What Is The Phone Number To Apply For Medicare

How Long Does It Take For A Medicare Application To Be Approved

Once your application has been reviewed, you should receive a letter in the mail to confirm whether youve been enrolled in the program or not. If your application has been denied, the letter will explain why this decision was made and what to do next.

If your application has been approved, youll receive a red, white, and blue Medicare card in the mail. Your card will show your name, Medicare number, which Medicare plans you benefit from, and the start dates for each plan.

Youll receive your card within about 3 weeks from the date you apply for Medicare. You should carry your card with you whenever youre away from home.

You can sign in to your MyMedicare.gov account if you need to print a replacement card.

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How To Sign Up For Medicare Supplement Insurance Plans: When Can I Enroll

Medicare Supplement insurance plans are voluntary, additional coverage that helps fill the gaps in coverage for Original Medicare. The best time to enroll in a Medicare Supplement insurance plan is during your individual Medigap Open Enrollment Period, which is the six-month period that begins on the first day of the month you turn 65 and have Medicare Part B. If you decide to delay your enrollment in Medicare Part B for certain reasons such as having health coverage based on current employment, your Medigap Open Enrollment Period will not begin until you sign up for Part B.

Medigap plans are offered through private insurance companies, and are available for purchase through brokers like eHealth Insurance Services, Inc., and it is helpful to explore and learn more about these options.

You can reach licensed eHealth insurance agents at 1-844-869-8318 , Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET, and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET. Research plans 24/7 online.

*The online enrollment figures included in this report are based on submitted applications for MA and Medigap products during the fourth quarter of 2017 and 2018. This includes the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period, which ran from October 1 through December 7 in both years. Unless otherwise noted, âMAâ and âMedicare Advantageâ are used in this report to refer to all Medicare Advantage products, including those that offer prescription drug coverage .

When To Enroll In Medicare

7 months

3 months before you turn 65

You can start enrolling in Medicare 3 months before your 65th birthday. Youll need to be eligible for Part A and Part B before you can get Part C . Youll need Part A, Part B, or both before you can get Part D.

Step 1 Learn about your Medicare benefits

As soon as possible, visit SocialSecurity.gov or call Social Security at , 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, to learn about your Part A and Part B benefits. The answers to these questions will help you enroll.

• Will I get Part A at no cost? Typically, you can get Part A at no cost if you or your spouse paid into Medicare for at least 10 years. If not, you can buy it.
• Do I need to enroll in Part A and Part B? Find out if youll be automatically enrolled in Part A and Part B, or if you should sign up.
• How will Social Security bill me for my Medicare premiums? The monthly premium is automatically deducted from your Social Security check each month. If youre not collecting Social Security, youll get a bill from the federal government every 3 months.
• When will I get my Medicare card? The federal government will mail your red, white, and blue Medicare card after youre enrolled. You should get it 3 months before your 65th birthday if you’re automatically enrolled. If you need to enroll in Part A and Part B, it can take up to 2 months to get your Medicare card.

Note: You need the information on your Medicare card to sign up for Part C or Part D.

Step 2 Enroll in Part A and Part B

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Where Else Can I Get Medicare Advice

State Health Insurance Assistance Programs are free volunteer-based Medicare counseling services available in each state. These programs provide unbiased counseling about Medicare questions including details about coverage, benefits, and costs . SHIPs can also assist beneficiaries with complaints or appeals. Importantly, SHIPs can also assist with coverage changes like choosing the right Medicare Advantage or Part D plan for your needs.

Questions About Your Current Plan

Are you enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, a Part D drug plan, or a Medigap supplement plan? The best person to call is your plan provider. Youll find their contact information on their website, on the back of your Member ID Card or in your plan materials.

Medicare can be tricky, and its hard to know who to call. If you have questions about your current coverage or want to know what other plans are available in your area, GoHealth helps you understand your coverage options. Our licensed insurance agents will walk you through available plans, and help you decide which plan meets your healthcare needs.

If you want to talk to someone who knows all the ins and outs of Medicare, at , and feel confident about your coverage after one conversation.

