month of death. That means if the person died any time in July, for example, the check dated August 3 (which is payment for July) should be returned, unless the check is made out jointly to a husband and wife. In that case, the survivor can bring the check to the Social Security office to have the payee information changed. If the person's benefits were being deposited directly into a financial institution, the financial institution should also be notified of the death as soon as possible. It will return any payments received after death. Family members may be eligible for Social Security survivors benefits when a retired worker dies. If a spouse was living with the beneficiary at the time of death, she or he will receive a one-time payment of $255. The payment may be made to a spouse who was not living with the beneficiary at the time of death if she or he was receiving Social Security benefits based on the deceased's earnings record. If there is no surviving spouse, a child (or children) who is eligible for benefits on the deceased's work record in the month of his or her death may claim the payment. Part 4 Working And Getting Social Security At The Same Time How Earnings Affect Your Check You can continue to work and still get all of your Social Security benefits as long as your earnings are under certain limits. These limits increase each year as average wages increase. In 1994, the earnings limits are $8,040 for people under 65 and $11,160 for people age 65 through 69. Earnings in or after the month you reach age 70 won't affect your Social Security benefits. You can work and earn up to the limit and still get all your Social Security checks. If your earnings go over the limit, some or all of your benefits will be withheld. Here's how it works: If you are under 65, we will deduct $1 in benefits for each $2 you earn above $8,040. If you are 65 through 69, we will deduct $1 in benefits for each $3 you earn above $11,160. Let's look at an example. Mr. Jones: Age 65 Benefit amount: $800 a month ($9,600 year) Earnings:$20,000 a year Minus earnings limit: $11,160 Difference: $ 8,840  3 = $2,946 Mr. Jones will get all but $2,946 of his Social Security benefits for the year. He will get $6,654 in Social Security in addition to his $20,000 earnings. His total income $26,654. If, on the other hand, Mr. Jones limits his outside earnings to $11,160, he will get all his benefit checks. He will get $9,600 in Social Security benefits in addition to his $11,160 in earnings. His total income $20,760. If you are under 65 and some of your benefits are withheld because your earnings are over $8,040, there is some good news. When you reach 65, your benefits will be increased to take into account those months in which you received no Social Security check. Here's why: your benefit was initially reduced five-ninths of one percent for each month you were under 65 when you signed up for Social Security. But at 65, we give you back five-ninths of one percent for each month you didn't get a Social Security check because your earnings were too high. And there's another way that working may increase your Social Security check. Your benefit is based on a percentage of your earnings averaged over most of your working lifetime. If any income you make after signing up for Social Security increases your overall average earnings, your Social Security benefit probably will also increase. For more information, call Social Security to ask for How Work Affects Your Social Security Benefits (Publication No. 05-10069). A Special Monthly Rule Sometimes, people who retire in mid-year have already earned more than the yearly earnings limit before they retire. That's why there's a special rule that applies to earnings for one year, usually the first year of retirement. Under this rule, you can receive a full Social Security check for any whole month you are "retired," regardless of your yearly earnings. In 1994, a person is considered retired if monthly earnings are limited to $670 for people under 65 or $930 for people 65 through 69. The $1-for-$2 and $1-for-$3 rules cannot be applied to selected months. This means that someone could lose a whole month's Social Security benefit if earnings exceeded the monthly limit by even $1. If you're self-employed, we also consider whether you perform substantial services in your business to help us decide if you are retired. One measure of your service is the amount of time you spend working. In general, if you work more than 45 hours a month in self-employment, you are not retired; if you work less than 15 hours a month, you are retired. Work between 15 and 45 hours a month may be considered substantial if you work in an occupation that requires a lot of skill or you are managing a sizeable business. For detailed information about how we figure the amount of time you spend in your business and whether your work is substantial, call or visit us. What Income Counts ... And When Do We Count It? Only wages and net self-employment income count toward the Social Security earnings limit. Income you have from savings, investments, or insurance will not affect your benefits. If You Worked For Wages Wages count toward the earnings limit when they are earned, not when they are paid. If you have income that you earned in one year, but the payment was deferred to a following year, it should not be counted as earnings for the year you receive it. Some examples of deferred income include accumulated sick or vacation pay, bonuses, stock options, and other deferred compensation. The Social Security Administration has made arrangements with the Internal Revenue Service to have employers report some types of deferred compensation directly on the W-2 form. These amounts are shown in box 14, "Nonqualified Plan." We will subtract the amount shown in box 14 from your total earnings counted for the earnings limit. If your W-2 form includes deferred income, you should contact Social Security before you file your annual report to tell us about these earnings. If You Are Self-Employed If you're self-employed, income counts when you receive it not when you earn it except if it is paid in a year after you become entitled to Social Security and was earned