If you get Social Security benefits, Civil Service retirement benefits, or Railroad Retirement Board benefits, you might not have to worry about writing a check to pay your Medicare Part B premium, because in most cases they are automatically deducted from your monthly benefits payment.

But if you do get billed for your Part B premium, and you're looking for a more convenient way to manage your monthly payments, you may want to take a look at Medicare Easy Pay.

Some Medicare beneficiaries get a notice each month that the Medicare premium is due. This could happen for any of several reasons – for example, you don't qualify for Social Security benefits; you need to pay a Medicare Part A premium; or you pay a Medicare Part D income-related monthly adjustment amount (IRMAA), to name a few possible reasons.

What is Medicare Easy Pay?

The Medicare Easy Pay program is a free service for Medicare beneficiaries that allows them to have their monthly premiums automatically withdrawn from their checking or savings accounts. Instead of sending a check to Medicare every month, or submitting a credit card payment in the mail, you may be able to use Medicare Easy Pay to save time and money managing your monthly premium(s).

Who can sign up for Medicare Easy Pay?

Anyone who gets a bill from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for their Medicare premium can sign up for Easy Pay. However, if you get your premium bill from the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB), you cannot use Medicare Easy Pay and must continue to mail your monthly premium checks to the RRB premium collection center in St. Louis, MO:

RRB, Medicare Premium Payments

P.O. Box 979024

St. Louis, MO 63197-9000

There is no open enrollment period for the Medicare Easy Pay program; you may sign up any time and cancel at any time with no penalty.

How do I sign up for Medicare Easy Pay?

The first step is to complete an  automatic payment authorization form (SF-5510) and mail it to the following address:

Medicare Premium Collection Center
PO Box 979098
St. Louis, MO 63197-9000

You'll need your red, white, and blue Medicare ID card and a voided blank check from the bank account you want to use in order to complete the form. If you have trouble completing the form, or need to have the form mailed to you, you can call the Medicare help line at 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048). Medicare representatives are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

What happens after I sign up for Medicare Easy Pay?

It can take up to eight weeks for Medicare to process your enrollment form, and if there is a problem with your enrollment, you'll be notified by mail. You must continue to mail in your monthly premium until you are notified that your Easy Pay enrollment has been processed.

You'll know everything is in place when the following two things occur:

  • You receive a notice from Medicare stating "This is not a bill" and informing you that your premium will be deducted from your bank account.
  • The premium is deducted from your bank account, usually on the 20th of the month.

If your premium amount changes, Medicare will automatically adjust the amount of your Easy Pay deduction.

How do I cancel Medicare Easy Pay?

If you want to change bank accounts, or cancel your enrollment in Medicare Easy Pay altogether, simply complete another SF-5510 form with the desired changes and mail it to the address above. There is no penalty to change or cancel your enrollment, but you must be sure to mail your premium checks on time so you don't jeopardize your Medicare coverage.