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How Can I Get Assistance Paying My Health Care Costs

If you have a limited income, you may be able to get assistance with your health care costs through certain programs:

• Medicaid: If you have a low monthly income and minimal assets, you may be eligible for coverage through Medicaid to pay Medicare costs, like copays and deductibles, and for health care not covered by Medicare, such as dental care and transportation to medical appointments.
• Medicare Savings Programs : If you do not qualify for Medicaid but still have problems paying for health care, you may qualify for an MSP, a government-run program that helps cover Medicare costs. There are three types of MSP, and all of them pay the monthly Medicare Part B premium. The Qualified Medicare Beneficiary program covers deductibles and coinsurances as well.
• Extra Help: Also known as the Part D Low-Income Subsidy , this is a federal program that helps pay for some to most of the costs of Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage. You may be eligible for Extra Help if you meet the income and asset limits. Also, in many cases, enrollment in an MSP automatically leads to enrollment in Extra Help.
• State Pharmaceutical Assistance Programs: SPAPs are offered in some states to help eligible individuals pay for prescriptions. Most SPAPs have income guidelines. Many also require you to enroll in a Medicare Part D plan and to apply for Extra Help.

What Personal Health Information Is Available On Mymedicaregov

View and manage your personal health information in MyMedicare.gov, including your:

• Prescription drug list

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Christian Worstell is a senior Medicare and health insurance writer with HelpAdivsor.com. He is also a licensed health insurance agent. Christian is well-known in the insurance industry for the thousands of educational articles hes written, helping Americans better understand their health insurance and Medicare coverage.

Christians work as a Medicare expert has appeared in several top-tier and trade news outlets including Forbes, MarketWatch, WebMD and Yahoo! Finance.

While at HelpAdvisor, Christian has written hundreds of articles that teach Medicare beneficiaries the best practices for navigating Medicare. His articles are read by thousands of older Americans each month. By better understanding their health care coverage, readers may hopefully learn how to limit their out-of-pocket Medicare spending and access quality medical care.

Christians passion for his role stems from his desire to make a difference in the senior community. He strongly believes that the more beneficiaries know about their Medicare coverage, the better their overall health and wellness is as a result.

A current resident of Raleigh, Christian is a graduate of Shippensburg University with a bachelors degree in journalism. You can find Christians most recent articles in our blog.

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When Should I Call Social Security Instead Of 1

• to request a replacement Medicare card,
• to report address, name, or phone number changes,
• to enroll in Medicare Part A and Part B,
• to discuss Medicare Part B billing issues,
• to apply for the Extra Help program for assistance with prescription drug costs,
• to appeal an Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount decision, if you are told you owe an income-based Part B and/or Part D premium.

What If I Cant Afford My Medicare Premiums

Multiple Medicare Savings Programs are available to people with low incomes. The programs can help cover the costs of your Part B premium, as well as other Medicare costs, including deductibles, copays and coinsurance. These programs are operated by Medicaid at the state level. Reach out to your local Medicaid office to see if you qualify for assistance.

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Centrelink Phone Self Service Line

Use this self service line to manage your Centrelink business yourself. This is an automated service, where you select options using your phone keypad

You can:

• hear your Working Credit or Income Bank balance
• ask for documents to be mailed to you.

Before your phone, make sure you have your CRN or CAN handy. When calling, you’ll need a voiceprint. You can create one when you call. Read more about creating a voiceprint.

If you need to speak with a service officer, you will need to phone during office hours which are between 8am and 8pm Monday to Friday.

Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage

Medicare Prescription Drug Plans are sold by private insurance companies approved by Medicare. All people new to Medicare have a seven-month window to enroll in a PDP three months before, the month of and three months after their Medicare becomes effective. The month you enroll affects the PDPs effective date. All people with Medicare are eligible to enroll in a PDP however, unless you are new to Medicare or are entitled to a Special Enrollment Period, you must enroll or change plans during the Open Enrollment Period for Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D, Oct. 15 through Dec. 7. There is a monthly premium for these plans. If you have limited income and assets/resources, assistance is available to help pay premiums, deductibles and co-payments. You may be entitled to Extra Help through the Social Security Administration. To apply for this benefit contact SHIIP at 1-855-408-1212 or the Social Security Administration at 800-772-1213 or www.socialsecurity.gov.

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Other Coverage Programs Available In Dc

Under its early adopted approach to Medicaid expansion, DC moved about 34,000 people who had been enrolled in DC HealthCare Alliance a District-funded program that allows low-income residents to obtain medical and dental services at no cost from participating providers to the Medicaid program. Enrollment in DC Healthcare Alliance had reached 50,000 by 2009 most of those people became eligible for Medicaid instead once Medicaid was expanded.

So by opting to expand Medicaid early, DC was able to take advantage of federal funding to help cover a low-income population that was already being covered in a DC-based program that received no federal funding expanding Medicaid early was obviously a good financial move for DC. In addition, the benefits through DC HealthCare Alliance are more limited than Medicaid, with no funding for mental health care or medical transportation. So Medicaid provides better coverage for enrollees as well.