before you became entitled to Social Security. For example, if you start getting Social Security in June 1994 and you receive some money in February 1995 for work you did before June, it will not count against your 1995 earnings limit. However, if the money you receive in February 1995 was for work you did after June, it will count against your 1995 earnings limit. Reporting Your Earnings If you earn more than the earnings limit and you receive some benefits from Social Security, you must complete an annual report of earnings. In this report, you provide your exact earnings for the previous year and an estimate for the current year. In the year you turn 70, we only count your earnings for the months before the month you reach 70. You do not have to fill out a report if you are 70 or older all year. You can report your earnings by phone or by completing an Annual Report of Earnings form. This form is available by calling or visiting your Social Security office. If we know you're working and you receive some benefits during the year, we will send the form to you automatically. You must submit an annual report of earnings by April 15 of the year following the year you worked. If you do not receive a report form in the mail by the end of February, you should call our toll-free number to have one sent to you. If you need help in figuring your earnings or you have questions about your Annual Report of Earnings form, you should contact us. Penalty For Late Filing There is a substantial penalty for not filing an annual report of earnings on time. You can be penalized up to one full month's benefits for a first violation in addition to being required to repay any overpayment. Filing a federal income tax return does not take the place of filing an annual report with Social Security. Your Earnings Estimate And Your Benefits We calculated how much of your benefit payments you will receive this year based on the earnings estimate you gave us when you applied for Social Security or on the estimate in your most recent annual report. If other family members get benefits on your Social Security record, the total family benefits may be affected by your earnings. This means we may withhold not only your benefits, but those payable to your family as well. But, if you get benefits as a family member, your earnings affect only your own benefits. Revising Your Estimate When you work, you should save records of your earnings, such as pay stubs. At any time during the year, if you see that your earnings will be different from what you had estimated, you should call us to revise your estimate. This will help us keep the amount of your Social Security benefits correct. Part 5 Other Important Information If You Become Disabled If you become disabled before reaching 65, contact us. You may be able to get a higher benefit if you are eligible for disability benefits. Benefits For Children If a child is getting checks on your account, there are important things you should know about his or her benefits. When A Child Reaches 18 A child's benefits stop with the month before the child reaches 18, unless the child is unmarried and is either disabled or is a full-time elementary or secondary school student. About five months before the child's 18th birthday, the person receiving the child's benefits will get a form explaining how benefits can continue. A child whose benefits stopped at 18 can have them started again if he or she becomes disabled before reaching 22 or becomes a full-time elementary or secondary school student before reaching 19. If A Child Is Disabled A child can continue to receive benefits after age 18 if he or she has a disability. The child also may qualify for SSI disability benefits. Call us for more information. If A Child At 18 Is A Student A child can receive benefits until age 19 if he or she continues to be a full-time elementary or secondary school student. When a student's 19th birthday occurs during a school term, benefits can be continued up to two months to allow completion of the term. Social Security should be notified immediately if the student drops out of school, changes from full-time to part-time attendance, is expelled or suspended, or changes schools. We should also be told if the student is paid by his or her employer for attending school. We send each student a form at the start and end of the school year. It is important that the form be filled out and returned to us. Benefits could be stopped if the form is not sent back. A student can keep receiving benefits during a vacation period of four months or less if he or she plans to go back to school full time at the end of the vacation. A student who stops attending school generally can receive benefits again if he or she returns to school full time before age 19. The student needs to contact Social Security to reapply for benefits. A Word About Medicare Medicare is a health insurance plan for people who are 65 or older. People who are disabled or have permanent kidney failure can get Medicare at any age. Medicare has two parts hospital insurance and medical insurance. Most people have both parts. Hospital insurance, sometimes called Part A, covers inpatient hospital care and certain follow-up care. You have already paid for it through part of your Social Security taxes while you were working. Medical insurance, sometimes called Part B, pays for physicians' services and some other services not covered by hospital insurance. Medical insurance is optional, and a premium is charged. Unless you decline medical insurance protection, the premium will be automatically deducted from your benefit. The 1994 premium amount is $41.10 a month. If you applied for retirement or survivors benefits before your 65th birthday, you do not need to file a separate application for Medicare. You will receive information in the mail before you turn 65 that will explain what you need to do. Your coverage starts automatically at age 65, even if you have not yet received your Medicare card in the mail. Help For Low-Income Medicare Beneficiaries If you get Medicare and have low income and few resources, your state may pay your Medicare premiums and, in some cases, other "out-of-pocket" Medicare expenses