Medicare when should i apply

If it is, you can enroll in Part B when you retire or leave your group health plan. If your group health plan is not considered creditable coverage, then you should register for Part B during your Initial Enrollment Period.

We always advise our clients to contact their employer or union benefits administrator before delaying Part A and Part B to learn more about how their insurance works with Medicare. Employer coverage may require that you enroll in both Part A and Part B to receive full coverage. No, you can only enroll in Medicare during one of the enrollment periods.

The first opportunity you have to enroll is during your Initial Enrollment Period. If you miss your Initial Enrollment Period, your second opportunity to sign up is during the General Enrollment Period.

Outside both of these enrollment windows, you can sign up during a Special Enrollment Period if you qualify. As long as you have Part B, you can sign up for Medicare Supplement insurance at any time. The best time to enroll is during the first six months following your Part B effective date, also known as your Medicare Supplement Open Enrollment Period.

As stated above, you can sign up for a Medicare Supplement at any time of the year. However, the last day to sign up for a Medicare Supplement with Guaranteed Issue is the end of the sixth month after your Part B effective date. Before you sign up for Medicare Advantage, make sure you weigh the pros and cons of Medicare Advantage vs. Medicare Supplements. For those currently enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, you also have another opportunity to make changes during the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period.

Medicare enrollment is easier than ever. Once you meet eligibility requirements, you are ready to choose from a variety of plans in which to enroll. As we mentioned earlier, some beneficiaries can receive automatic enrollment, and some have to apply manually. Applying for Medicare online is a quick and easy process on the Social Security website, taking approximately ten minutes.

You can easily apply online for Medicare and Social Security retirement benefits or just Medicare. Just like applying online, applying for Medicare by phone is easy. You can contact a representative at Depending on the volume of calls, there might be a wait time. If the wait time is above average, you can schedule an appointment to have a representative call you.

The only downfall with applying for Medicare by phone is that it can take longer compared to online. If you do not wish to apply online or by phone, you can choose to do so in person.

If you would prefer to do so in person, you can apply for Medicare at your local Social Security office. Their website has a ZIP Code lookup tool that will show you the closest office to you.

The answer is yes! Medicare coverage can coincide with your group coverage through your employer. Medicare Part D covers prescription medications. If you have a Medicare Advantage plan with prescription drug coverage, you probably don't need and often can't have a separate Part D plan.

In most cases, you should apply for Medicare as soon as you're eligible. The initial enrollment period starts three months before the month you turn 65, includes your birth month, and extends three months past the month you turn 65, giving you a seven-month window to apply. Your Part B coverage will likely be delayed if you enroll the month you turn 65 or the three months following , so apply early to avoid a gap in coverage.

Medicare imposes a hefty late enrollment penalty if you enroll in Part B or D after the initial enrollment period IEP and don't qualify for a special enrollment period SEP. You might qualify for a SEP if you have coverage, including creditable drug coverage from an employer or a union "creditable" means that your drug coverage is expected to pay as much as a standard Part D plan would.

But it's best to apply for Medigap as soon as you're eligible—if you apply within the first six months of having Part B coverage, you can't be denied a Medigap policy or be required to pay more because of health conditions. Here's how enrollment works depending on whether or not you already receive Social Security benefits. If you already receive Social Security benefits:. If you've received Social Security benefits or benefits from the Railroad Retirement system at least four months before you turn 65, then you will be automatically enrolled in Medicare both part A and part B starting the first day of the month you turn You'll get your Medicare card in the mail about three months before your 65th birthday.

It will be sent to the address on your Social Security record. You will automatically receive a package which contains important information about the decisions you need to make. For example, although eligible, you may not have to enroll in Part B if you're covered under a non-Medicare insurance plan by your employer or a union. Take the time to learn about Medicare Part B to determine if you should sign up.

If you are not yet receiving Social Security benefits:. If you are not yet receiving Social Security benefits or benefits from the Railroad Retirement system, you are eligible to sign up for Medicare three months before the month you turn 65, but your enrollment will not happen automatically. You must call or apply online. It is to your benefit to sign up for Medicare Part A as soon as you are eligible, especially if you qualify for premium-free Part A, even if you still have coverage through a group health plan.

Although eligible, you may not have to enroll in Part B, which requires you to pay a monthly premium. Spend the time to learn about Medicare Part B to determine if you should sign up. When to get prescription drug coverage:. Though optional, Part D drug plans are subject to a late enrollment penalty that permanently increases your Part D premium if you don't get it during your IEP when you first become eligible for Medicare and you don't have other creditable drug coverage.

Your initial window to enroll is the seven-month period that begins three months before the month of your 65th birthday and ends three months after it. Seniors are generally advised to sign up on time to avoid penalties that could prove quite costly over the course of retirement. Time to sign up for Medicare? Find Medicare Advantage and Medicare supplement insurance plans in your area. But if your employer has less than 20 employees, you need to take Medicare Parts A and B, because that will be your primary insurance.

But, to continue this example, if you retired on Sept. If you will lose prescription drug coverage when the employer plan ends, you can sign up with a Medicare Part D drug plan. You will not be liable for late penalties if you enroll within two months of losing the employer coverage. If you live outside the United States: If you live outside the United States, without either you or your spouse working, you have a difficult decision to make.

But if you or your spouse is working, and you have health insurance from an employer or are covered under the public national health system of the country where you live, you have the right to delay Medicare enrollment until the employment ends.

You will then be entitled to the same SEP explained earlier in this section. There is another exception: If you are not fully insured — that is, if you are not entitled to Part A benefits without paying premiums for them — you cannot sign up for either Part A or Part B while overseas. You can enroll within three months of returning to the United States to live permanently.

Otherwise, if you want to sign up for Medicare while living outside the United States, you can apply through your nearest U. The State Department has an online directory where you can find contact information U. Part D drug coverage has different rules. Coverage begins on the first day of the month after you enroll. Visit the AARP state page for information about events, news and resources near you.