Every American is entitled to Medicare once they turn 65. You get enrolled automatically if you are already receiving Social Security Benefits. If you don’t receive Social Security benefits, you have to enroll by yourself. We’ve broken down what you need to know and when you can start the process.
There are four types of Medicare plans. Part A covers hospital stays. Part B covers visits to your doctor. A Part C Medicare Plan is also called the ‘Medicare Advantage Program’, which has the benefits of both A and B as well as a portion of Part D. Part D provides coverage for prescription drugs. Parts C and D are additional plans provided by a private insurer that work as supplements to original Medicare (Parts A and B). People choose Part C since it may cover things that are not available in Parts A And B (for example, Dental or Vision care.) Part A is usually free, but most Part B plans have a monthly premium. When you’ve familiarized yourself with the various kinds of plans available the next step is to enroll in one.
You have a seven month period around your 65th birthday in which you can enroll. This is known as the initial enrollment period. Try to enroll in the three month period before your birthday month rather than in the four months after. Waiting too late can delay the start of your coverage. There is a general enrollment period (Jan 1st to March 31st) for people who didn’t enroll in their initial enrollment period. There are some special circumstances (You’re moving, you will no longer be covered by the insurance provided by your employer, etc) that allows you to apply to Parts C and D plans. This is called the special enrollment period and the exact time period varies depending on what the circumstances are. For instance, if you are no longer covered by your employer, you have two full months after your coverage ends to apply. If you want to switch plans, you can do so in the open enrollment period (October 15th to December 7). The changes take place in January of the following year.
If you’re under 65 but have disabilities, ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) or end-stage renal disease you are also entitled to Medicare. The time your Medicare coverage begins varies depending on which group you belong to.
