How & When does one enroll, sign up for Medicare ONLINE?

Part A – Hospital, usually for no premium and

Part B Doctors for around $170/month?

It's best to enroll in Medicare A & B 3 months #before you turn 65

2023 effective date sign up for Medicare

  • Chart from Medicare.Gov on when coverage starts
  • The best time to sign up is 3 months before your 65th birthday and coverage will start on the 1st of the month of your birthday.   Be sure to let your prior carrier know at least 30 days in advance that you have new coverage and want to cancel.  Especially if it's Covered CA!  That way you don't have double premiums and duplicate coverage.
    • Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 to starting January 1, 2023 change the effective date to the month after enrollment!  If you're late.  CMS.Gov Fact Sheet *  Proposed Rule
  • Once you enroll in Parts A & B, you are then eligible to get a Medi Gap Plan and part D Rx or Medicare Advantage (HMO) to fill in the gaps that Medicare doesn't pay.  Please note that prescription drug coverage is effectively mandatory as there is a penalty when you eventually sign up, if you didn't  sign up when you are supposed to.

How to #Apply - sign up ONLINE for Medicare Part A & B

Publication # 10530
Apply ONLINE for Medicare # 10530

 

Applying for Part B ONLY?

  • If you already have Part A, you can’t enroll online.   In the past you had to fill out  form OMB No. 0938-1230 !  So,  Try ONLINE first, things have been updated
  • You can mail it in, but be sure to follow up that Social Security has the form.  If not, go to your local Social Security Office and enroll.  Make sure you get a receipt! 
  • Please note also, that it’s been reported that  your Social Security number is required, even though there is NO PLACE on the form for it!
  • If you're enrolling past age 65, use CMS form to fill out L 564 E to prove you had Employer Coverage and get a special enrollment period, when you retire.  VIDEO 

Should you start taking Social Security too?

Screen Shot of Medicare's Enrollment Site

Official Medicare Enrollment Site

Checklist of what information you need to enroll

checklist to enroll

Our webpages on:

FAQ's

Open up FAQ’s below for answers

I went to Social Security and got all signed up. Now they say they have a record of me being there, but no record of signing up. What do I do?

disability secrets.com/social-security-office-lost-my-appeal-paperwork-what-do-i

We did have a client who reported that her local Congressperson helped her out and got the problem resolved.

I won’t have 40 quarters until I’m 68. When is my initial enrollment period? I don’t want any penalties.

Use this tool to determine when you are eligible for Medicare.

Your Initial Enrollment Period based on your age

Your Initial Enrollment Period based on your age contextual help
October 1, 2019 – April 30, 2020

Am I eligible to enroll?

Medicare is for people age 65 and older and those who have special condition or disability. You’re not eligible to enroll in Medicare now because you don’t meet the special condition/disability requirements.

If you’re a U.S. citizen or you meet the lawful presence and residency requirements, the Initial Enrollment Period (IEP) is your first chance to sign up for Medicare. It starts 3 months before your 65th birthday, includes the month you turn 65, and ends 3 months after the month you turn 65.

Sign up for Medicare

Costs for Medicare since you won’t get it for free…

Costs for Medicare… How does that compare to the under 65 plan you have now?

What if I have Employer Coverage?
Just to make sure, is renewal automatic?

Yes, everything Parts A Hospital, B Doctor Visits, Medi Gap, Medicare Advantage and Part D Rx automatically renew.

I’m having trouble finding citable sources. I don’t count other agent websites, as it seems I’m the only one, who cites a source.

https://www.medicare.gov/pubs/pdf/10050-medicare-and-you.pdf

Didn’t you get a January bill for Parts A & B? Just pay it.

Does your prior coverage before enrolling in Parts A & B have anything to do with the coverage you will receive?

Part B Doctor Visits is exactly the same for everyone.

To get the “best” greatest selection of MD and providers you would want to sign up for a Medi Gap planPlan F has the most comprehensive benefits. This would be most similar to PPO and not the restrictive provider lists in a Medicare Advantage Plan (MAPD). MAPD though generally has zero premium.

