Latest news with #WindfallEliminationProvision
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Kokua Line: Why is Medicare double-billing some premiums?
Question : Regarding the Social Security Fairness Act, I am getting my money but now there's a problem with my Medicare premiums. Is anyone else having these problems ? Are they related ? Answer : Yes, problems with Medicare premiums, including double-billing, may be related to how payments are processed now that you are no longer penalized by the Windfall Elimination Provision or Government Pension Offset, which the Social Security Fairness Act repealed. After the repeal, nearly 3 million people became eligible for Social Security benefits, or for higher monthly payments if they were previously eligible. Social Security and Medicare are separate programs that work together. For many retirees, the Social Security Administration automatically deducts Medicare premiums from monthly Social Security benefits. Prior to receiving Social Security, retirees affected by the SSFA would have paid their Medicare premiums a different way, and issues have emerged during the transition. The SSA describes problems and solutions on its website, but does not say how many people are affected. Here are details from ; you may need to take action to correct your problem. Q : 'What should I do if my Medicare premiums are being deducted from my Social Security benefit and my Office of Personnel Management annuity ?' A : 'The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Serv ices is working on this issue. Anyone who had too many Medicare premiums withheld will receive a refund. You do not need to call, but if you have questions on this specific issue, contact 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227 ).' Q : 'What happens if my Medicare premium is deducted from my Civil Serv ice Retirement System annuity ?' A : 'If a person has had their premiums deducted from their CSRS annuity, and then applies for Social Security benefits, SSA will tell the person that their premiums will now be deducted from their monthly Social Security benefits. SSA's notice will include this information. In most cases, the premium refund will be included in the back payment from SSA. If not, the refund will be issued at the end of the calendar quarter. If you do not receive a premium refund within six weeks of the close of the calendar quarter, please contact SSA. Please contact SSA if you have any questions about your premiums.' Q : 'What if a person pays their Medicare premium directly to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Serv ices due to the Windfall Elimination Provision or Government Pension Offset reduction ?' A : 'SSA recommends that, until they get a notice from SSA, the person should continue to follow the instructions on the Medicare premium bill and pay the bill to ensure their Medicare coverage does not stop. SSA will send a notice telling people when their Social Security record is updated. Once the person begins receiving a Social Security benefit, the Medicare premium will be deducted from their monthly payment. If the benefit is not enough to cover the Medicare premium, the person will be billed for the remainder. SSA's notice will include this information. 'If the person prepaid their premiums to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and SSA tells them that their premiums will now be deducted from their monthly Social Security benefits, they will receive any applicable refund. SSA's notice will include this information. 'You may need to take action. For people who pay their Medicare premium using Automated Clearing House, also known as Medicare Easy Pay or Online Bill Payment : Once SSA notifies the person that they will receive a benefit increase, the Medicare premium will automatically be deducted from their monthly Social Security payment. 'For people using Medicare Easy Pay : They should arrange to stop the ACH payments by completing the Authorization Agreement for Preauthorized Payments form (SF-5510 ) and sending to the address on the form or online at. Both options are located at. 'For people using Online Bill Payment : If a person is paying their Medicare premiums through their bank's online bill payment service, they should contact their bank to stop their online bill payments.' 'Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227 ) for assistance.' Q : What is going in where the movie theater used to be at Koko Marina ? There is construction work going on. A : Negotiations are underway with multiple potential tenants for that space and Koko Marina Center's management office hopes to announce details within the next three months, the leasing agent said Thursday. For now, there's nothing official to publicly report. Ongoing interior demolition work is taking the space to 'shell condition ' for new tenants once they are finalized, she said. The movie theater, formerly an anchor tenant of the Hawaii Kai shopping center, closed July 30, 2023.------------Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 2-200, Honolulu, HI 96813 ; call 808-529-4773 ; or email.------------
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Social Security says 2.5 million retroactive payments processed so far