For immigrant children under the age of 21, the Immigrant Childrens Program in DC provides coverage for those with income up to 200% of the poverty level, regardless of assets.

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When Is The Medicare Advantage Plan Annual Election Period

You can also add, drop, or change your Medicare Advantage plan during the Annual Election Period , which occurs from October 15 to December 7 of every year. During this period, you may:

• Switch from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan, and vice versa.
• Switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to a different one.
• Switch from a Medicare Advantage plan without prescription drug coverage to a Medicare Advantage plan that covers prescription drugs, and vice versa.

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Does Medicare Ever Contact You By Phone

Whenever you give out personal information on the phone, its a good idea to make sure the person on the other end is who they say they are. If you get a call from anyone asking for your Medicare number or additional personal or health information, hang up! Then call the Medicare number to report the incident and make sure your account is secure.

Medicare will only call you in a couple of circumstances:

• Youre in a Medicare plan, and you get a call from the plan provider or the insurance agent who helped you enroll.
• You left a message and number when you called Medicare, and a Medicare representative calls you back.

What extra benefits and savings do you qualify for?

Understanding Medicare Advantage Coverage

Medicare Advantage plans use many styles of managed care to deliver services and savings to subscribers. Medicare Advantage plans have some High Deductible Health Plans that can work with Medicare Savings Accounts. The accounts receive funds that consumers can use to pay out-of-pocket expenses. The below-listed descriptions show the basic elements.

HMO is the health maintenance organization. It uses a primary care physician to deliver care, and refer the patient to other network resources. The HMO does not use outside resources.

PPO is the preferred provider organization. These Medicare Advantage plans do not require referrals or a primary care doctor. They permit the use of outside resources but cover them at a lower rate of cost sharing than for network resources.

EPO is the exclusive provider organization. This type of Medicare Advantage plan offers low prices and a simple network. The members must use network resources except for emergency care.

HMOPOS is the Point of sale option for health maintenance organization. This type of Medicare Advantage plan uses a primary care physician. The doctor can make referrals to outside resources, and the insurance will cover with a lower rate of cost sharing than if using network resources.

FFFS is the fixed-fee-for-services type of Medicare Advantage plan. This type of managed care offers a wide network and freedom of choice for the consumer. The FFFS can standalone or connect to another network for regional or national coverage.

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What Is The Medicare Phone Number And When Should I Use It

Key takeaways Most beneficiaries receive their Medicare card about three months before their 65th birthday. If you dont receive your card, call Social Security. Your card contains your name and ID number. Have your card with you when youre visiting a provider or filling a prescription. If you have Medicare Advantage or Medigap, have those

You can usually address many Medicare Advantage or Part D enrollment issues by contacting Social Security or 1-800-MEDICARE. But you have to appeal coverage denials directly to your insurer.

Medicare Enrollment Guide For Providers & Suppliers

Use this guide if any of the following apply:

• Youre a health care provider who wants to bill Medicare for your services and also have the ability to order and certify.
• You dont want to bill Medicare for your services, but you do want enroll in Medicare solely to order and certify.
• You wish to provide services to beneficiaries but do not want to bill Medicare for your services.
• You want to enroll as a supplier who does not dispense or furnish durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics and supplies .

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How Do You Get Another Medicare Card

My card is lost or damaged Log into your secure Medicare account to print or order an official copy of your Medicare card. You can also call 1-800-MEDICARE to order a replacement card to be sent in the mail. TTY users can call 1-877-486-2048.

If you get Railroad Retirement Board benefits, you can call 1-877-772-5772 to get a replacement card. TTY users can call 1-312-751-4701.

My name changed Your Medicare card shows the name you have on file with Social Security. Get details from Social Security if you legally changed your name.

Protect your identity

Should I Sign Up For Medical Insurance

With our online application, you can sign up for Medicare Part A and Part B. Because you must pay a premium for Part B coverage, you can turn it down.

If youre eligible at age 65, your Initial Enrollment Period begins three months before your 65th birthday, includes the month you turn age 65, and ends three months after that birthday.

Note: Important Upcoming Change Rules for 2023 and later: If you accept the automatic enrollment in Medicare Part B or if you sign up during the first three months of your IEP, your coverage will start the month youre first eligible. Beginning January 1, 2023, if you sign up during the month you turn 65 or during the last three months of your IEP, your coverage starts the first day of the month after you sign up.

The following chart shows when your Medicare Part B becomes effective in 2022:

The following chart shows when your Medicare Part B becomes effective in 2023:

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