One of the most common issues I see is that a lot of people are unsure of how or when they should enroll in Medicare.
In this blog post, I’m going to focus on how you enroll in Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B since these are the two main parts of Medicare.
It’s important to note that the way that you sign up for Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B is different than how you’ll sign up for Medicare Advantage, a Medigap or Medicare supplement plan, or Medicare Part D drug plan.
Now, the way that you enroll in Medicare Part A and B depends on your situation, and there are two situations.
Situation #1: You are drawing Social Security four months before your 65th birthday.
If you’re drawing Social Security four months before your 65th birthday, you will be automatically enrolled in Medicare Part A and B.
You will receive your Medicare card in the mail two to three months before your 65th birthday month. This will also confirm that your Medicare starts on the first day of your 65th birthday month.
If you are going to be automatically enrolled in Medicare, the only steps left are to decide whether you want to be in original Medicare or in a Medicare Advantage plan.
With this said if this situation applies to you, but you plan to remain on an employer health insurance plan once you’re 65, this could be a big red flag. You will want to double-check you’re not unnecessarily paying double for your health insurance.
Situation #2: You are NOT drawing Social Security four months before your birthday.
If you are not drawing Social Security four months in advance, you need to enroll in Medicare Part A and B manually.
I highly recommend that you apply for Medicare Part A and B three months before you want Medicare to start, which for most of you will be three months before your 65th birthday month.
Now, there are two options to enroll in Medicare.
Option #1: Enrolling at your local Social Security office.
If you choose to do this, my recommendation is that you schedule an appointment in advance to save you time and to make the process a little bit easier.
Option #2: Enrolling online.
Now, the current process requires that you first create an online Social Security account. Don’t worry; creating the account does not mean that you are going to be drawing Social Security.
Now, once you have this online account, you can then follow the prompts to enroll in Medicare Part A and B online.
Regardless of what situation you fall into, it’s crucial to know when and how to enroll in Medicare so that you can avoid costly penalties or have a lapse in coverage.
Medicare is complicated. Too many people make the wrong decision, which jeopardizes your healthcare as well as your savings. To get help to make your Medicare decision easily, CLICK HERE to enroll in our Medicare Enrollment Concierge program.
