The Social Security Administration (SSA) on June 9,2025 issued updates on the Social Security Fairness Act (SSFA). These updates cover several topics related to the SSFA’s passage including when Social Security beneficiaries can expect an increase in monthly payments, how to manage Medicare Part B and Medicare Part D monthly premiums deducted doubly from Social Security benefits and federal pensions (such as a CSRS annuity), information about retroactive back payments, and tips to avoid scams. These topics are discussed in this column.
Timing of increased Social Security benefits
Those Social Security beneficiaries who were affected by either the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) or the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and who were receiving reduced monthly Social Security retirement benefits during 2024 had their beneficiary accounts adjusted to their full amount automatically in February and March 2025. These monthly benefit adjustments were made as a result of the SSFA becoming law on January 5,2025, eliminating the WEP and GPO . New adjusted monthly benefit payments were disbursed by the SSA starting in March and April 2025. Also, for Social Security beneficiaries affected by the WEP and the GPO, lump sum retractive adjusted payments (as far back as January 2024) were disbursed in March and April 2025.
However, some Social Security beneficiary accounts are more complex and require additional time for manual processing and, according to the SSA, these complex cases are being expedited. All beneficiary accounts are supposed to be updated by early November 2025. According to the SSA, 91 percent of Social Security beneficiary accounts have been adjusted, totaling 2.5 million Social Security beneficiary accounts.
Duplicate Medicare monthly premium deductions from SSA monthly benefits and federal pensions
Some CSRS annuitants who recently started receiving a monthly Social Security retirement benefit as a result of the SSFA passage are experiencing dual Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) and/or Medicare Part D (Prescription Drug coverage) premium deductions from their monthly Social Security retirement benefit and from their monthly CSRS annuity check. Prior to the SSFA passage, a CSRS annuitant not receiving a monthly Social Security benefit and who was enrolled in Medicare Part B and/or Medicare Part D had to make arrangements to pay their Medicare monthly premiums. One option that some CSRS annuitants used to pay their Medicare premiums was to have their premiums deducted from their monthly CSRS annuity checks. They went online to their online OPM account requesting that OPM’s Retirement Office withhold the monthly Medicare premium from their CSRS annuity check.
With the SSFA passage, some of these CSRS annuitants became eligible for a full Social Security spousal benefit (receiving 50 percent of their spouse’s Social Security benefit or 50 percent of their former spouse’s Social Security benefit) or a widow/widower Social Security survivor benefit) (receiving 100 percent of their deceased spouse’s Social Security benefit or 100 percent of their deceased former spouse’s Social Security benefit). Once the CSRS annuitant started receiving either type of Social Security benefit, the annuitant’s monthly Medicare premium was also deducted from their monthly Social Security benefit. Unfortunately, there were duplicate Medicare premium deductions; in particular, one monthly premium deducted from the annuitant’s monthly CSRS annuity and a second monthly premium deducted from the annuitant’s monthly Social Security retirement benefit.
The SSA is working to refund those affected CSRS annuitants. While there is no need for affected CSRS annuitants to call OPM or the SSA, those CSRS annuitants who have specific questions about this issue should call the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) directly at 1-800-633-4227.
Rules for retroactivity of Social Security benefit applications
One of the provisions coming out of the SSFA passage allowed for Social Security beneficiaries whose benefits were reduced by either the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) or the Government Pension Offset (GPO) to receive a lump sum retroactive payment of adjusted benefit payments. The lump sum payment applied to beneficiary payments received starting in January 2024 and ending in March 2025. To be eligible for a lump sum payment, a Social Security beneficiary must have been entitled to a monthly Social Security benefit that either the WEP or the GPO fully or partially reduced.
However, the SSFA passage did not change an SSA rule regarding retroactivity of a Social Security benefits application. The SSA rule is that retroactivity for an individual’s own Social Security monthly benefit or an individual’s spousal benefit and widow/widower survivor benefits is limited to six months before the benefit application is filed. For example, if a CSRS annuitant applied for his or her spousal benefit in July 2024 (first monthly benefit paid in August 2024) that was reduced by the GPO (or for the CSRS annuitant’s own monthly benefit that started in August 2024 and was reduced by the WEP), then the lump sum retroactive payment applies to the reduced benefit payments received starting in August 2024 and not going back to benefit payments received in January 2024 (which would have been the case if the CSRS annuitant was receiving a monthly benefit in January 2024).
Avoiding scams associated with the SSFA passage
Unfortunately, with the passage of any legislation that benefits individuals (in particular, senior citizens), there are scams. The passage of the SSFA is no exception. Federal annuitants and survivor annuitants are advised to be cautious of any communication asking for payment concerning the SSFA. The SSA will never ask a Social Security beneficiary to pay for assistance to start, increase or process their Social Security benefit. Any federal annuitant or survivor annuitant receiving a telephone call, an e-mail or a text message requesting payment to initiate, expedite or enhance their monthly Social Security benefit should hang up or delete the e-mail or text. They are also encouraged to report any type of SSA-related scams to the SSA Office of Inspector General at https://www.ssa.gov/scams.
