Medicare And Social Security

Medicare

For details about Medicare, including coverage and premium cost, see their website or contact your local Social Security office. Use the Social Security Locator to find your local office. The Lansing office is available 877-512-5944 or 5210 Perry Robinson Circle, Lansing, MI 48911.

Active Employees

If you are an active employee insured under a MSU health plan, and are age 65 or older, you may delay enrollment in Medicare until retirement. If your active coverage includes a spouse who is age 65 or older, or a dependent eligible for Medicare, they may also delay Medicare enrollment until you retire.

Current or Future MSU Retirees

Retirees under age 65 (and their spouse and/or other insured eligible dependents) should contact Medicare to enroll for Medicare Parts A (Hospital) & B (Medical) at least three months prior to reaching age 65 (Note: You do not need to enroll in Medicare Part D).

Retirees age 65 and older (and their spouse and/or other insured eligible dependents) should contact Medicare to enroll for Medicare Parts A (Hospital) & B (Medical) at least three months prior to the employee's retirement from MSU (Note: You do not need to enroll in Medicare Part D). You may be eligible for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) requiring completion of Medicare's Request For Employment Information form, which MSU Human Resources will sign.

Failure to enroll in Medicare will result in disenrollment from your MSU retiree health plan. In addition, there could be a penalty added to your Medicare premium for not enrolling timely. 

You must provide a copy of all Medicare identification cards and/or your Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI) number to Human Resources to continue MSU health and prescription coverage.

Please Note:

  • If you retire in the month you turn 65 or during the three months following your 65th birthday, you will need to contact Medicare in advance of your 65th birthday to enroll.   
  • Your spouse and/or other insured eligible dependents will need to enroll in Medicare Parts A & B when eligible even if you (the retiree) are not yet eligible.
  • Medicare Part B requires a monthly premium, that is not reimbursed by MSU. Contact Medicare or the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for information on the applicable premium.
  • Effective January 1,2021 and beyond, retirees and enrolled dependents eligible for Medicare will receive prescription drug coverage in the MSU Medicare Advantage retiree plan and will automatically be enrolled in Medicare Part D.
  • If anyone covered on your health plan is eligible for Medicare due to disability, they must be enrolled in Medicare Parts A & B following your retirement. 
  • Eligibility for the Health Savings Account (HSA) is impacted by enrollment in Medicare.  Please review the HSA FAQ for more information.
  • The State of Michigan provides additional resources on Medicare at Michigan Medicare/ Medicaid Assistance Program.

Social Security

Individuals should contact the Social Security Office to apply for benefits, at least three months prior to their benefits beginning. Benefits may begin as early as age 62 (related to retirement) or age 60 (related to widow(er) benefits). Individuals should consult with the Social Security Office to confirm their eligibility and the best age to begin benefits. Individuals do not have to be retired from Michigan State University to begin receiving benefits.

There are multiple ways to apply for Social Security Benefits

  1. Connect to the Social Security website to apply online.
  2. For an appointment (telephone or in person), call Social Security at 800-772-1213.  If you are deaf or hard of hearing, you may call the "TTY" number at 800-325-0778 for assistance.
  3. Use the Social Security Locator or call Social Security to find a local office in your region. The Lansing office is available at 877-512-5944, and 5210 Perry Robinson Circle, Lansing, MI  48911.