If you are thinking of keeping your COBRA beyond age 65 and not getting Part B, that won’t work, see Medicare Publication 11036 Enrolling in A & B page 13.

See link above to use our Blue Cross and Blue Shield affiliate sites to view benefits, pricing and enroll online. We also have tons of detail on each page in our website.

Where and how do I shop all the Insurance Companies to get the best coverage and premium for Part B Doctor Visits?

The Federal Government – Medicare is the ONLY place to get Part B Dr Visits. I guess one could argue though that if they have employer coverage available, that would be “Part B.”

Some people might get confused though, thinking Medicare Advantage is giving them their Parts A & B…

The decisions on getting Part D Prescriptions, Medi Gap or Medicare Advantage are separate and give you additional coverage on top of Medicare Part A Hospital and Part B Dr. Visits.

Probably the first decision is if you want a Medi Gap Plan which allows you to go to any MD or Hospital that accepts Medicare, which most do or a Medicare Advantage plan with oftentimes zero premium.

Here’s our web page on helping you make that decision

Our page on how most all doctors take Medicare and if they don’t the limit on what they can charge over Medicare allowance and how if they don’t take Medicare at all, they must have you sign a form that you understand that.

#Medicare10050 and You  2024
Everything you want to know 

Steve's video on Medicare & You

***********

your medicare benefits # 101116

 

Should I apply for Part A Hospital?

Part B Hospital?

Wait?

Medicare Part B Hospital
#Late Enrollment Penalty

In most cases, if you don’t sign up for Part B when you’re first eligible, (FAQ Calculate the dates) for Medicare, during the  7-month Initial Enrollment Period to sign up for Part A and/or Part B.  you’ll have to pay a late enrollment penalty. You’ll have to pay this penalty for as long as you have Part B.

Your monthly premium for Part B may go up 10% for each full 12-month period that you could have had Part B, but didn’t sign up for it.  Medicare.Gov *

Medicare Initial Enrollment,  Part B late penalty, high income surcharge  Eligibility & Premium Calculator

Resources

Why are you being forced into Medicare at 65?  Verywell.com 

FAQ’s on late enrollment penalty

Ways to avoid Part B Late Enrollment Penalty

Usually, you don’t pay a late enrollment penalty if you meet certain conditions that allow you to sign up for Part B during a Special Enrollment Period, namely loss of employer coverage.  

If you have limited income and resources, your state may help you pay for Part A, and/or Part B.

You may also qualify for Extra Help  LIS  to pay for your Medicare prescription drug coverage.

See FAQ’s below and in Comments below

The New York Times:
Why You Shouldn’t Wait To Sign Up For Medicare Part B

 

[George Zeppenfeldt-Cestero] should have signed up for Medicare Part B three years earlier when he turned 65. By delaying, he had missed the best window — the so-called Initial Enrollment Period — to apply for Part B, which covers much of what we consider health care: doctor visits, tests, injectable drugs (including chemotherapy), ambulances, physical therapy and other non-hospital services.

As a result, he has to pay permanently higher premiums, and he had to endure an unsettlingly long period — from December to July — before the coverage actually kicked in. (Span, 10/26)  New York Times:

FAQ's

See below for FAQ’s

how high can the Part A Hospital, part b Doctor Visits & D Rx penalty be? My parents have green cards since 2005, continuous residence since 2012 and they never enrolled in Medicare My Dad is 80 and Mom is 72.

Really high – Here’s a video where I used the Medicare Calculator, but didn’t get a full bottom line answer, yet.

Immigration status and enrollment

To enroll in either Part A or Part B, an individual must either be a U.S. citizen or be lawfully present in the
United States. In most cases, as discussed in detail below, a non-citizen who does not qualify for premium-free Part
A must be a lawful permanent resident (LPR) with five years of continuous residence in the U.S. immediately prior to Medicare enrollment. Justice in Aging Older Immigrants & Medicare

***So, the penalties wouldn’t start till 2017 based on the start of continuous residence of 2012.

More from the Medicare Calculator

You may not be able to get premium-free Part A (Hospital Insurance) based on the work history of you or your spouse (living, deceased or divorced). You can buy Part A for a monthly premium.

