what is the age to apply for medicare
Medicare is our country'due south health insurance plan for people historic period 65 or older. Certain people younger than age 65 can qualify for Medicare likewise, including those with disabilities and those who accept permanent kidney failure.
The plan helps with the cost of health care, but information technology does not comprehend all medical expenses or the cost of most long-term care. Y'all have choices for how you get Medicare coverage. If yous cull to have Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) coverage, you lot can buy a Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) policy from a private insurance company.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is providing equitable relief to individuals who could non submit premium-Office A or Part B enrollment or disenrollment requests timely due to challenges contacting us by phone. This relief applies to the 2022 General Enrollment Flow, Initial Enrollment Period, and Special Enrollment Period.
If you were unable to enroll or disenroll in Medicare considering you could not reach united states of america by phone after January 1, 2022, you will exist granted additional time, through Dec xxx, 2022.
For more information, telephone call 1-800-772-1213 or utilize our Office Locator to find the number for a local office.
The Parts of Medicare
Social Security enrolls yous in Original Medicare (Part A and Role B).
- Medicare Function A (hospital insurance) helps pay for inpatient intendance in a infirmary or express time at a skilled nursing facility (following a hospital stay). Office A also pays for some home health care and hospice care.
- Medicare Function B (medical insurance) helps pay for services from doctors and other health care providers, outpatient intendance, dwelling wellness care, durable medical equipment, and some preventive services.
Other parts of Medicare are run by private insurance companies that follow rules gear up by Medicare.
- Supplemental (Medigap) policies help pay Medicare out-of-pocket copayments, coinsurance, and deductible expenses.
- Medicare Advantage Plan (previously known equally Part C) includes all benefits and services covered under Part A and Role B — prescription drugs and additional benefits such as vision, hearing, and dental — bundled together in one plan.
- Medicare Part D (Medicare prescription drug coverage) helps cover the price of prescription drugs.
Most people age 65 or older are eligible for free Medical hospital insurance (Part A) if they have worked and paid Medicare taxes long enough. You can enroll in Medicare medical insurance (Function B) by paying a monthly premium. Some beneficiaries with higher incomes will pay a higher monthly Part B premium. To learn more, read Medicare Premiums: Rules For Higher-Income Beneficiaries.
Should I Sign Upwards For Medical Insurance (Part B)?
With our online application, you can sign up for Medicare Part A (infirmary insurance) and Part B (medical insurance). Because you must pay a premium for Role B coverage, you tin turn information technology down.
If you're eligible at age 65, your initial enrollment menstruation begins three months before your 65th birthday, includes the calendar month you turn age 65, and ends three months after that altogether.
If you choose non to enroll in Medicare Part B and and so decide to do so subsequently, your coverage could exist delayed and you may have to pay a higher monthly premium for every bit long as you accept Function B. Your monthly premium will go up ten percent for each 12-month menstruation you were eligible for Part B, but didn't sign up for information technology, unless you qualify for a "Special Enrollment Menstruum" (SEP).
If you don't enroll in Medicare Function B during your initial enrollment flow, you take some other chance each twelvemonth to sign upwards during a "general enrollment period" from January 1 through March 31. Your coverage begins on July one of the yr you enroll. Read our Medicare publication for more information.
If yous have a Health Savings Account (HSA) or health insurance based on electric current employment, you may want to ask your personnel office or insurance company how signing up for Medicare will touch on you lot.
Special Enrollment Period (SEP)
If you take medical insurance coverage nether a group wellness plan based on your or your spouse's electric current employment, you may not demand to apply for Medicare Part B at age 65. Y'all may qualify for a "Special Enrollment Menstruum" (SEP) that will let yous sign upward for Function B during:
- Any month you remain covered under the group health plan and you or your spouse'due south employment continues.
- The 8-month menstruum that begins with the calendar month after your group health plan coverage or the employment it is based on ends, whichever comes commencement.
