Applying for Medicare: Everything you need to know

Published by Mike Lovell on July 8, 2020

How to apply for Medicare

Starting Medicare can be a very overwhelming time for most people.  Trying to figure out how to apply for Medicare is the first of many confusing steps.

But the good news is, we can make it much EASIER for you.

Here’s the key things you need to know about Medicare including:

• Do you NEED to apply?
• How to apply?
• When to apply?
• What are my options?

Do you need to apply for Medicare?

If you are receiving social security benefits, then you do NOT need to apply for Medicare.  You will be signed up automatically for Original Medicare.

You will get your card in the mail about 3 months before your 65^th birthday month.  The monthly premium will be pulled automatically from your Social Security benefit.

If you are not receiving Social Security benefits, and you do want to sign up for Medicare, then you will need to take action.

How to apply for Medicare

You can apply for Medicare in 1 of 3 ways.

Online

You can apply for Medicare online at Social Security website here

You need to register for their website if you haven’t.  This involves answering some security questions that only you would know.

Once you are registered, the application process takes less than 10 minutes.

Phone

You can call Social Security on the phone at 800-772-1213 and apply that way.  Once you are speaking with a rep, this part of the process normally goes very fast.

But, sometimes the hold times can be quite long before you are able to talk with a rep.

So if you decide to apply for Medicare using the phone, it’s helpful to put your phone on speaker and do something else while waiting on hold.

In person

You can apply for Medicare in person at your local Social Security office.  You typically are able to schedule an appointment if you are applying for both Social Security benefits and Medicare at the same time.

When to apply for Medicare

There is a 7 month window around your 65^th birthday when most people apply for Medicare.

It starts 3 months before your birthday month.  Applying during this time means your Medicare starts the 1^st of your birthday month.

You can also apply during your birthday month.  Applying during your birthday month means your Medicare starts the 1^st of the month after your turn 65.

Applying in the 3 months after your birthday month means different start dates depending on when you apply.

But after this 7 month window is over, you normally need a special enrollment period such as loss of group coverage to be able to enroll.

What to apply for?

You first need to apply for Original Medicare (Parts A & B).  Most people need to get some sort of extra coverage to help cover what Medicare doesn’t.

Your 2 main options are:

1. a Medicare Advantage plan
2. Or a Medicare supplement plan and a prescription drug plan

Both have positives and potential drawbacks about them.  I can talk you through the key differences in about 10 minutes so you can decide which you prefer.

What do you qualify for?

Most people qualify for Medicare at age 65.  But some people will qualify for other types of help too.  These could be things like Tricare, or VA benefits based on your service history.

Or things like Extra Help and Medicaid based on your income levels.

It’s important to get everything you qualify for.

But it’s hard for most people to know what questions to ask to see what they may qualify for.  That’s where I can come in.  With a few easy questions, I can narrow things down to make it much EASIER for you.

That way you aren’t trying to drink from a fire hose which is what it feels like for most people with the amount of Medicare information out there.

Give me a call today at 608-571-4461 and I’ll be able to help you for FREE.