If you paid Medicare taxes for less than 30 quarters, the standard Part A premium will be $471.00. If you paid Medicare taxes for 30-39 quarters, the standard Part A premium will be $259.00. Some people pay a higher premium if they don’t enroll when they’re first eligible.

Part A Late Enrollment Penalty

If you aren’t eligible for premium-free Part A, and you don’t buy it when you’re first eligible, your monthly premium may go up 10%. You’ll have to pay the higher premium for twice the number of years you could have had Part A, but didn’t sign up.

***So they would pay 10% more for the next 10 years.

Part B Late Enrollment Penalty

If you don’t sign up for Part B when you’re first eligible or if you drop Part B and then get it later, you may have to pay a late enrollment penalty for as long as you have Medicare. Your monthly premium for Part B may go up 10% for each full 12-month period that you could have had Part B, but didn’t sign up for it.

***So, that would be 50% more.

2021 Part B premium (most people pay this amount)
$148.50

You can get coverage here as a new immigrant besides or in addition to the Bridge Plan.

See this page for the Part D Rx Penalty

 

I was incarcerated and wasn’t able to pay my Part B Premium. Is there any way, I can avoid the late penalty?

It is usually best to keep Medicare Part A and Part B coverage while you are incarcerated. Although Medicare will not cover your care, keeping it will ensure that you avoid late enrollment penalties and gaps in coverage when you are released.

 

Is a way to argue about the Part D Prescription LEP Late Enrollment Penalty

We have a whole webpage on that

How do I show “Good Cause?” for not paying the premium on time?

https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Guidance/Manuals/downloads/clm104c29.pdf

240.2 – Conditions and Examples That May Establish Good Cause for Late Filing by Beneficiaries

Good cause may be found when the record clearly shows, or the beneficiary alleges, that the delay in filing was due to one of the following:

• Circumstances beyond the beneficiary’s control, including mental or physical impairment (e.g., disability, extended illness) or significant communication difficulties;
• Incorrect or incomplete information about the subject claim and/or appeal was furnished by official sources (CMS, the contractor, or the Social Security Administration) to the beneficiary (e.g., a party is not notified of her appeal rights or a party receives inaccurate information regarding a filing deadline);

NOTE: Whenever a beneficiary is not notified of his/her appeal rights or of the time limits for filing, good cause must be found.

• Delay resulting from efforts by the beneficiary to secure supporting evidence, where the beneficiary did not realize that the evidence could be submitted after filing the request;
• When destruction of or other damage to the beneficiary’s records was responsible for the delay in filing (e.g., a fire, natural disaster);
• Unusual or unavoidable circumstances, the nature of which demonstrates that the beneficiary could not reasonably be expected to have been aware of the need to file timely;
• Serious illness which prevented the party from contacting the contractor in person, in writing, or through a friend, relative, or other person;
• A death or serious illness in his or her immediate family;
• A request was sent to a Government agency in good faith within the time limit, and the request did not reach the appropriate contractor until after the time period to file a request expired; or
• Delay due to additional time required to produce the beneficiary’s Medicare documents (such as an MSN) in an accessible format (e.g., large print, Braille, etc.);
• Delay as the result of an individual having sought and received help from an auxiliary resource (such as a SHIP or senior center), due to his or her disability, in order to be able to file the appeal.

Following are examples of cases where good cause for late filing is found. This list is illustrative only and not all-inclusive:

• Beneficiary was hospitalized and extremely ill, causing a delay in filing;
• Beneficiary is deceased. Her husband, as representative of the beneficiary’s estate, died during the appeals filing period. Request was then filed late by the deceased husband’s executor;
• The denial notice sent to the beneficiary did not specify the time limit for filing for the redetermination; and
• The request was received after, but close to, the last day to file, and the beneficiary claims that the request was submitted timely.