The Social Security Administration (SSA) has processed 2.5 million retroactive payments for teachers, firefighters, police officers and others with public pensions who were previously locked out of retirement benefits, the agency said last week. Signed into law by President Biden in January 2025, the Social Security Fairness Act requires the agency to adjust benefits for 3.2 million people, including future and past benefits. So far, Social Security has completed 90% of its caseload, according to its May 27 update. Payments are going to public pension holders previously barred from collecting full benefits under the federal retirement program due to two federal policies: the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO). The Social Security Fairness Act ended these provisions, opening the door for millions to receive retroactive payments dating back to January 2024. December 2023 was the last month the WEP and GPO applied, according to the SSA. The agency did not immediately respond to CBS MoneyWatch's request for comment. If you're eligible for these payments, read on for the latest from the SSA. When will I get my retroactive payment? The agency started issuing payments on Feb. 25. According to the SSA, beneficiaries should have received a one-time retroactive payment deposited into the bank account the agency has on file for them by the end of March 2025. In terms of the new monthly benefits, most eligible parties should have seen payment increases starting in April. There's a one-month lag for Social Security payments, so the April payments reflected March's benefit. What if I haven't gotten my payment yet? The SSA previously said that most Americans would have to wait up to a year or longer to receive their benefits. While the agency has been able to expedite payments using automation, more complicated cases need to be processed manually and will take longer as a result, according to its website. The SSA said it expects all beneficiary records to be updated by November 2025. Those eligible who have still not received their payment can check account or call 1-800-772-1213 to make sure the SSA has the right address and direct deposit information for them on file. "Ensuring that SSA has the correct information allows you to get any retroactive benefits and your new benefit amount quicker," the agency says in its update. There are still 900,000 Social Security Fairness Act cases which must be completed by hand, USA Today recently reported. SSA employees told the news outlet that they have been directed to prioritize these cases over their other work. How much will benefits increase? The amount of the added payments hinges on a few factors, such as the type of Social Security benefit and pension a person receives. Some people will see "very little" adjustments, while others could see over $1,000 each month, according to the SSA website. How will I know if my monthly benefit was adjusted? Any beneficiaries who receive a retroactive payment, or a monthly benefit adjustment, will receive a mailed notice from Social Security explaining the change. To learn more about your eligibility and how the Social Security payments work, visit the Social Security Fairness Act website. What if I never applied for retirement? If you never applied for retirement — or a spouse's benefits — due to the federal laws in place before the Social Security Fairness Act was passed, you may need to file an application. To do so, visit As of the week ending May 23, the agency has received over 200,000 new applications for benefits since the law passed, and has processed 87% of them, according to the SSA website. Sneak peek: Where is Jermain Charlo? Baldwin grills McMahon on unallocated funds for students, schools, approved by Congress Hegseth orders Navy to rename USNS Harvey Milk, Jeffries calls it "a complete and total disgrace"
CBS News
2 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
Social Security says 2.5 million retroactive payments have been processed. Here's what to know.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) has processed 2.5 million retroactive payments for teachers, firefighters, police officers and others with public pensions who were previously locked out of retirement benefits, the agency said last week. Signed into law by President Biden in January 2025, the Social Security Fairness Act requires the agency to adjust benefits for 3.2 million people, including future and past benefits. So far, Social Security has completed 90% of its caseload, according to its May 27 update. Payments are going to public pension holders previously barred from collecting full benefits under the federal retirement program due to two federal policies: the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO). The Social Security Fairness Act ended these provisions, opening the door for millions to receive retroactive payments dating back to January 2024. December 2023 was the last month the WEP and GPO applied, according to the SSA. The agency did not immediately respond to CBS MoneyWatch's request for comment. If you're eligible for these payments, read on for the latest from the SSA. When will I get my retroactive payment? The agency started issuing payments on Feb. 25. According to the SSA, beneficiaries should have received a one-time retroactive payment deposited into the bank account the agency has on file for them by the end of March 2025. In terms of the new monthly benefits, most eligible parties should have seen payment increases starting in April. There's a one-month lag for Social Security payments, so the April payments reflected March's benefit. What if I haven't gotten my payment yet? The SSA previously said that most Americans would have to wait up to a year or longer to receive their benefits. While the agency has been able to expedite payments using automation, more complicated cases need to be processed manually and will take longer as a result, according to its website. The SSA said it