When Can You Start Medicare

Can A 62 Year Old Get Medicaid

Yes. Medicaid qualification is based on income, not age. While Medicaid eligibility differs from one state to another, it is typically available to people of lower incomes and resources including pregnant women, the disabled, the elderly and children.

Learn more about the difference between Medicare and Medicaid.

How Many Of The Eligible Medicare Beneficiaries Does Uhg Serve

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Are You Eligible For Premium

• You get retirement benefits from Social Security or the Railroad Retirement Board
• You are eligible to get benefits Social Security or Railroad benefits, but have not filed for them yet
• You or your spouse had Medicare-covered government employment

If you do not fit any of these criteria, you will have to buy Part A. In that case, your Initial Enrollment Period does not change, but your coverage start dates will:

If you do not within three months after your birthday, you will have to wait until the next General Enrollment Period.

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Should I Sign Up For Medicare Part A

Most people who have worked and paid Medicare taxes for 10 years can get Medicare Part A with no monthly premium. Because of this, many people choose to sign up for Medicare Part A even if they have health insurance through work.

Medicare Part A covers things like hospice care and skilled nursing facility care that your health plan through work might not cover.

When youre getting Social Security benefits, youre automatically signed up for Part A. If youre not getting Social Security, you should sign up directly through Social Security. Find out how to sign up in our Help Center.

Tip: Always talk to your companys human resources department before you make the decision to sign up for Medicare. Your health insurance plan might work differently for you after you sign up for Medicare.

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What Should You Do Once You Get Medicare

Although you can rely on Original Medicare alone, 86% of Medicare enrollees also have some type of additional coverage.2 It can be from an employer, a privately-purchased plan or from a government-run program like Medicaid. Original Medicare pays for a great deal of healthcare, but still leaves you with potentially costly gaps in healthcare coverage. Supplementary plans can cover these gaps including deductibles and copayments at a fraction of the out-of-pocket rate.

MedicareGuide.coms plan selector is designed to intelligently bring you the best Medicare Supplement plans. These plans, also known as Medigap policies, fill the gaps in coverage that you would otherwise be charged by Original Medicare.

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Signing Up For Medicare

If you’re collecting Social Security benefits. If you claim Social Security benefits at age 65 or earlier, you will automatically be enrolled in Medicare when you turn 65, in both Part A and Part B. You can disenroll from Part B but not from Part A.

To enroll in Part B after age 65 later , you can fill out an Application for Enrollment in Medicare Part B and bring it or mail it to a Social Security office.

If you’re not collecting Social Security benefits. If you are 64 years and nine months or older and you have not started collecting Social Security benefits, you can sign up for both Part A and Part B online at .

How Medicare enrollment affects HSAs. Note that, when you’re enrolled in Part A, you are no longer allowed to make pre-tax contributions to your health savings account , though you cancontinue to use the funds already in your HSA account. Since anyone collecting Social Security retirement benefits has to be enrolled in Part A, this means that no one collecting Social Security can contribute to an HSA.

For 2018 premiums and deductibles, see Nolo’s 2018 Medicare cost update.

Before You Make Your Decision

There are advantages and disadvantages to taking your benefit before your full retirement age. The advantage is that you collect benefits for a longer period of time. The disadvantage is your benefit will be reduced. Each persons situation is different. It is important to remember:

• If you delay your benefits until after full retirement age, you will be eligible for delayed retirement credits that would increase your monthly benefit.
• That there are other things to consider when making the decision about when to begin receiving your retirement benefits.

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When Should I Sign Up For Medicare

Generally, we advise people to file for Medicare benefits 3 months before age 65. Remember, Medicare benefits can begin no earlier than age 65. If you are already receiving Social Security, you will automatically be enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B without an additional application. However, because you must pay a premium for Part B coverage, you have the option of turning it down. You will receive a Medicare card about two months before age 65. If you would like to file for Medicare only, you can apply by calling 1-800-772-1213. Our representatives there can make an appointment for you at any convenient Social Security office and advise you what to bring with you. When you apply for Medicare, we often also take an application for monthly benefits. You can apply for retirement benefits online.

