You Automatically Get Medicare
- You should already have Part A and Part B , because you have ALS and youre already getting disability benefits.
- We mailed you a welcome package with your Medicare card.
Sign up for Part B if you live in Puerto Rico or outside the U.S.
- Well mail you a welcome package with your Medicare card 3 months before your Medicare coverage starts.
Sign up for Part B if you live in Puerto Rico or outside the U.S.You get Part A automatically. If you want Part B, you need to sign up for it. If you dont sign up for Part B within 3 months after your Part A starts, you might have to wait to sign up and pay a monthly late enrollment penalty.
- Well mail you a welcome package with your Medicare card 3 months before your Medicare coverage starts.
Sign up for Part B if you live in Puerto Rico or outside the U.S.You get Part A automatically. If you want Part B, you need to sign up for it. If you dont sign up for Part B within 3 months of turning 65, you might have to wait to sign up and pay a monthly late enrollment penalty.
How Do I Sign Up For Medicare Parts A And B
If you’re already receiving Social Security retirement benefits before you turn age 65, Social Security will automatically enroll you in Medicare. Also, if you’re already receiving Social Security Disability benefits, Social Security will automatically enroll you in Medicare after 24 months. If you’re not sure if you need to enroll yourself, contact Social Security to find out.
Ways To Apply For Disability Benefits:
- If you or your spouse worked for a railroad, call the Railroad Retirement Board at 1-877-772-5772.
Once your disability benefits start, well mail you a welcome package with your Medicare card.
Sign up for Part B if you live in Puerto Rico or outside the U.S.You get Part A automatically. If you want Part B, you need to sign up for it. If you dont sign up for Part B within 3 months after your Part A starts, you might have to wait to sign up for Part B and pay a monthly late enrollment penalty.
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How Do I Apply For Retirement Benefits
To apply for retirement benefits, please visit www.ssa.gov/retire. In order to be eligible for retirement benefits, you must have enough credits have paid into Social Security and be fully insured under the Social Security system. The amount you receive depends on how much you earned when you were working. You can also delay applying for Social Security retirement. If you do so, your extra income may increase your benefit amount, and you will receive a credit. To find out more, please call the SSA at 1-800-772-1213.
When Youre Ready Contact Social Security To Sign Up:
- Apply online This is the easiest and fastest way to sign up and get any financial help you may need. Youll need to create your secure my Social Security account to sign up for Medicare or apply for Social Security benefits online.
- Contact your local Social Security office.
- If you or your spouse worked for a railroad, call the Railroad Retirement Board at 1-877-772-5772.
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When To Apply For Medicare: Whats The Initial Enrollment Period
For most people, the Medicare Initial Enrollment Period is a seven-month period. It starts three months before the month you turn 65, includes your birthday month, and goes three more months after that. So if your 65th birthday is in November, your IEP runs from August through February.
Your IEP is different if youre not yet 65, but you qualify for Medicare by disability. For example, you might be automatically enrolled during your 25th month in a row of receiving Social Security disability benefits.
Learn how enrollment works if youre under 65 but eligible for Medicare through disability.
If You Get Ssdi Benefits And Are In A 24
- You may be able to get Medicaid coverage while you wait. You can apply 2 ways:
- Create an account or log in to complete an application. Answer yes when asked if you have a disability. Well forward your application to your state Medicaid agency.
- Apply directly to your state Medicaid agency. Select your state from the menu on this Medicaid page for contact information.
When asked about your income on your Marketplace application, be sure to include your SSDI income.
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Applying For Medicare With Employer Coverage
Can you still enroll in Medicare coverage, even if youre not yet seeking retirement? The answer is yes! Medicare coverage can coincide with your group coverage through your employer. If your employer has more than 20 employees, your group coverage will work as your primary insurance, and Medicare will be your secondary insurance.
You can choose to apply for Part B, or you can wait until leaving your employer group coverage. For more information on the benefits of obtaining Medicare while receiving group coverage through work, give our team a call, and we can review the pros and cons.
Sometimes beneficiaries dont want to apply for Part B when they initially become eligible because of employer health coverage. Should you lose your health insurance through your employer, or if you prefer to switch over to Medicare, you can apply any time while receiving coverage through your employer.
