There are 4 main different Medicare enrollment periods—initial, general, annual, and special. You may also be automatically enrolled.
Hi, I'm Jessica Manion with my Healthcare Direct, and today I'm going to guide you through the essential steps on how to enroll in Medicare. Whether you're turning 65 or you're eligible due to certain circumstances, understanding the enrollment process is crucial for accessing your healthcare benefits that you deserve. So, let's dive in.
Before we get started, make sure you hit the Subscribe button and ring the notification bell so that you'll never miss out on our valuable healthcare tips and advice. Before we get into discussing how to enroll in Medicare, let's go over some of the basics. Medicare is a national health insurance program primarily designed for individuals who are ages 65 and older. Now, there are a few exceptions for those under 65 who are eligible for Medicare, such as those being on disability or those with terminal illnesses such as End-Stage Renal Disease.
Medicare is made up of two main parts: Part A, which is your hospitalization coverage, and Part B, which is your medical coverage. For those of you who are currently taking Social Security before turning 65, you will automatically be enrolled in Parts A and B. Therefore, you should receive your red, white, and blue Medicare card up to 3 months before the month you turn 65. Your effective dates for Part A and Part B will be the first of the month that you turn 65 if you are enrolled previously.
For those of you on Social Security and are auto-enrolled in Medicare, your effective dates for Part A and Part B will be the first of the month of your birthday. Now, your effective dates will be the first of the month that you turn 65. However, those of you who are born on the 1st of the month, your effective date will actually be the month before. So, for example, if you were born on April 1st, your effective date for Medicare would be March 1st.
If you are not drawing from Social Security benefits up to 4 months before turning 65, then you will have to self-enroll in Medicare during your initial enrollment period. This period begins up to 3 months before you turn 65, the month you turn 65, and up to three months after you turn 65, for a total of a 7-month period. If you are able to enroll before your birth month, your effective dates for Part A and Part B should be the first of the month you were born. If you enroll in Medicare after your birth month, your Part B coverage can be delayed and depending upon how soon after your birthday you enroll, your Medicare coverage could be delayed.
There are three main ways to enroll in Medicare. The first is by going into your local Social Security office and enrolling in person. The second is by calling Social Security and enrolling over the telephone. But if you've ever tried calling Social Security, especially on the national number, you know depending on the time of day, it could be very difficult to get someone on the phone. So, the most popular and probably easiest option is by enrolling online. I'm going to walk you through the process on how to get started.
The first thing you're going to do to enroll in Medicare is you're going to go to the website ssa.gov. That should take you to this home screen where you're going to look for the section that says "Apply". The second link down should say "Sign up for Medicare", and that's what you're going to want to select.
From here, it's going to take you to the page where you're going to begin the process. So, if you are someone who is turning 65 and you need to enroll in Part A and Part B, you're going to want to click the "Apply Online" button under "Sign up for Medicare".
If you are someone who is already older than 65 and you're enrolled in Part A but you delayed Your Part B and you need to enroll for just Part B, you're going to select the "Get Started" button under the "Sign up for Part B only" section.
But for the sake of this example, we're going to say we're turning 65 and need to enroll in both parts A and B, so we're going to select "Apply Online".
From here, it's going to take you to the terms and service page. Feel free to read this over, and then once you're done reading it over, you're going to want to select the box that says "I understand and agree to the above statements" and select "Next".
From here, you're going to scroll down to the "Apply and Complete" section. If you have already started this application process and you have not completed it, you can return to your saved application or you can start a new application if you have not begun yet. So for this example, we're going to say we have not started an application, so we're going to click "Start a New Application".
Now it's going to ask us a few questions. The first one is you're going to want to say that you are applying for yourself. Then it's going to prompt you to see if you have a "My Social Security" account. Now if you do not currently have an account, you're going to want to select "No", and then it's going to prompt you for one more question asking if you have an address in the United States, which you will select "Yes". If you do have a "My Social Security" account, you'll want to select "Yes" and that other question goes away, and you'll hit "Next". So, let's say for this example that you don't have a Social Security account but you do have an address in the U.S., so you'll hit "Next".
Both options are going to take you right to this page. Now, if you have created an account before and you created it before September 18th, 2021, you're going to sign in using your Social Security username. Otherwise, you're going to log in using one of these two options. If you have not created a Social Security account, you still would use one of these links to create an account.
Now, if I had an account, I would go ahead and type in my email address and password and sign in, or you can create an account by typing in the email address you would like to use, selecting your language preference, and selecting the little box that says "I read and accept the Login.gov rules of use" and hit "Submit".
Once you have submitted your application, you will receive a confirmation from Social Security that they have received the application. Once it has been processed, they will send you a letter in the mail, followed by your red, white, and blue card soon after.
If you have any more questions on the Medicare enrollment process, what options you have once you are enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B, please feel free to give our office a call at 888-959-1028 or you can reach us by email at info@myhealthcaredirect.com.
The IEP begins 3 months before your 65th birthday then ends 3 months later. So, the exact timing of this period is relative to you specifically, so be sure to keep a close eye on your calendar as the time comes nearer.
During the IEP, you can enroll in any Medicare plan you are eligible for, including Original Medicare (Part A and Part B), Medicare Advantage (Part C), Part D, and/or supplements. Keep in mind, however, that the IEP for supplements takes place during the 6 months following your 65th birthday rather than the typical period. You do not have to worry about late penalties if you enroll during your IEP.
The AEP, on the other hand, takes place from October 15th to December 7th and allows you to add or make changes to your Medicare coverage. Unlike the IEP, however, you cannot enroll in Original Medicare during this time. Keep in mind, however, that you must be enrolled/eligible for Original Medicare before you can make any of these changes:
If you did miss your IEP and still need to enroll in Original Medicare, you can do so during the GEP. This period takes place annually from January 1st to March 31st. You can also enroll in additional coverage you are eligible for, but keep in mind that you are limited to one change—so, if you are enrolling in Original Medicare for the first time, you cannot add any other coverage till another opportunity becomes available.
The SEP, unlike the other periods, can take place at any time during the year. You also must be eligible for it in order to use it. Also, you do not have to worry about any late fees with the SEP—besides the IEP, you may incur late fees if you choose to wait till after your IEP ends to enroll.
As far as Original Medicare is concerned, you will more than likely be automatically enrolled for coverage. You will, however, have to manually find and apply for any additional coverage options. But, for Parts A and B, you should receive a letter informing you of your enrollment during your IEP if you have worked at least 10 years paying Social Security taxes.
You can reject this, however, if you choose to delay your coverage for any reason. Simply follow the instructions on the back of said letter, and/or call the Social Security office.
Your Medicare enrollment may be a difficult journey, but a worthwhile one. With the right team behind you, you’ll receive excellent guidance and, at the end of it, an affordable and comprehensive insurance plan. Call My Healthcare Direct today at (888) 959-1028.
The Initial Enrollment Period (IEP) occurs 3 months before, the month of, and 3 months after your 65th birthday. It is one of the best opportunities to sign up for Medicare.
During the IEP, you can enroll in:
The IEP is the non-debatable best time to enroll in Medicare. With the IEP, you do not have to worry about any late fees for enrollment. To enroll in Original Medicare (Part A and B) after your IEP ends, you must do so during the General Enrollment Period (GEP) unless you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP).
The GEP takes place from January 1st through March 1st, and may give you those aforementioned late fees. But, if you miss your IEP because you were not yet retired, have a chronic health condition, have Medicaid, or experience outstanding circumstances, you can instead use a SEP to enroll at any time without penalty. So, if you are under age 65 and meet one of these requirements, or are past your IEP but still want to enroll, a SEP is your next best (and potentially better) option.
Enrolling in Medicare for the first time is confusing, but with My Healthcare Direct, it doesn’t have to be. We will get you the coverage you need—there’s no better time than now to get started. Call us today at (888) 959-1028.
The Medicare Annual Open Enrollment Period (AEP) is an opportunity to add or make changes to your Medicare coverage from October 15th to December 7th.
Sean Brady here with My Healthcare Direct and let's dive right into that.
It's going to be October 15th through December 7th. All right so anytime during that time period is when you would make changes to your plan if you needed to.
Let's say you have a Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug Plan (MAPD) you could switch to a different MAPD plan. Let's say you have a Medicare supplement also known as a Medigap plan.
You could potentially switch to a MAPD plan during this time frame as well. Same thing with a PDP. If you want to go ahead and make some changes, this is the time to do it.
Also if you want to drop Medicare advantage plan entirely and go back to original Medicare this is also the time to do that.
Let's swing over to the next side here.
Recommendations
All right, first of all what I recommend is look in the mailbox for an annual notice of changes. This is going to be a letter you're going to find that's going to come in September to early October.
If you have an MAPD plan or a prescription drug plan, be on the lookout for that. Once you get it, that's when you can shop around.
If you are going to make a change, it has to be done during that time frame. You have to have an application in by December 7th and this is for the January 1st effective date.
Give us a call. We are a brokerage firm we work with all the insurance carriers in your area. We can do a free review no cost to you to see if you're in the best possible plan that fits your needs and saves you the most money.
So give us a call. We'll do a free review for you and we'll see what we can do.
The AEP, however, is not the only enrollment period. Of course, you will have opportunities to enroll in Medicare for the first time. The best time to do this is during your Initial Enrollment Period (IEP), which takes place during your 65th birthday.
You can also do so during the General Enrollment Period (GEP), which takes place from January 1st through March 31st. However, you may face late fees if you use this period, but it is still a good option if you are not yet enrolled.
The best time to use the AEP, then, is when you’ve already used the IEP or GEP, and simply want to change what you currently have.
Clearly, you can do a lot during the AEP. The question, then, is should you? You do not have to use the AEP, but you should if you can find better coverage elsewhere. The best way to do this is to “shop around” and compare available plans in your area, seeing how they “stack up” against your current coverage, looking at both its costs and benefits.
The Annual Open Enrollment Period (AEP) is a great opportunity for Medicare beneficiaries to alter their insurance coverage. This generally includes switching:
Wondering if the AEP is something you should take advantage of? My Healthcare Direct will look at your current coverage and see what changes you can make to improve it. Get started today by calling (888) 959-1028.
Special Enrollment Periods (SEPs) allow you to enroll in Medicare at any time without any late penalties. It is for individuals who have recently retired, have a chronic health condition, have Medicaid, or experience outstanding circumstances.
Not everyone retires right at age 65. If you’re still working when you’re eligible for Medicare, you can delay your enrollment. Not everyone does this—oftentimes, people choose to have both group/employee health insurance as well as Medicare.
But, if you decide against that and wait till you retire for Medicare, you will not have any late penalties and can enroll using a SEP within 8 or so months after your group health plan officially ends.
SEPs are also available to those who contract or develop a chronic illness/condition. Once your health status is confirmed by your doctor, you can contact the Medicare offices and sign up. You may also be automatically enrolled.
This also applies if you have a serious disability. After receiving 24 months of Social Security disability insurance, you should be automatically enrolled under a SEP regardless of age.
If you are not enrolled in Medicare when eligible for financial reasons, you may be eligible for Medicaid, a government financial program that provides monetary assistance, and helps you get healthcare coverage. Medicaid enrollment may mean that you can use a SEP to also enroll in Medicare.
Having both Medicare and Medicaid is referred to as a Dual-eligible Special Needs Plan (D-SNP). And, if you have a chronic condition as mentioned above, you would qualify for a Chronic Special Needs Plan (C-SNP).
There are a few other opportunities where you are eligible to add or make changes to your Medicare coverage. These qualifying circumstances include:
Think you may qualify for a SEP? Ready to enroll in Medicare? My Healthcare Direct can help—call us today at (888) 959-1028.
Enrolling for Medicare is easy—with the right help. Here are some important tips to get you started, then we’ll walk you through the rest.
Of course, everyone wants to avoid late fees—the question is, how? The best way to do this is to simply not enroll late. The Initial Enrollment Period (IEP) takes place during the 7 months surrounding your 65th birthday—during this time, you can enroll in Part A, B, C (Advantage), D, and/or Medigap (supplements) without any penalties.
But, if you do miss your IEP, you still may still be able to avoid late fees. The Special Enrollment Period (SEP) can be used at any time to enroll in Medicare for those eligible. You can use a SEP if you have received Social Security Disability benefits for 24 months, have ESRD or ALS, have a chronic condition, are enrolled in Medicaid, are retiring, or have certain outstanding circumstances that change your Medicare coverage.
Besides the IEP and SEP, there are two other potential options—the Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) and the General Enrollment Period (GEP). The AEP is less of a time to enroll in Medicare for the very first time, but more of an opportunity to make changes to your current coverage, including:
The AEP takes place from October 15th to December 7th, while the GEP takes place from January 1st to March 31st. Unlike the AEP, you can enroll in any eligible Medicare plan for the first time—you may, however, face late penalties.
For Original Medicare (Parts A and B), you may be enrolled automatically. More than likely, as is the case with most Medicare beneficiaries, you will receive a letter in the mail sometime around your 65th birthday, informing you of your enrollment.
You will be automatically enrolled if:
You are not required, however, to go through with this enrollment if you decide you do not want it. Simply follow the instructions on the packet sent in the mail, or contact the Social Security office.
You may, for instance, choose to delay enrollment if you are still working. Be sure to speak with your group health plan, however, before doing so, as there are likely more benefits to accepting this enrollment than denying it.
These tips are just the beginning—with the help of My Healthcare Direct, you can get through your Medicare enrollment smoothly, easily, and effectively. When you’re ready to get started, call us at (888) 959-1028.
