Q: Mrs. V, of Chattanooga, writes: “If you are retired and take out an insurance policy, why is Medicare dropped? Do you have to sign a paper to drop it or is it automatically dropped?”

A: If you wish to terminate your Medicare Part B coverage, you will need to submit form CMS-1763 to the Social Security Administration. The form is used to voluntarily terminate entitlement to Supplementary Medical Insurance (Part B) and Premium hospital Insurance and is owned by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

CMS requires that a personal interview be conducted with every individual who wishes to terminate entitlement and so we do not offer form CMS-1763 on the public Internet site. The form will be completed during an in-person or phone interview so that we can ensure that the beneficiary understands the ramifications of termination.

After the interview, the Social Security Administration representative is required to provide you with a letter outlining the consequences of voluntary termination and of the right to withdraw the termination request before coverage ends.

Disenrolling is a serious decision; if you wish to re-enroll later, you may have to pay a surcharge. Termination of Medicare Part B will be effective at the end of the month following the month in which the termination request is filed.

Q: “I receive Supplemental Security Income benefits. Can my children receive dependent’s benefits based on my record?”

A: No. SSI benefits are based on the needs of the individual and are only paid to the qualifying person. Unlike Social Security, there are no SSI benefits payable to spouses, children or survivors. For more information, see Supplemental Security Income (Publication No. 05-11000) at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/11000.html. You also may want to read the introductory material in our booklet, “Understanding SSI,” at www.socialsecurity.gov/ssi/text-understanding-ssi.htm. For even more information, visit our Web site at www.socialsecurity.gov or call us toll-free at (800) 772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778).

Q: “How does Social Security know how much a person has earned?”

A: Each year, your employer reports your previous year’s earnings to Social Security on Form W-2. Self-employed people report their earnings to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) on their tax return. IRS transmits that information to Social Security. Social Security then posts the earnings information to your record. To learn more about Social Security, visit www.socialsecurity.gov.

Q: “I just got a notice from Social Security that said my Supplemental Security Income case is being reviewed. What does this mean?”

A: Social Security routinely reviews SSI cases to make sure the individual is receiving the correct amount and that they still remain eligible for benefits.

Get answers to your Social Security questions each Thursday from Social Security District Manager Eleanor Jones. Submit questions to her attention by writing to Business Editor John Vass Jr., Chattanooga Times Free Press, P.O. Box 1447, Chattanooga, TN 37401-1447, or by e-mailing him at jvass@timesfreepress.com.

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