Who Is Eligible For Medicare
Most people enroll in Medicare when they turn 65. You can enroll as early as three months before your 65th birthday or as late as three months after. Youll need to be a United States citizen or have been a permanent legal resident for at least five years. In order to get full coverage, you or your spouse need to meet a work requirement. Meeting the work requirement verifies that youve paid into the system.
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When Can I Enroll In Medicare If I Am Not Receiving Retirement Benefits
If you are not yet receiving retirement benefits and are close to turning 65, you can sign up for Medicare Part A and/or Part B during your IEP. If you decide to delay your Social Security retirement benefits or Railroad Retirement Benefits beyond age 65, there is an option to enroll in just Medicare and apply for retirement benefits at a later time.
Dont Register For Medicare Alone
If youre uncomfortable with applying for Medicare alone, we can help! Our services are completely free for you. If you would like an agent by your side when applying, contact us. We can walk you through setting up all your coverage, including Medicare, Medigap, Part D, and more.
Plus, when you use us to apply, you get unlimited support from our Client Service Team. That means if you have any issues with claims or appeals, we can help at no additional cost. You can compare rates online or give us a call today at the number above.
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Signing Up For A Medigap Policy
To purchase a Medigap supplement insurance policy, you must first enroll in Medicare Part A and Part B.
Medigap policies are not required but enrolling in one can help you pay out-of-pocket costs, including deductibles, coinsurance and copayments.
The best time to enroll in a Medigap plan is when you are first eligible.
This is a six-month enrollment period that begins the month youre 65 and enrolled in Medicare Part B.
If you apply for Medigap coverage after this six-month window, private insurance companies may not sell you a policy if youre in poor health.
You can find a Medigap policy by using an online tool on the Medicare website, contacting your local SHIP or calling your State Insurance Department.
How to Sign Up for a Medigap Policy Online
Already Enrolled In Medicare
If you have Medicare, you can get information and services online. Find out how to .
If you are enrolled in Medicare Part A and you want to enroll in Part B, please complete form CMS-40B, Application for Enrollment in Medicare Part B . If you are applying for Medicare Part B due to a loss of employment or group health coverage, you will also need to complete form CMS-L564, Request for Employment Information.
You can use one of the following options to submit your enrollment request under the Special Enrollment Period:
Note: When completing the forms CMS-40B and CMS-L564
- State I want Part B coverage to begin in the remarks section of the CMS-40B form or online application.
- If possible, your employer should complete Section B.
- If your employer is unable to complete Section B, please complete that portion as best as you can on behalf of your employer without your employers signature and submit one of the following forms of secondary evidence:
- Income tax form that shows health insurance premiums paid.
- W-2s reflecting pre-tax medical contributions.
- Pay stubs that reflect health insurance premium deductions.
- Health insurance cards with a policy effective date.
- Explanations of benefits paid by the GHP or LGHP.
- Statements or receipts that reflect payment of health insurance premiums.
Some people with limited resources and income may also be able to get .
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What Will Happen To My Medicare Premiums If I Enroll In Medicare Before Social Security
If youre already at least 65 and you havent yet enrolled in Medicare when you activate your Social Security benefits, youll automatically be enrolled in Medicare Part A at that point.
Medicare Part A is premium-free in most cases. But your Part A coverage will be backdated by up to six months. Medicare Part A will disqualify Health Savings Account contributions for the part of the tax year you have Part A , so plan any contributions accordingly including contributions your employer makes.
You will not automatically be enrolled in Part B if your initial seven-month enrollment window for Medicare has already ended. Youll have an opportunity to enroll in Part B during the general enrollment period, which runs from January 1 through March 31 each year, with coverage effective in July. And you may owe a late enrollment penalty for Part B once you enroll.
If youre still working when you turn 65 and covered under your employers health plan, youll likely still enroll in at least Medicare Part A, which is premium-free for most people. If your employer-sponsored plan is considered primary coverage , you can probably delay your enrollment in Part B, and just have premium-free Medicare Part A. But if your employer is small enough that the coverage they offer will be secondary to Medicare, youll likely need to enroll in both Part A and Part B.
When To Enroll In Medicare If I Dont Want Medicare Part B
If youre automatically enrolled in Medicare Part B, but do not wish to keep it you have a few options to drop the coverage. If your Medicare coverage hasnt started yet and you were sent a red, white, and blue Medicare card, you can follow the instructions that come with your card and send the card back. If you keep the Medicare card, you keep Part B and will need to pay Part B premiums. If you signed up for Medicare through Social Security, then you will need to contact them to drop Part B coverage. If your Medicare coverage has started and you want to drop Part B, contact Social Security for instructions on how to submit a signed request. Your coverage will end the first day of the month after Social Security gets your request.
