ELIGIBILITY AND ENROLLMENT

What is Medicare and who qualifies

Medicare is a Federal program that offers health insurance to U.S. citizens and Legal residents

• Age 65 or older
• Younger than age 65 with certain disabilities
• Any age with ESRD (end-stage renal disease) or Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease)

How to enroll

You will be automatically enrolled into Medicare Part A and Part B at age 65 if you are eligible and you are receiving Social Security or Railroad Retirement Benefits. Your Medicare card will come to you in the mail usually 3 months prior to your 65th birthday month.
You will have to apply for Medicare Part A and Part B at age 65 if you are eligible and have not started receiving Social Security or Railroad Retirement Benefits. This you do through the Social Security office.

Age 65 -You become eligible for Medicare

Your Initial Enrollment (IEP) is 7 months long. It begins 3 months prior to your 65th birthday month, the month of your 65th birthday and the 3 months after your 65th birthday. It begins and ends a month earlier if you birthday is on the first day of the month.

If you sign up in the 3 months prior to your 65th birthday month your Medicare starts on the first day of your birthday month. It will begin the month before if you birthday is on the first day of the month. Your coverage may be delayed if you do not sign up in the 3 month prior to your birthday month.
During your 7 month Initial Enrollment Period you can sign up for Medicare Part A and Part B and any other coverage choices such as a Medicare Supplement Plan, a Medicare Advantage Plan (Part C) or a Prescription Drug Plan (Part D) to fill in the gaps of Original Medicare.

Disability 24 months –You become eligible for Medicare

If you have been on Social Security Disability for 24 months you will be automatically enrolled into Medicare Part A and Part B starting on the 25th month of disability.