42 CFR § 478.22 – Good cause for late filing of a request for a reconsideration or hearing.

Our Medicare Appeals Page

CMS FAQ’s Technical on the process

I don’t like to cite non official sources, but here’s Q1Medicare

If I have Part B and move out of country or go back to work and have employer coverage, how do I cancel Part B?

Voluntary Termination of Medicare Part B

You can voluntarily terminate your Medicare Part B (medical insurance). It is a serious decision. You must submit Form CMS-1763 to the Social Security Administration (SSA).
You’ll need to have a personal interview with Social Security before you can terminate your Medicare Part B coverage. To schedule your interview, call the SSA or your local Social Security office.

USA.Gov ssa.gov

Form you get back from CMS Medicare when they confirm they got your request to cancel Part B Doctor visits. Note the FAQ’s!

Here’s what was  reported to us in an email about cancelling a pending application for Part B

1) I called the SSA domestic line, waited for half an hour, and was told that the person on that line couldn’t help me because we had an international application. She gave me a number for “international operations” (in Baltimore).

2) I called the “international operations” number and connected directly (no answering machine) to a very helpful young woman who cancelled the Part B application for myself and my wife in about 5 minutes.

3) I strongly suspect that it is policy that you can withdraw an application for which Medicare coverage has not year come into force. In any event, it worked for us.

 

Steve —

I learned a few things today that I thought I might share with you.

1) Because I enrolled for Part A from abroad (Italy), and declined Part B, I became a candidate to receive an unsoliticed phone call from a US government employee in Rome who handles SS/Medicare issues!! This person wanted to make sure I understood the issues with respect to Part B penalties. This person was very helpful, but knew nothing about MediGap. He didn’t even know what it was.

2) Medicare Part B penalties increment after each full year in which you could have had Part B but chose not to. What then is the date in which you could have had Medicare? You can sign up for Medicare for 3 months before eligibility, and since if you do so your coverage date begins on the first day of the month of your birthdate (unless your birthday is the 1st of the month). For example, if you decline Part B in your initial enrollent period in 2018 but opt for Part B in the first general enrollment period of 2019, your coverage will start July 1, 2019. If your birthday is in July, your full-year penalty clock will start on July 1 and will have traversed a full year. If your birthday is in August, the clock will start on August 1 and it will have been only 11 months … hence no penalty for that year.

Cheers,

Ted W

If I live outside of the USA, do I need to sign up for Part B when I turn 65 or is there a guaranteed enrollment period when I return to USA – California?

Living outside the U. S.
(Excerpt copied from publication 11036 Enrolling in Parts A & B)

I live outside the U. S., and I don’t have Part B. Can I get Part B and will I pay more?

It depends on your situation:

Situation #1: If you’re over 65, currently getting Social Security benefits and Part A, and you didn’t take Part B when you were first eligible, (our webpage on eligiblity) (Medicare Eligiblity Tool) you may only apply for Part B during the General Enrollment Period. This period runs from January 1 – March 31, and you may have to pay a late enrollment penalty for as long as you have Part B.

Situation #2: If you live outside of the U.S., you’re over 65, and you’re eligible for Social Security benefits, you may file an application for monthly benefits and Part A. You’ll have to file for Part B during the General Enrollment Period. This period runs from January 1 – March 31, and you may have to pay a late enrollment penalty.

Situation #3: If you’re a U. S. citizen, you’re over 65, you’re not eligible for Social Security benefits, and lived in a foreign country when you turned 65, you must live in the U. S. to file for Part B. You’re first eligible to enroll in Part B the month you return to the U. S. to establish your new residence.