If you didnt sign up when you were first eligible for Medicare, you can sign up during the General Enrollment Period between January 1 and March 31 each year, unless you are eligible for a Special Enrollment Period.

When Does Medicare Start For Me

For Original Medicare, Part A and Part B, a simple way to determine your exact Medicare effective date is to refer to the lower right corner of your Medicare card or to refer to your letter from either the Social Security Administration or the Railroad Retirement Board.

If you have any questions about when your Medicare coverage starts, you can contact Social Security at 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, from 7AM to 7PM. For TTY services, call 1-800-325-0778.

If you worked for a railroad, you can call the Railroad Retirement Board at 1-877-772-5772, Monday through Friday, from 9AM to 3:30PM. For TTY services, call 751-4701.

If you enroll into a Medicare Advantage or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan, the date your coverage starts can vary, depending on when you enroll and which election period you qualify for. For questions about your effective date on these types of Medicare plan options, you can contact the Medicare health or prescription drug plan directly or refer to mail you may have received from them.

NEW TO MEDICARE?

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Documents Needed If You Sign Up In Person

• An original or certified copy of your birth certificate or other proof of birth
• Proof of United States citizenship or legal residency if not born in the U.S.
• Your Social Security card if you are already receiving benefits
• A copy of your most recent W-2 form and/or self-employment tax return
• U.S. military discharge papers if you served before 1968
• Health insurance information

Sign Up For Original Medicare

Most Americans need to sign up for Medicare Part A, hospital insurance, and Medicare Part B, medical insurance when they reach 65. You can do so online or through your Social Security office.

In most cases, you wont receive Medicare benefits automatically unless you sign up. But if you already receive benefits from Social Security or the Railroad Retirement Board, youll be automatically enrolled.

If you dont enroll in Part B during the seven months around your 65th birthday, your Initial Enrollment Period, you could incur a penalty.

There is an exception, though: If youre still working and have health coverage through your job, you can sign up for Part A, which usually involves no premium, and you may be able to delay signing up for Medicare Part B . To avoid penalties for delayed enrollment, you must have medical coverage through your or your spouses job.

If you or your spouse have worked for at least 10 years, you typically wont pay a premium for Medicare Part A coverage.

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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.

Medicare Other Insurance And How We Can Help

Did you know you can enroll in Medicare even if you have other kinds of insurance such as Medicaid, VA benefits, and employer-sponsored health insurance? That said, some of these types of insurance work better with Medicare than others. In some cases, they may affect your ability to enroll in Medicare.

To find out how to choose the right Medicare coverage and understand how it will interact with health insurance you may already have, call the number below. A licensed Medicare expert can answer your Medicare eligibility questionsand help you enroll.

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Taking Medicare But Not Social Security

It is possible to enroll in Medicare coverage but delay taking your Social Security retirement benefits. For many workers, this strategy is the most financially advantageous.

For most older people, it is a good idea to enroll in all parts of Medicare coverage they plan to use as soon as they are eligible at age 65. If you delay enrolling, Medicare Part D may become more expensive. If you delay signing up for Part B, you may also experience a gap in your coverage or have to pay a late enrollment penalty.

However, if you can afford to, it is often a smart financial decision to delay receiving Social Security benefits until at least your full retirement age in order to increase the benefit you receive. This may mean that there are several years during which you are enrolled and covered by Medicare but not yet receiving your monthly Social Security benefit.

How Do I Know Im Enrolled In Medicare

After you apply for Medicare, Social Security will review and process your application. Theyll contact you if they need more information.