such as deductibles and coinsurance. Only your state can decide if you qualify. To find out if you do, contact your state or local welfare office or Medicaid agency. For more general information about the program, contact Social Security and ask for a copy of the leaflet, Medicare Savings For Qualified Beneficiaries (HCFA Publication No. 02184). Can You Can SSI? If you have limited income and assets, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) may be able to help. SSI is a federal program administered by the Social Security Administration, but financed from general revenues, not from Social Security taxes. It pays monthly checks to people who are 65 or older, or blind, or disabled. If you get SSI, you may get other benefits too, such as Medicaid, food stamps, and other social services. We don't count some income and some assets when we decide if you're eligible for SSI. Your house and your car, for example, are usually not counted as assets. Call us for more information or to apply. If You Disagree With A Decision We Make If you have any questions about your payment amount or about a letter we sent you, contact us. If you disagree with a decision we made, you have the right to ask that your claim be reconsidered. Your request must be in writing and filed with any Social Security office within 60 days of the date you receive the letter you are questioning. There are further steps you can take after reconsideration if you are still not satisfied. They are explained in the factsheet, The Appeals Process (Publication No. 05-10041), available from Social Security. You have the right to be represented by an attorney or other qualified person of your choice in any business with us. This does not mean that you have to have an attorney or other representative, but we will be glad to work with one if you wish. For your protection, there are special rules about who can represent you and what he or she can do. This is explained in the factsheet, Social Security And Your Right To Representation (Publication No. 05-10075), available from Social Security. Part 6 The Most Frequently Asked Questions 1. Where is my check? Sometimes mail delivery is late. Allow three workdays after the normal delivery date before reporting a lost check to Social Security. See Page 4. 2. How do I get direct deposit? Call Social Security to arrange direct deposit of your benefit. The teleservice representative will ask you for your Social Security claim number and information about your financial institution, which can be found on a check or bank statement. 3. How do I change my address? Call Social Security and tell them your new address including the ZIP code, your new telephone number, and your Social Security claim number. 4. How will I know what benefits to report on my income tax return? The Social Security Benefit Statement (Form SSA-1099) shows the amount of benefits you received in the previous year. A copy of your SSA-1099 also is sent to the IRS. You pay income tax on your Social Security benefits only if you have other income. 5. I need proof of what I receive from Social Security. What can I use? Every year we will send you an SSA-1099 form showing how much you received from Social Security in the past year. You can use this as proof. If you have direct deposit, we'll send you a notice when your check amount increases because of the cost of living raise. You can show this notice as proof of how much you get. 6.How do I get a new Social Security card or Medicare card? Call Social Security for your new card. Have your Social Security number handy when you call. 7. Where is my local office? The addresses of Social Security offices are listed in the telephone directory under "U.S. Government" or "Social Security Administration," or you can call our toll-free number 1-800-772-1213 to ask for the local office's address. 8. Why is my neighbor's check more than mine? Benefit computations are based on a person's date of birth and complete work history, so differences are very likely. To protect each person's privacy, we cannot give you information about someone else's Social Security record. 9. Will you please explain this letter I got from you? If one of our letters leaves you with additional questions, our teleservice representatives can answer them. Some letters will give you a local number to call, or you can call our toll-free number: 1-800-772-1213. 10.How much can I earn this year? The 1994 earnings limits are $8,040 for people under 65 and $11,160 for people 65-69. There is no earnings limit if you are age 70 or over. Call us if you need to revise your earnings estimate. 11. Are my benefits figured on my last five years of earnings? No. Retirement benefits are calculated on total earnings during a lifetime of work under the Social Security system. Years of high earnings will increase the amount of the benefit, but no group of years counts more than another group. 12. Will my retirement pension from my job reduce the amount of my Social Security benefit? If your pension is from work where you also paid Social Security taxes, it will not affect your Social Security benefit. Pensions from work that are not covered by Social Security for example, the federal civil service or some state or local government systems probably will reduce the amount of your Social Security benefit. 13. What does Medicare cover? The Medicare Handbook provides detailed information about covered services. Your handbook will arrive in the mail close to the time your Medicare entitlement starts. 14. Do I have the doctors' part of Medicare? Medicare has two parts: hospital insurance (Part A) and medical insurance (Part B). To determine which parts of Medicare you have, look at the entries on your red, white, and blue Medicare card. If you see the words, "Medical Insurance" or "Medical (Part B)," you are covered for the "doctors' part" of Medicare. 15. How do I file a Medicare claim? Service providers doctors, hospitals, medical labs, etc. are required to submit Medicare claims. You should notify your Medicare carrier if your doctor or other provider refuses to submit a Part B claim for you. The phone numbers and addresses of carriers are listed in The Medicare Handbook.