You won’t have to pay a late enrollment penalty if you enroll in Part B when you first return to the U. S. Although you may be able to enroll, in most cases, you won’t be able to get Medicare-covered services while living outside the U.S. Medicare generally can’t pay for any of your hospital or medical bills unless you get your medical care in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa). Under certain limited circumstances, medical services provided in outside of the United States also may be covered by Medicare, but only if you’re living in the U.S.

How can I tell if the Part B application went through correctly?

Check the Social Security and Medicare Accounts that you must have set up when you enrolled. 

We can help you do that, if you  Set a Meeting – Zoom, Skype 

#General Enrollment Period (GEP)
Didn't sign up for Part B at the right time

If you didn’t sign up for Part B Doctor Visits on time, then you have to wait for the General Enrollment Period from January 1 to March 31   to enroll in Part B.  

THERE is a NEW  rule under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 to starting January 1, 2023 change the effective date to the month after enrollment!  CMS.Gov Fact Sheet *  Proposed Rule

For more detail see  Publication 11036 Enrolling in Medicare it’s at the right on a full screen monitor or scroll down for smartphone.  See also Medicare & You

Please note, if you already have Part A, you can enroll online, or fill out  #application for Part B  OMB No. 0938-1230 !

More detail & info:

You can mail the application in, but be sure to follow up that Social Security has the form.  If not, go to your local Social Security Office and enroll.  Make sure you get a receipt! 

Please note also, that it’s been reported that  your Social Security number is required, even though there is NO PLACE on the form for it!

Eligibility & Premium Calculator

 

Related Web Pages

FAQ's

 

FAQ's

See below for FAQ’s

So I foolishly did not pay my Medicare premiums and my part B got cancelled. Can you tell me how to get it back?

Fortunately, we are in the General Enrollment Period, till March 31. So, you can sign up now, see the application above and be effective July 1st.

The 2nd problem you may have, is that Medi Gap and Medicare Advantage policies require that you have Part B, so you might be getting cancellation noticies…

Here’s our page on guaranteed acceptance for Medi Gap plans

Medicare Advantage – Special Enrollments

If we don’t have an answer spelled out on those pages, just ask and we’ll research it.

So, after I get Part B back, then I can enroll, check out, etc. Medi Gap and/or Medicare Advantage?

You should get notice of Part B Approval, enrollment well before the July 1st effective date.

So, I would suggest enrollment as soon as April, as long as you have approval.

Medi Gap has a special guaranteed enrollment when you get back on both Parts A AND B. Please enroll early… as I don’t think the written rules are 100% clear, but I’ve written people in the same situation and have checked with my Regional Sales Managers.

Medicare Advantage is a little different!

You have Medicare Part A coverage, and you get Part B for the first time by enrolling during the Part B General Enrollment Period (January 1–March 31). Publication 11219

I’ll check further…

I checked and getting Part B under General Enrollment in July, would not allow one to get Medicare Advantage.

One might try to get in under the 5 star program.

What about Medi Cal Qualification?

Question

Hello Steve

I have a question I hope you can answer.

1. My father has only Medicare Part A [hospitalization] combined with VA healthcare benefits. he did not enroll in Part B [doctor visits] when first eligible because of VA benift among other factors.

2. In November he received a letter from orange county social services that he was eligble for medicaid [Medi-Cal in CA] and that he was also eligible for Medicare QMB [Qualified Medicare Beneficiary] effective November 1, 2015

3. I was told by railroad retirement board that despite his eligibility for QMB that he can not elect immediate enrollmet with a November 1, 2015 retroactive date. That he can enroll now through the open enrollment period but must wait until July 1 to begin benefits.

4. I read somewhere online that Part B enrollment becomes effective the same day as QMB eligibility.
medicarerights.org/Using-MSPs-to-Enroll-in-Part-B

Do you have knowledge on this matter?

 

Our Reply

 

4   Thank you SO MUCH for including a link to Medicare Rights.org. They are talking about automatic enrollment in Part B, IF one enrolls in a Medicare Savings Program, which includes QMB’s. Which it sounds like you are doing with Orange County Social Services. So, it sounds to me like you are OK. Apply and see what happens. Here’s the link or have Social Services help you. According to your reference on Medicare Rights.org enrollment is automatic when you are approved for the QMB.