expects all beneficiary records to be updated by November 2025. Those eligible who have still not received their payment can check account or call 1-800-772-1213 to make sure the SSA has the right address and direct deposit information for them on file. "Ensuring that SSA has the correct information allows you to get any retroactive benefits and your new benefit amount quicker," the agency says in its update. There are still 900,000 Social Security Fairness Act cases which must be completed by hand, USA Today recently reported. SSA employees told the news outlet that they have been directed to prioritize these cases over their other work. How much will benefits increase? The amount of the added payments hinges on a few factors, such as the type of Social Security benefit and pension a person receives. Some people will see "very little" adjustments, while others could see over $1,000 each month, according to the SSA website. How will I know if my monthly benefit was adjusted? Any beneficiaries who receive a retroactive payment, or a monthly benefit adjustment, will receive a mailed notice from Social Security explaining the change. To learn more about your eligibility and how the Social Security payments work, visit the Social Security Fairness Act website. What if I never applied for retirement? If you never applied for retirement — or a spouse's benefits — due to the federal laws in place before the Social Security Fairness Act was passed, you may need to file an application. To do so, visit As of the week ending May 23, the agency has received over 200,000 new applications for benefits since the law passed, and has processed 87% of them, according to the SSA website.
Economic Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Economic Times
Social Security Fairness Act benefit increases reach 91% processed — what public employees need to know about their higher Social Security payments and lump sum retroactive checks in 2025
What exactly is the Social Security Fairness Act and who benefits? How much money will Social Security recipients actually get? Live Events Why have some people not received their payments yet? How has the Social Security Administration handled this massive workload? What does this mean for Social Security claimants going forward? FAQs: (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel The Social Security Fairness Act is making waves this year, providing benefit increases and lump-sum retroactive payments to nearly 3 million Americans. As of now, the Social Security Administration (SSA) has processed about 91% of these adjustments, speeding up what many expected to take over a year. If you're wondering where your updated benefits stand or what this law means for you, here's the latest on the Social Security Fairness Act payments and how it's reshaping Social Security Fairness Act, signed into law in January 2025, removes two big obstacles — the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO). These rules had cut benefits for people who worked in jobs with pensions not tied to Social Security payroll taxes, like teachers, firefighters, police officers, and federal employees under the Civil Service Retirement to SSA, roughly 2.8 million people were impacted by these reductions. The new law changes that, boosting benefits for about 3 million public servants and others with similar pension situations. Yet, not everyone in these groups will see an increase. Around 72% of state and local public workers already pay Social Security taxes, so they weren't affected by the old increases vary a lot. Some individuals will see only a small bump, while others could get over $1,000 extra each month. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that monthly Social Security payments could rise anywhere from $360 to $1,190 per person, depending on individual addition to higher monthly checks, the SSA is issuing lump-sum payments for back benefits starting as far back as January 2024. These retroactive sums have been processed together with new monthly increases for most 91% of benefit adjustments have been processed, about 300,000 cases remain. These often involve complex situations that can't be handled by automation and require manual example, some beneficiaries who passed away recently may have retroactive payments that need to be sent to their survivors. Others face issues like overpayments, where SSA will try to recover excess money previously are also new applicants who qualify because of the law and still need to file claims. The timing of these applications will affect when their benefits begin and the amounts they credits automation for processing the majority of these cases swiftly. Commissioner Frank Bisignano promised senators that all payments would be completed 'while the weather is warm.' The agency currently aims to finish updates by early November but is pushing to get it done this push has created new challenges. SSA employees are prioritizing about 900,000 complicated Social Security Fairness Act cases that must be handled by hand. This has slowed down other services like updating direct deposit information and dealing with Medicaid SSA workers report working overtime, including weekends, to meet the deadline, but delays and frustrations remain for many law's implementation is a huge change for the Social Security program — the biggest expansion in decades. It's expected to cost around $200 billion over the next 10 years, sparking debate about the program's financial the number of Social Security retirement claims is rising sharply in 2025, up 15% from 2024, fueled partly by this law and the growing number of retiring Baby Boomers. The SSA has also made staffing and policy changes this year that have confused and worried many suggest Congress might want to review the entire process to understand costs and impacts better. Meanwhile, beneficiaries should stay alert to updates and be prepared for some delays as SSA works through its employees with pensions but no Social Security payroll taxes, like teachers and firefighters, SSA aims to finish all payments by early November 2025.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Social Security Fairness Act benefit increases reach 91% processed — what public employees need to know about their higher Social Security payments and lump sum retroactive checks in 2025