When youre approved for Medicare Part A and/or Part B, Social Security will send you a welcome packet that includes the following:

• Your confirmation letter
• Your red, white and blue Medicare ID card
• A Welcome to Medicare booklet that walks you through decisions you may have to make with your Medicare coverage
• The Medicare & You handbook

If youve applied for a private Medicare plan such as a Medicare Advantage, Medicare Cost, Medigap or Medicare Prescription Drug plan, when your enrollment is accepted youll get a separate confirmation letter and ID card.

Medicare helps pay for your health care costs and covers preventive care including a visit with your doctor each year. So once you get Medicare Part B, schedule your initial Welcome to Medicare visit with your doctor. And each year you get an Annual Wellness Visit with your doctor.

For more helpful tips, review this checklist, how to use Medicare your first year.

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Your First Chance To Sign Up

Generally, when you turn 65. This is called your Initial Enrollment Period. It lasts for 7 months, starting 3 months before you turn 65, and ending 3 months after the month you turn 65.

Avoid the penaltyIf you miss your 7-month Initial Enrollment Period, you may have to wait to sign up and pay a monthly late enrollment penalty for as long as you have Part B coverage. The penalty goes up the longer you wait. You may also have to pay a penalty if you have to pay a Part A premium, also called Premium-Part A.

Medicare Eligibility At Age 65

• You are at least 65 years old
• You are a U.S. citizen or a legal resident for at least five years

In order to receive premium-free Part A of Medicare, you must meet both of the above requirements and qualify for full Social Security or Railroad Retirement Board benefits, which requires working and paying Social Security taxes for at least 10 full years .

Learn more about Medicare eligibility at and before age 65 by referring to this helpful chart and reading more information below.

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When Can You Enroll In Medicare Advantage

You can enroll in Medicare Advantage during your Initial Enrollment Period. But you must first sign up for Parts A and B during your Initial Enrollment Period.

You can also enroll if you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period. If you lose your health insurance at your job, you can sign up for a plan up to eight months after losing your coverage.

Do I Receive A Notice About Medicare When I Turn 65

If you are already receiving Social Security benefits, you will get information about Medicare in the mail three months before you turn 65. If you do not receive Social Security benefits, you must actively enroll in Medicare yourself by contacting your local Social Security office. You will not receive a notification in the mail informing you that you qualify for Medicare

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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.

Medicare Eligibility For People Under 62

There are a few exceptions for Medicare age limits that can allow people younger than 65 and under age 62 to enroll in Medicare.

• If you have ALS , you are immediately eligible for Medicare regardless of your age as soon as your Social Security or Railroad Retirement Board disability benefits begin.
• You may also qualify for Medicare if you have kidney failure that requires dialysis or a kidney transplant, which is known as end-stage renal disease .
• You may also qualify for Medicare at age 62 or any age before 65 if you receive disability benefits from either Social Security or the Railroad Retirement Board for at least 24 months.

If you qualify for Medicare under the age of 65 because of a disability, you might also qualify for a Medicare Advantage Special Needs Plan.

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Retirees And Those Still Working

If you paid into a retirement system that didnt withhold Social Security or Medicare premiums, youre probably still eligible for Medicareeither through your retirement system or through your spouse. To receive full Medicare coverage at 65, you must have earned enough credits to be eligible for Social Security.

Each $1,470 you earn annually equals one credit, but you can only earn a maximum of four credits each year. You will receive full benefits at retirement if you have earned 40 credits10 years of work if you earned at least $5,880 in each of those years.

If you continue to work beyond age 65, things get a bit more complicated. You will have to file for Medicare, but you may be able to keep your companys health insurance policy as your primary insurer. Or, your company-sponsored insurance plan might force you to make Medicare primary, or other conditions may apply to you.

Theres a lot to consider that makes it prudent to talk to a person knowledgeable in Medicare about your specific choices. This could be your Human Resources department or a Medicare representative.

If you continue to work beyond 65, theres a lot to consider that makes it prudent to talk to a Medicare expert about your choices.