How To Employ Online For Only Medicare
If you are within three months of turning age 65 or older and not set up to kickoff your monthly Social Security benefits yet, y'all can use our online retirement application to sign up just for Medicare and wait to utilize for your retirement or spouses benefits afterwards. It takes less than x minutes, and there are no forms to sign and usually no documentation is required.
Apply for Medicare But
Return to Saved Application | Bank check Application Status | Supersede Medicare Card
To find out what documents and information you need to employ, become to the Checklist For The Online Medicare, Retirement, and Spouses Awarding.
Medicare Cards
To assistance protect your identity, your Medicare card has a Medicare number that's unique to y'all. If you did not receive your scarlet, white, and blueish Medicare card, in that location may exist something that needs to be corrected, similar your mailing address. You tin can update your mailing address by signing in to or creating your personal my Social Security account. Learn more about your Medicare carte du jour.
Already Enrolled in Medicare
If you have Medicare, you can get information and services online. Discover out how to manage your benefits.
If you are enrolled in Medicare Part A and yous want to enroll in Function B, please complete form CMS-40B, Application for Enrollment in Medicare – Part B (medical insurance). If you are applying for Medicare Role B due to a loss of employment or group health coverage, y'all will also need to complete form CMS-L564, Request for Employment Information.
You lot can use one of the following options to submit your enrollment request nether the Special Enrollment Period:
- Go to "Apply Online for Medicare Function B During a Special Enrollment Catamenia" and complete CMS-40B and CMS-L564. And then upload your show of Grouping Wellness Plan or Large Group Wellness Program.
- Fax or mail your CMS-40B, CMS-L564, and secondary evidence to your local Social Security office (see list of secondary show below).
Annotation: When completing the forms CMS-40B and CMS-L564
- State "I desire Part B coverage to begin (MM/YY)" in the remarks department of the CMS-40B form or online application.
- If possible, your employer should consummate Section B.
- If your employer is unable to consummate Department B, please complete that portion equally best as you can on behalf of your employer without your employer'due south signature and submit one of the following forms of secondary evidence:
- Income tax form that shows health insurance premiums paid.
- W-2s reflecting pre-tax medical contributions.
- Pay stubs that reflect health insurance premium deductions.
- Health insurance cards with a policy effective date.
- Explanations of benefits paid by the GHP or LGHP.
- Statements or receipts that reflect payment of health insurance premiums.
You'll accept Original Medicare (Office A and Role B) unless you lot make some other choice. You can make up one's mind to add together a drug plan (Role D) or buy a Medigap policy to assistance pay for costs that Original Medicare doesn't comprehend. You can choose to join a Medicare Advantage Programme (Part C) and get all your Medicare coverage (including drugs and actress benefits like vision, hearing, dental, and more) bundled together in one plan.
Some people with express resource and income may also be able to get Actress Help to pay for Part D drug costs.
What Happens After I Utilise?
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) manages Medicare. After you are enrolled, they volition send you a Welcome to Medicare bundle in the mail service with your Medicare card. You will besides receive the Medicare & You handbook, with of import information nearly your Medicare coverage choices.
Other Medicare Enrollment Options
If you lot alive in Puerto Rico y'all will non receive Medicare Role B (medical insurance) automatically. You volition demand to sign upward for it during your initial enrollment menstruation, or you lot will pay a penalty. To sign upwardly, please call our cost-free number at i-800-772-1213 (TTY ane-800-325-0778). Y'all also may contact your local Social Security office. Yous can find your local Social Security office by using our Office Locator.
Related Information
- Who do I contact - Social Security or Medicare?
- Apply Online for Medicare — Even if You Are Not Ready to Retire
- Assist Fight Medicare Fraud
- Go Extra Aid with Medicare prescription drug plan costs
- More than Medicare information
- Agreement Medicare Part C & D Enrollment Periods
- Choosing a Medigap Policy: A Guide to Wellness Insurance for People with Medicare
- Understanding Medicare Advantage Plans
- Mandatory Medicare Coverage
Medicare
Website: world wide web.medicare.gov
Cost-free number:
ane-800-MEDICARE
(1-800-633-4227)
TTY number: 1-877-486-2048
Source: https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/medicare/