3   Normally what you heard from the Railroad Retirement Board is correct. Having VA coverage is not employement based coverage that would give you a special enrollment period, as mentioned in Medicare and You page 26. They are talking about the General Enrollment Period page 25 where one can sign up January 1 to March 31 and be effective in July. There might even be a financial penalty for late enrollment.

Be sure to read the entire page from CA Health Care Advocates on this subject. They know what they are talking about! See also our page on Cal Medi Connect. Check back with us in a few weeks and we will know more as we will be attending a Blue Cross seminar on Medicare Advantage Plans for those on Medi-Cal on the 17th.

 

Problems on the phone with Social Security or Medicare?

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is providing equitable relief to individuals who could not submit premium-Part A or Part B enrollment or disenrollment requests timely due to challenges contacting us by phone. This relief applies to the 2022 General Enrollment Period, Initial Enrollment Period, and Special Enrollment Period.

If you were unable to enroll or disenroll in Medicare because you could not reach us by phone after January 1, 2022, you will be granted additional time, through December 30, 2022SSA.gov

FAQ's - Medicare Billing

Open up the FAQ’s below

I just got Medicare Part B and the ID card. They said I would get a bill immediately. I don’t have it. What do I do? Should I worry?

Here’s Medicare’s webpage on paying A & B premiums

What if my premium payment is late?

If your First Bill payment is late, you’ll get a Second Bill. Your Second Bill will include both past amounts and next month’s premium. If you don’t pay the total amount due by the 25th of the month, you’ll get a Delinquent Bill. If you get a Delinquent Bill and you don’t pay your total amount due by the 25th of the month, you’ll lose your Medicare coverage.

What if I have questions about my bill or the status of my coverage?

Call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY: 1-800-325-0778)

If you’re having trouble paying your premiums now or if you have any questions about your Medicare premium bill, call us at 1-800-MEDICARE. TTY: 1-877-486-2048.

When should I get my bill?

On or about the 10th of the month. Medicare.gov

Sample Bill

How about setting up an ONLINE Medicare & Social Security Account?

Medicare Part A
(#Hospital Insurance)

Medicare Part A Hospital coverage helps pay for care in hospitals as an inpatient,... skilled nursing facilities, hospice care, and some home health care (see publication # 10969) but not Long Term Care.  

Most people get Part A automatically when they turn age 65 at no charge, since they or a spouse paid Medicare taxes while they were working.  You need to sign up close to your 65th birthday, even if you will not be retired by that time. (If you are getting Social Security benefits when you turn 65, your Medicare Hospital Benefits - Part A - start automatically.) 

Here's a chart it's just a illustration and is NOT official  that shows what Medicare pays, the gaps in Medicare and what you may get when you add a Medi Gap Plan or Medicare Advantage to cover those gaps

.Steve's VIDEO Explanation

Part A Coverage medicare - Medi Gap PLan G

Resources & Links

Medicare has  done an excellent job of explaining how and when to enroll in their:

 

BROKER ONLY

Medi-Cal & Medicare Lookup  Jarvis

 

Brother - Sister - Sibling Side Pages  Subpages 

View our website with your Desktop or Tablet for the most information 

Site Map

Plugin Codes

#Actual Cost for Medicare to Provide you the Medical Benefits

While you might complain about the premiums you pay for Medicare A, B & D is a small portion of what Medicare is contributing to the actual cost to provide Coverage, it's only 25 percent of Part B and Part D program costs.

