Start Medicare after 65

Published by Mike Lovell on March 29, 2021

How do I start Medicare after age 65?

How do I start Medicare after 65?

You’re in a unique situation where you didn’t start Medicare at age 65 like most people. It’s becoming more and more common so you’re not alone. But now the time has come to start Medicare.

And if you’re like most people, you are just trying to figure out what your first step is.

The good news is you’re in the right place. There’s 3 main groups people fall into when trying to start Medicare after 65. Depending on which group you fall into, I’ll break the down process for you step by step so it’s easy for you to finish.

I have Medicare Part A but not Part B

This is a pretty common situation I see with a lot of people.

You enrolled in Medicare Part A because there was no premium for you. But you had other coverage so you didn’t want to pay for part B which makes sense.

But now you are losing coverage. It could be happening now because you are retiring or maybe some other reason. So what do you do first?

Your 1^st step is applying for Medicare Part B.

You can do that online here
You can print the Part B Application and mail/bring it in to your local Social Security office

You will also need proof that you have had health insurance since you became eligible for Medicare.

If you are printing the Part B application then you will need to use this form to verify you had health insurance

During COVID, Medicare created a process where you can apply online for Medicare Part B. Applying this way allows you to use this form or one of several other methods to prove you have had health insurance.

Pro Tip for applying for Part B

Section 12 of the Part B application form is called Remarks. You can add special notes for your situation here including what effective date you want.

So if you are retiring December 31^st and need your Medicare to start January 1^st. You could write in a requested effective date of January 1^st, 20XX. You can submit this form about 2 months prior to the effective date. In this example you could give this form to Social Security in early November.

What Happens After I Apply for Part B?

Social Security will process your application for Part B. This normally takes around 2-4 weeks depending on the time of the year. You will receive a new Medicare card in the mail. But your Medicare number will be the same as it is now. The only thing that will change is your new card will have an effective date for Medicare Part B instead of saying Hospital Only Coverage.

Since your Medicare number will be the same, the next step can be completed earlier.

That’s because we don’t have to wait for a number to be generated for you before applying for your extra coverage. This makes it easier to apply for your additional coverage like a Medigap/Medicare supplement and prescription drug plan. Or a Medicare Advantage plan.

I don’t have Medicare A or B yet

You had other health insurance and didn’t sign up for Medicare A or B when you turned 65. I see this a lot with people who are still working. Especially if they have a HSA insurance plan at work.

But now you need to start Medicare. So what’s your first step?

Well, you are different from the first group because you do NOT have a Medicare number yet. So you can’t just apply for Medicare Part B.

You need to apply for Medicare A+B.

You can do that online here
You can call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213
In person at local Social Security Office

You will also want to have this form completed to prove you have had health insurance since you turned 65.

You will receive your Medicare card in the mail about 3-4 weeks after you apply. That card will have a unique Medicare number which you typically will need to apply for your additional coverage like a Medigap/Medicare supplement and prescription drug plan. Or a Medicare Advantage plan.

I have Medicare A and B already

This is the rarest group to see but some people do have Medicare A and B plus their group health insurance.

Many times when people have this because they were told they had to sign up for Part B right away or they would face a penalty later. There are reasons you can delay Medicare and start it later penalty free. But it can be confusing to see if that applies to you or not so sometimes people just start Medicare to avoid any risk of a penalty.

But when you are ready to drop your health insurance, you don’t need to do anything with your basic Medicare A and B coverage.

So all you have to do is figure out what to do now for your additional coverage like a Medigap/Medicare supplement and prescription drug plan. Or a Medicare Advantage plan.