The Medicare enrollment process can be easy or difficult. There are several ways to enroll: online, in person at the local Social Security office, by filling out the required forms and dropping them off at the office, or by phone. In this post, based on my experience helping Medicare beneficiaries over the past nine years, I’d like to suggest which route to take.1. Turning 65 and Eligible for Medicare
I recommend applying online for people who are eligible for Medicare when they turn 65 and are in their Initial Enrollment Period (IEP). It’s very convenient, and you can do it 24/7. You can finish it within 20-30 minutes or longer, depending on how comfortable you are using devices such as an iPad or computer.
The way to do it is:
- Go to SSA.gov
- On the homepage, click “Sign Up for Medicare“ under the Apply section.
- Finally, click the “Apply Online” in the first gray box.
You need to have a my Social Security account first before starting the application. The system will prompt you to create one if you don’t have it.
2. Working Past 65 Then Switch to Medicare
If you have been working past 65, are covered by group health insurance, and are ready to retire and enroll in Medicare, you can apply for Medicare Part B (and A if you don’t have it) 3 months before your group insurance stops. For this type of application, you need to submit 1) an Application for Medicare enrollment (Form CMS-40B for part B only) and 2) Employer insurance/coverage information (Form CMS-L564).
If this important information is incomplete, you may risk having your enrollment delayed for a few months or longer, and it’s hard to know what causes the delay. Therefore, I recommend walking into a local Social Security and applying in person. Carry with you the completed forms above. Have the CMS L564 form completed by the company or HR people. However, you can still apply online through the SSA website, provided you understand how to do it.
If you have any questions or issues about Medicare enrollment, please call me at 858-432-2322 or email esther@sdinsured.com.