 

Part D & B premiums

Source Kaiser Foundation 

 

 

 

FAQ’s

 

 

  • I am trying to get my Mom on Medicare part A. She is on part B but not part A. How can I get this done?
    .
  • Did your Mom or Dad work over 10 years in the USA and pay into Medicare?
    • Here’s our webpage on the rules if they have to pay a premium, if they don’t have enough credits
    • Why didn’t your Mom sign up for Part A previously?
    • When was she first eligible for Part A?
    • There are monetary penalties for late enrollment.
    • Please send the details to the questions above, the answer is not as simple as the question seems. Let us get you the correct information, based on your situation.
    • You might have to wait for the General Enrollment Period, if you have to pay for Part A Hospital?
    • How about checking our website and getting information on Medicare Advantage or Medi Gap. We can help you enroll with no extra charge for our expertise.
      .
      .
  • My husband turns 65 in November. I’m 61. How does that affect my Covered CA coverage and subsidies? How does that affect our MAGI income? All the income is in his name! Does that mean I’ll have to be on Medi Cal as I won’t show any income?
    .
  • Covered CA rules mandate that married people file jointly.
    • Thus, your MAGI income doesn’t matter whose name it is in.
    • Web visitors can get quotes here.
    • I’ll send you a private email with quotes, just for you with Covered CA
      .
      .
  • Because my 65th birthday is 10/17/2019, today I submitted an online application for Medicare.  What’s next?
    .
  • Thank you so much for submitting your enrollment in Medicare A & B on the very first day that one is able too. 3 months before the month one turns 65. See our webpage above for more explanation. There are often SNAFU’s – Situation Normal All Fouled Up that can cause a lot of grief, worry and delays.
  • I turn 65 in July. I just applied for Social Security and have received two checks so far. Will I be automatically enrolled into Medicare?
    .
  • Some people get Part A and Part B automatically
    • If you’re already getting benefits from Social Security or the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB), you’ll automatically get Part A and Part B starting the first day of the month you turn 65. (If your birthday is on the first day of the month, Part A and Part B will start the first day of the prior month.) https://www.medicare.gov/sites/default/files/2018-09/10050-medicare-and-you.pdf
    • If you’re getting these benefits, in most cases,
      You’ll get the “Welcome to Medicare” package that welcomes you to the program. This package is mailed about 3 months before your 65th birthday. In this package, you’ll get your Medicare card. https://www.medicare.gov/Pubs/pdf/11036-Enrolling-Medicare-Part-A-Part-B.pdf
    • I suggest you double check and make sure Social Security does it. Do you have an ONLINE account with them? https://www.ssa.gov/myaccount/
      .
      .
  • I applied for Medicare, but they are asking for tons of extra paperwork. Will my effective date still be my birthday month or will their scrutiny make it take longer?
    .
  • Here’s the reply from CA Health Care Advocates:
    • I imagine the effective date would be retroactive to the original date of entitlement if the person is deemed to be eligible. But I’ve never faced this situation. Region 9 https://www.ssa.gov/sf/contact.htm would be the place to call about that.
      .
      .
  • My wife needs health insurance from Medicare.
    • She’s 65 years old us citizen but still working.
    • Social security can’t support her due to over the limit income.
      .
  • If you or your wife have worked in the USA for more than 10 years, go ahead and use the enrollment link above.
    • Here’s the rules about qualifying for no Charge Part A
    • If you don’t qualify for no cost Part A Hospital, scroll down and view the sub or child pages. If you still have questions post them on the most relevant page. You do not have to put in your name.
    • What do you mean Social Security can’t support her, your over the Income Limit?
    • Do you mean Medi Cal, Medicaid? Obamacare/ACA subsidies?
      .
      .
  • I’m interested in getting Medicare at 63 years old. I have MS and have been told I’m eligible at 63. Is that true?
    .
  • Yes, if you qualify for SSDI, after two years you automatically get Medicare.
    .
    .
  • Medicare was enacted in 1965. I first had it deducted from paychecks starting in 1966. I retired in 2016 so Medicare was deducted from all my earnings for 50 years.
    • I finally had occasion to use my Medicare benefit getting a doctor ordered blood test in order to continue receiving medication for high blood pressure. Medicare paid a whopping $2.94. My share was only $241.84.
      .
  • See the chatter between high school friends on facebook to respond to this issue.

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