Medicare is the federally administered health care benefit for the elderly and disabled of the United States. Typically, Medicare sign-up comes at a stressful time in people's lives. They are usually either retiring around this time or have been recently afflicted with a life-altering disability or illness. Understanding the Medicare sign up process can help alleviate some of the stress and make the decision-making process easier.
Eligibility
There are several ways to become eligible for Medicare. First, those who are 65 years of age and older are eligible to enroll in Medicare. Those under 65 and disabled or have end-stage renal disease or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's Disease) are also qualified. Furthermore, you must also be receiving either Social Security benefits or have worked in the United States for at least 10 years in order to qualify for free Part A (hospital insurance) benefits.
Automatic Enrollment
Some people do not need to actively sign up for Medicare and are automatically enrolled into Part A and Part B (outpatient medical insurance) when they become eligible. This includes those who are eligible due to age who are receiving Social Security or railroad retirement benefits and those under 65 who receive Social Security Disability Insurance. Those people will receive a package in the mail three months before their first month of eligibility that explains the Medicare benefit and includes their Medicare benefit card.
Who to Contact
If someone is not automatically enrolled or has questions about enrollment, who you contact depends on whether you receive railroad retirement benefits. If you get railroad retirement benefits, then you must contact the Railroad Retirement Board. Otherwise, all inquires about Medicare enrollment can be directed to the local Social Security Administration office. Questions can also be directed to the local State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIPs) which are a part of a national program that offers counseling for Medicare recipients.
Options
New Medicare enrollees may receive their benefits through a Medicare private health plan, also known as a Medicare Advantage plan. If they decide to stick with traditional Medicare, then they may want to look at purchasing a supplemental plan called a Medigap, which will help pick up some of the leftover costs. Finally, new Medicare enrollees should research Part D prescription drug plans to cover any prescription drugs they may need.
Selecting a Plan
Medicare.gov, the official government website for Medicare, has plan finder tools for Medicare Advantage plans, Medigaps and Part D plans. Enrollees can enter information about their health care needs, and it will give them a list of plans available in their area and at what cost according to the information they provided. Plan selections should be finalized before the end of an enrollee's initial enrollment period, which lasts seven months (three months before their first month of eligibility, the month of, and the three months following). Otherwise, they may have to wait several months before they get the chance to enroll again.
Tags: Social Security, months before, railroad retirement benefits, retirement benefits, three months
