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If the enrollment request is not complete at the time it is received, then the additional documentation required for the enrollment request to be complete must be dated as soon as it is received. Appendix 3 describes the appropriate application date to include in the enrollment transaction submitted to CMS under various conditions.

• Verification and Correction of Information – Some plans verify information before enrollment information has been transmitted to CMS. The plan may find that it must make corrections to an individual’s enrollment request. For example, an individual may have made an error in writing their telephone number or may have transposed a digit in their date of birth. The plan should make this type of correction to the enrollment request (e.g., the enrollment form) when necessary, and the individual making those corrections should place their initials and the date next to the corrections. A separate “correction” sheet, signed and dated by the individual making the correction, or an electronic record of a similar nature, may be used (in place of the initialing procedure) and should become a part of the enrollment file. These types of corrections will not result in the plan having to cosign the enrollment form.

• Premium Payment and Withhold Options – Plans may include on all enrollment request mechanisms the option for individuals to: (1) pay plan premiums by being billed directly by the plan or (2) have the premiums withheld from their SSA/RRB benefit check. The plan may also choose to offer other payment methods, such as automatic deduction from the individual’s bank or other financial institution or from a credit card.

The enrollment mechanism can advise the individual that if they do not select a premium payment option, the default action will be direct bill.

Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) enrollees may also submit requests to have their premiums withheld from their RRB retirement payments. Plans may choose to offer this option on all enrollment mechanisms as well.

Part D Policy: On the enrollment mechanism, sponsors may also include in this section a statement that advises those individuals who qualify for extra help that if the extra help does not cover the entire plan premium, the individual is responsible for the amount that Medicare does not cover.

• Premiums Owed to MAO (Part C Policy) – For enrollment into either an MA-only or MA-PD plan, an MAO may consider an enrollment request incomplete if there are premium amounts due to the organization from a prior enrollment, whether or not premium withhold from an SSA benefit check is selected. The option chosen by the MA plan to consider the application complete or incomplete must be applied consistently to all potential enrollees of the plan.