How do I enroll in Medicare?
Enrollment in Medicare is handled in one of two ways: either you are enrolled automatically or you have to apply.

  • If you are already getting Social Security or Railroad Retirement benefit payments when you turn 65, you will automatically receive a Medicare card in the mail about three months before your 65th birthday as part of an enrollment information package. The card will show that you are entitled to both Part A (Hospital Insurance) and Part B (Supplementary Medical Services) and indicates the beginning dates of your entitlement to each. If you do not want Part B, follow the instructions that come in the package.

  • If you are disabled, you will be automatically enrolled in both Part A and Part B of Medicare beginning in your 25th month of disability. Your card will be mailed to you about three months before you are entitled to Medicare.

  • If you are not receiving Social Security or Railroad Retirement benefits when you turn 65, you have to apply for Medicare coverage with the Social Security Administration (call 1-800-772-1213 or visit your local Social security office). If you must file an application for Medicare, you should do so during your initial 6-month enrollment period.

The initial enrollment period starts three months before you turn 65 and ends three months after. For Medicare to begin at age 65, enrollment must occur before the month you turn 65. For each month after, enrollment is delayed. You may also enroll in the General Enrollment Period (GEP), held annually from January through March, but your entitlement to Medicare will not begin until July of that same year. Another option is to enroll under the Special Enrollment Period (SEP), which is Medicare entitlement for individuals age 65 and older who are covered by an employer group health plan under their own or their spouse's employment.

If you wait 12 or more months to enroll, your Medicare premiums generally will be higher. Part B premiums go up 10 percent for each 12 months that you could have enrolled but did not. The increase in the Part A premium (if you must pay a premium) is 10 percent no matter how late you enroll for coverage.

Under certain circumstances you can delay your Part B enrollment without having to pay higher premiums. If you are 65 or older and have group health insurance based on your or your spouse's current employment, you will not be charged higher premiums. In addition, if you are disabled and have group health insurance based on your current employment or the current employment of a family member, you have two options for enrollment. You may enroll in Part B at any time while covered by the group health plan. You may also enroll in Part B during the 8-month enrollment period that begins the month your employment ends or the month you are no longer covered under the employer plan, whichever comes first.

If you enroll in Part B while covered by an employer plan or during the first full month when not covered by that plan, your coverage begins the first day of the month you enroll. You may also delay coverage until the first day of the following three months. If you enroll during any of the seven remaining months of the special enrollment period, your coverage begins the month after you enroll. If you do not enroll by the end of the 8-month period, you'll have to wait until the next general enrollment period, which begins January 1 of the next year.

Even if you continue to work after you turn 65, you should sign up for Part A of Medicare. Part A may help pay some of the costs not covered by the employer plan. However, it is not advisable to sign up for Part B if you have health insurance through your employer. You will have to pay the monthly Part B premium, and the benefits may be of limited value to you as long as the employer plan is the primary payer of your medical bills. You will also trigger your 6-month Medigap open enrollment period.

The information above summarizes general employee benefit provisions. It is not intended to specify details of any particular employer's plan, nor is it a guarantee of benefits. Contact your benefit representative about specific details regarding your company's employee benefit plan.