What Is Equitable Relief?

Equitable relief can be a lifeline for people who did not sign up for Part B on time. If the reason you did not enroll in Part B on time was a result of incorrect information you received from a representative of the federal government (for example, the Social Security Administration) and you have documentation to prove it, this is like winning the lottery. Your Part B coverage will begin immediately (or retroactively, if appropriate) and you will not have to pay a late enrollment penalty.

You must be able to show that you didn’t enroll on time because of an “error, misrepresentation or inaction of a federal employee or any person authorized by the federal government to act on its behalf”. Translation: keep track of the name of the person you talked to at SSA or 1-800-MEDICARE, the date of your conversation and what you were told.  You’ll have to include all of that in your written request to SSA to request equitable relief.