If you are approaching your 65th birthday, then the time is approaching when you need to think about enrolling in Medicare. If you haven’t already qualified for Medicare, then your time to enroll is at your 65th birthday.
However, Medicare eligibility is complicated, and depending on when you qualify, the steps you need to take to enroll might vary. There are a lot of different rules present, so don’t hesitate to talk to one of our agents about your needs when it’s time to sign up for your plans.
Eligibility for Medicare
Most people qualify for Medicare around their 65th birthday. However, other individuals with certain disabilities or with end-stage renal disease also qualify. For this blog, we’re going to focus on the enrollment rules for 65-year-old applicants, only.
Medicare is a government-supported health insurance program which Americans support through payroll taxes. They pay into the system for a number of years while they work, and eventually they qualify for Medicare upon turning 65. Some people who haven’t paid into the Medicare system also qualify. However, they have different eligibility rules.
Automatic Medicare Enrollment
Original Medicare, the government’s basic program, includes two parts:
- Part A—Coverage pays your hospital costs, such as costs of surgeries and inpatient treatments.
- Part B—This coverage is outpatient health insurance coverage. It pays in cases where you receive normal medical treatment, like a checkup, outpatient treatments or imaging.
Some people qualify for Medicare Part A automatically, if they are already receiving Social Security disability benefits, or Social Security retirement benefits, at their 65th birthday. If you indicated that you wanted to claim Medicare Part B at the time you signed up for your retirement benefits, then you’ll receive automatic enrollment in this coverage as well.
Signing Up for Coverage
If you don’t automatically qualify for Medicare on your 65th birthday, you will need to first make sure you have enrolled in the Social Security program. Afterwards, you will then be able to proceed with Medicare enrollment. You might have to provide certain documentation to verify your enrollment abilities, such as your:
- Driver’s license
- Birth certificate
- Proof of citizenship (including a birth certificate)
- Your social security number
- Proof of employment or retirement, or a W-2
- Information about your existing health insurance
Keep in mind, if you are still working at your 65th birthday, then your process to sign up for Medicare Part B might differ. Therefore, if you are approaching this landmark birthday, contact one of our insurance agents to determine the specific steps your need to take in these cases.
Also Read: Medicare Enrollment Periods are Coming Soon!