As part of the new Postal Service Health Benefits (PSHB) Program, you may be eligible to participate in the PSHB Special Enrollment Period (SEP) for Medicare Part B. The PSHB SEP applies to certain Postal Service annuitants and family members who were entitled to Medicare Part A, but not enrolled in Medicare Part B as of Jan 1, 2024.
During the PSHB SEP, eligible annuitants and family members may enroll in Medicare Part B without paying a late enrollment penalty. The one-time PSHB SEP is from April 1, 2024, to Sept. 30, 2024. Individuals eligible for the PSHB SEP will receive notification by U.S. Mail™ in March 2024.
All required information must be returned in the envelope provided and postmarked by Sept. 30, 2024.
How to enroll during the SEP?
Complete the provided CMS-40B form, Application for Enrollment in Medicare – Part B (Medical Insurance) and mail it with the copy of the notification letter in the return envelope you receive in March 2024. The return envelope must be postmarked by Sept. 30, 2024.
If I received a notification letter for the PSHB SEP, do I have to enroll in Medicare Part B?
If you are an annuitant of the Postal Service, you are not required to enroll in Medicare Part B. If you are a covered family member of an annuitant, please refer to your notification letter to determine if you have the option, or are required to, enroll in Medicare Part B. As a general rule, if the primary enrollee for health coverage is enrolled in Medicare Part B, eligible family members must also enroll in Medicare Part B when they become eligible.
What happens once I return my enrollment form and copy of my notification letter?
Once your enrollment is received, it will initiate your Medicare Part B coverage with an effective date of Jan. 1, 2025. Please refer to your PSHB SEP notification letter to determine if Medicare Part B enrollment is an option or a requirement for you to remain eligible for the Postal Service Health Benefits (PSHB) Program.
What happens if my individual enrollment period overlaps with the PSHB SEP?
If your individual enrollment period (IEP)* for Medicare Part B overlaps with the PSHB SEP, your IEP will take precedence and your enrollment for Medicare Part B will become effective the month following receipt of your CMB-40 enrollment form.
*An individual enrollment period will occur when a person first becomes eligible to receive Medicare benefits. In most cases this coincides with an individual’s 65th birthday enrollment period, for a total of 7 months; 3 months prior to the birthday, the month of, and 3 months following the birthday. For individuals who are still working at the time of eligibility, your individual special enrollment period begins on the date of retirement and concludes 8 months following individual’s retirement date.
You can get additional information on the PSHB Program and how it works with Medicare by reviewing the resources available on the PSHB page, viewing the PSHB-Medicare 5 Part video series, or by attending a PSHB Seminar. Additional resources include the Consumers Checkbook Guide and your local State Health Insurance Program office.
If you have misplaced the notification letter mailed to you or believe that you are eligible to participate in the PSHB and did not receive notification letter, please contact the PSHB Navigator Help Line’s toll-free number at 833-712-PSHB (7742), or email retirementbenefits@usps.gov.