If you have health coverage through current employment , you may decide to delay Medicare Part B enrollment. You should speak with your employers health benefits administrator so that you understand how your current coverage works with Medicare and what the consequences would be if you drop Medicare Part B.
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The Parts Of Medicare
Social Security enrolls you in Original Medicare .
- Medicare Part A helps pay for inpatient care in a hospital or limited time at a skilled nursing facility . Part A also pays for some home health care and hospice care.
- Medicare Part B helps pay for services from doctors and other health care providers, outpatient care, home health care, durable medical equipment, and some preventive services.
Other parts of Medicare are run by private insurance companies that follow rules set by Medicare.
- Supplemental policies help pay Medicare out-of-pocket copayments, coinsurance, and deductible expenses.
- Medicare Advantage Plan includes all benefits and services covered under Part A and Part B prescription drugs and additional benefits such as vision, hearing, and dental bundled together in one plan.
- Medicare Part D helps cover the cost of prescription drugs.
Most people age 65 or older are eligible for free Medical hospital insurance if they have worked and paid Medicare taxes long enough. You can enroll in Medicare medical insurance by paying a monthly premium. Some beneficiaries with higher incomes will pay a higher monthly Part B premium. To learn more, read .
Signing Up For Medicare
Follow the steps below if you need to actively enroll in Medicare.
If you decide to enroll in Medicare during your Initial Enrollment Period, you can sign up for Parts A and/or B by:
- Visiting your local Social Security office
- Mailing a signed and dated letter to Social Security that includes your name, Social Security number, and the date you would like to be enrolled in Medicare
- Or, by applying online at www.ssa.gov
If you are eligible for Railroad Retirement benefits, enroll in Medicare by calling the Railroad Retirement Board or contacting your local RRB field office.
Keep proof of when you tried to enroll in Medicare, to protect yourself from incurring a Part B premium penalty if your application is lost.
- Take down the names of any representatives you speak to, along with the time and date of the conversation.
- If you enroll through the mail, use certified mail and request a return receipt.
- If you enroll at your local Social Security office, ask for a written receipt.
- If you apply online, print out and save your confirmation page.
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Signing Up For A Medicare Advantage Plan
If you prefer to get your health coverage through a Medicare Advantage plan, you must first enroll in Original Medicare Part A and Part B and then switch to a separate Medicare Advantage plan.
All Medicare Advantage plans must offer the same Medicare Part A and Part B benefits as Original Medicare, but some plans include other benefits, such as prescription drug coverage, dental and vision.
Medicare Advantage Plans do not all offer the same benefits.
Use the Medicare Plan Finder or call your local SHIP representative to compare plans in your area.
Four Ways to Sign Up for a Medicare Advantage Plan
To join a Medicare Advantage plan, you will need your Medicare number and the date your Part A and Part B coverage began.
Don’t Leave Your Health to Chance
Scenario : You Want To Wait To Take Social Security Until Well After You’re Eligible For Medicare
The opposite situation is a bit trickier. The SSA allows you to apply online just to receive Medicare benefits if you aren’t yet ready to claim your Social Security. That will meet the requirements for getting Medicare coverage within the appropriate initial enrollment period, avoiding any potential penalties that can result from missing that deadline.
Later on, you can apply for retirement or spousal Social Security benefits based on your time schedule. This allows you to take advantage of delayed retirement credits on your retirement benefits, boosting your monthly check by 8% per year beyond your full retirement age. The later application process isn’t automatic as it is with Medicare, but it does give you the financial flexibility to tailor your retirement planning to your specific needs.
As you can see, in many cases, you can sign up for Medicare and Social Security at the same time. Even if you don’t get benefits simultaneously, the process is typically simple unless you decide to delay taking Social Security beyond the 65-year-old eligibility age for Medicare benefits.
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When Is My Medicare Initial Enrollment Period
For most people, enrolling in Medicare Part A is automatic. However, there are several instances where you may have to manually enroll in Medicare Part A and/or Part B during your Initial Enrollment Period , the seven-month period that begins three months before you turn 65, includes the month of your 65th birthday, and ends three months later.
Some situations where you would enroll in Medicare during your initial enrollment include:
