How to enroll in Medicare

Medicare is the country’s health insurance program made for people aged 65 or older. The cover also takes care of people younger than 65, including people with disabilities or kidney failure.

Though the program reduces medical care costs, it does not cover every medical expense or long-term care. You may have options as to which insurance you may want to pick.

Some of the options in Medicare include:

Medicare Part A

This cover is also known as hospital insurance. As the name suggests, it assists in the payment of inpatient care in a hospital or a timeframe period in a skilled nursing facility after you have spent time inpatient in a hospital. This part also covers a limited number of days at a psychiatric institution, home health care, and hospice care.

Medicare Part B

This cover is also known as medical insurance. This insurance helps pay for medical services. This cover includes medical assistance from doctors and other medical caregivers, outpatient care, home healthcare, long-lasting medical equipment, and preventive services. It is noteworthy that parts of Medicare are run by private insurance companies but are obligated to follow guidelines as set by Medicare.

Medicare Advantage Plan

This plan was formerly referred to as Part C. The cover encompasses benefits covered under parts A and B with the inclusion of prescription drugs. In addition to that, it has other services such as vision, hearing, and dental put all together.

Medicare Part D

The coverage is mostly to cover the cost of prescription drugs.

How to register for Medicare

Signing up for Medicare is varied for different people. It might become automatic, and to others, it on the period that they can qualify for this program. You can sign up for Medicare by contacting social security or applying online. If you were previously working for Railroad services, you would have to contact the Railroad Retirement Board.

When do I enroll for Medicare?

If you are getting retirement benefits

If you are getting Railroad Retirement Board and Social Security Retirement benefits at 65, you automatically become enrolled for Medicare Part A and B. You will get Part B when you register for retirement benefits. Those living outside the United States (For instance, people residing from Puerto Rico) do not become automatically enrolled in Part B of medical insurance and have to sign up for it manually.

For those getting disability benefits:

Suppose you are not yet 65 and are getting some disability benefits from Social Security or the Railroad Retirement board. In that case, you are automatically enrolled in Original Medicare and Part A and Part B Medicare covers. This comes 24 months after you get disability benefits.

However, if you had Renal Disease and get a kidney transplant or continue getting regular kidney dialysis, you can sign up for Medicare. If you have ALS or Lou Gherig’s disease, you automatically get signed up to Original Medicare immediately after your disability benefits kick in.

Beware of not enrolling in Medicare Part B on time. If you qualify to enroll for Medicare part B and fail to, you will be obligated to pay a penalty of a 10% higher premium. This premium can last from 24 months after application or stay in effect for the rest of the period you are paying for it.

Can you opt-out of Medicare Part B?

If you do not want to keep Medicare Part B even after you were automatically enrolled, there are very few alternatives to getting out of the coverage. Before your cover has begun and you receive a white, blue and red Medicare card, you can use the guidelines that come with your card and send it back. When you keep the card, then it means you have opted to stay in Part B and are obligated to pay premiums for it.

People who signed up for Medicare through social security or the Railroad Retirement Benefits are advised to contact either before getting out of the coverage. You are also advised to do this well before your cover has begun. It will then be terminated the first day of the month after Social security accepting the request from you. People who receive Social Security benefits will have their Medicare premiums automatically deducted.

If you get health coverage through your employer, you must seek guidance from your health benefits administrator. This information will help you get a much better assessment of how the plan that you have covering you now works with Medicare and what it will result in should you opt-out of Medicare Part B.

How do I apply if I do not get social security or Railroad Retirement Benefits?

In cases where you are not getting any retirement benefits and are almost turning 65, registering for Medicare Part A or B or both while still on your Initial Enrollment Period comes in handy. This time is usually a seven-month timeframe that starts three months before or subsequently after turning 65th birthday or immediately on your 65th birthday. Your medicare plan will kick-off depending on the day you sign up. This means if you sign up three months before your initial enrollment period, then your cover shall start when you qualify for Medicare.

However, it is essential to note when you do not get Social Security or the Railroad Retirement Benefits, you are by design put on Original Medicare cover. This news should be an impediment should you choose to go for Medicare Part A or B or both on your IEP. In this case, getting premium-free Medicare Part A will be a hassle, and the charges shall be determined by the period you were in the workforce and the amount reimbursed in Medicare taxes.

What if I do not enroll during the Initial Enrolment period?

If you missed out the initial enrollment period, you could go for the General Enrolment Period or Special Enrolment Period.

General Enrolment

General Enrolment usually runs from January 1st to March 31st of every year. It is important to remember that you might be due for reimbursement due to an overdue sign up fine for the Medicare Part A or B or both A and B failed to sign up after you first qualified.

Special Enrollment Period

If you choose to opt-out of Medicare Part B because you were eligible, you opted not to pick it because you had group insurance through your company or union. However, you might have lost that insurance the Special Enrollment period takes care of you. The period for this option is usually eight months and starts when your employment or group health cover ends. This enrollment does not usually require you to reimburse for a late penalty.

Getting it right when it comes to medicare is essential. Getting familiar with the processes makes it faster and easier for you to get to know what you will need and how you will need to get it done fast to get your insurance cover more quickly.