Social Security Fairness Act benefit increases and lump sum payments have now been processed for about 91% of the nearly 3 million affected people. This new law, passed in January, removes rules that lowered benefits for public workers with pensions but no Social Security taxes. Many beneficiaries are seeing monthly Social Security check boosts and retroactive lump sums from January 2024. While automation sped up payments, about 300,000 complex cases still need manual review. The Social Security Administration promises to complete all adjustments by early November, ensuring fairer benefits for teachers, firefighters, and other public servants. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads What exactly is the Social Security Fairness Act and who benefits? How much money will Social Security recipients actually get? Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Why have some people not received their payments yet? How has the Social Security Administration handled this massive workload? What does this mean for Social Security claimants going forward? Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads FAQs: The Social Security Fairness Act is making waves this year, providing benefit increases and lump-sum retroactive payments to nearly 3 million Americans. As of now, the Social Security Administration (SSA) has processed about 91% of these adjustments, speeding up what many expected to take over a year. If you're wondering where your updated benefits stand or what this law means for you, here's the latest on the Social Security Fairness Act payments and how it's reshaping Social Security Fairness Act, signed into law in January 2025, removes two big obstacles — the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO). These rules had cut benefits for people who worked in jobs with pensions not tied to Social Security payroll taxes, like teachers, firefighters, police officers, and federal employees under the Civil Service Retirement to SSA, roughly 2.8 million people were impacted by these reductions. The new law changes that, boosting benefits for about 3 million public servants and others with similar pension situations. Yet, not everyone in these groups will see an increase. Around 72% of state and local public workers already pay Social Security taxes, so they weren't affected by the old increases vary a lot. Some individuals will see only a small bump, while others could get over $1,000 extra each month. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that monthly Social Security payments could rise anywhere from $360 to $1,190 per person, depending on individual addition to higher monthly checks, the SSA is issuing lump-sum payments for back benefits starting as far back as January 2024. These retroactive sums have been processed together with new monthly increases for most 91% of benefit adjustments have been processed, about 300,000 cases remain. These often involve complex situations that can't be handled by automation and require manual example, some beneficiaries who passed away recently may have retroactive payments that need to be sent to their survivors. Others face issues like overpayments, where SSA will try to recover excess money previously are also new applicants who qualify because of the law and still need to file claims. The timing of these applications will affect when their benefits begin and the amounts they credits automation for processing the majority of these cases swiftly. Commissioner Frank Bisignano promised senators that all payments would be completed 'while the weather is warm.' The agency currently aims to finish updates by early November but is pushing to get it done this push has created new challenges. SSA employees are prioritizing about 900,000 complicated Social Security Fairness Act cases that must be handled by hand. This has slowed down other services like updating direct deposit information and dealing with Medicaid SSA workers report working overtime, including weekends, to meet the deadline, but delays and frustrations remain for many law's implementation is a huge change for the Social Security program — the biggest expansion in decades. It's expected to cost around $200 billion over the next 10 years, sparking debate about the program's financial the number of Social Security retirement claims is rising sharply in 2025, up 15% from 2024, fueled partly by this law and the growing number of retiring Baby Boomers. The SSA has also made staffing and policy changes this year that have confused and worried many suggest Congress might want to review the entire process to understand costs and impacts better. Meanwhile, beneficiaries should stay alert to updates and be prepared for some delays as SSA works through its employees with pensions but no Social Security payroll taxes, like teachers and firefighters, SSA aims to finish all payments by early November 2025.
