Medicare is one of the most important programs in the United States. It provides health insurance for seniors and people with disabilities. In this blog post, we will discuss how to submit a Medicare Application in 2024. We will also provide a step-by-step guide on how to enroll in the program. Keep reading for more information! As people age, they often require a bit more assistance with their day-to-day activities. This is especially true for seniors, who may find it difficult to complete some of the simple tasks.
Application Overview
The Medicare program includes several different parts and plans. And the coverage you ultimately want may differ from what you see in the Medicare application process. That’s because you’ll always start by confirming your eligibility in the government program, even if your eventual Medicare coverage will be administered by a private insurance company.
What’s the process for applying to Medicare?
No matter what type of Medicare coverage you want, enrolling in Medicare starts by completing the Social Security Administration’s application.
This first step is sometimes called applying for Original Medicare or, more specifically, applying for Medicare Part A (hospitalization insurance) and Medicare Part B (medical insurance). The process is quick, and the application will only take about 10 to 30 minutes, according to the Social Security Administration.
You can complete your Medicare application online, by phone, or in person. You cannot complete your initial Medicare application by mail. The agency recommends applying online, when possible. This will allow you to set up your accounts so you can review your application status and eventually manage your Medicare benefits.
Some Things to Know
Enrollment in Medicare usually isn’t automatic. Most people will apply for Medicare at age 65 and then apply for full Social Security benefits a year or two later.
- During the initial enrollment period at age 65, most people will need to manually complete a Medicare application: This process determines if you’re eligible for benefits, and if you don’t apply by three months after the month of your 65th birthday, you will pay a late enrollment penalty.
- Some people will be automatically enrolled: If you’ve been receiving Social Security for at least four months before your 65th birthday, you’ll automatically be enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B when you turn 65, and you won’t need to complete a separate Medicare application. This is because the application you completed to start receiving Social Security benefits serves a dual purpose of also determining your Medicare eligibility. However, full retirement benefits are typically not available until age 66 or 67, and as a result, fewer people are automatically enrolled in Medicare.
The Next Steps
The next step is to choose your coverage by visiting Medicare.gov or working with an independent insurance broker.
Because Medicare’s government plans (Parts A and B) only provide basic benefits, most enrollees also get coverage through a private insurance company.
This can be a bundled Medicare Part C plan (also called Medicare Advantage), which could cost as little as $0 per month. Alternatively, you could add on a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plan and/or a Medicare Part D plan (prescription drugs) to provide coverage on top of what you get from Parts A and B.
Technically, this part of the process is optional, and some people don’t need a plan because they get supplemental coverage through a former employer or Medicaid. There are also about 10% of enrollees who don’t have additional coverage beyond Medicare Parts A and B. However, we do not recommend this because you could face very high medical costs and will have to pay the full cost for prescriptions.
What Information Do You Need?
In most cases, you’ll only need basic identifying information to complete your Medicare application. You’ll submit your name, your address, and a few other details.
What you need to apply for Medicare:
- The basics
- Full name and address
- Birthday
- Place of birth
- Current health insurance start and end dates
- Employment start and end dates if the employer is providing your health insurance
- If applying as a couple, spouse or former spouse
- Current spouse name
- Prior spouse name if the marriage lasted more than 10 years or ended in death
- Spouse(s) date of birth and Social Security number (optional)
- Marriage(s) beginning and end dates
- Marriage(s) location (city, state, country)
- Contact information
- A different email address for each person applying for Medicare
- The phone number for verification via text message or phone call
- If not a U.S. citizen, your permanent resident card number
- If also enrolled in Medicaid, your Medicaid number
You won’t need to submit a detailed work history or financial documents. Instead, verification usually happens behind the scenes. For example, the Social Security Administration uses income information directly from the IRS to determine if you need to pay more for Medicare because you earn more than $91,000 a year.
If you need the exact step-by-step guide, Give us a call.
