when to apply for medicare?

Knowing when to use for Medicare could be a confusing issue for most beneficiaries. Below are a few frequently asked questions and answers about if and when to make an application for various kinds of Medicare.

You might not have to register for Original Medicare, Part A and Part B, but you could have choices about the kind of Medicare coverage you get.

To qualify for Medicare, you need to be a U.S. citizen or a lawful permanent resident of at least five years.

If you do not qualify for registration in Medicare, you want to employ when you become qualified. For information about if you Want to apply for Medicare, visit Do I Want to Apply for Medicare?

Before you are eligible for Medicare, you may want to find out more about the kind of Medicare coverage you would love to have. That is because a great time to perform add to, or alter, your Medicare coverage might be through the Initial Enrollment Period (IEP), explained below.

The IEP for Original Medicare, Part A and Part B, is now the time window where you become eligible. Additionally, it is a period when you alter or are able to add Medicare program choices.

If You Are Eligible for Medicare because:

It comprises the month you turn 65, begins before the month of your birthday, and ends following your wedding. Your IEP proceeds before the end of June and begins, if your birthday is in March. It begins before the month of disability benefits, and continues until the conclusion of the month of getting disability benefits.

• You have started collecting disability benefits from Social Security or the RRB since you’ve ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease), your Medicare coverage begins the exact same month your disability benefits start.
• You’ve got end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and you are collecting disability benefits from Social Security or the RRB, or you also qualify for those benefits (maybe through a relative or partner ) — your own IEP begins after you are eligible for Medicare, and continues for three weeks.

Should you sign up for Medicare prescription drug coverage (if through a standalone Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plan or a Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug program ), then you can prevent late-enrollment penalties by registering in this policy after you are eligible for Medicare. In case you choose to remain with First Medicare and include a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) program, the Medigap program should accept you in the event that you register for Medigap throughout the 6-month interval that starts once you’re 65 or older and enrolled in Part B. Although you do not get a Medigap plan but choose to get one the strategy might not need to accept one.

General Enrollment Period
You may register for Medicare Part A or Medicare Part B during that period if you were registered.

Late-enrollment fees
If you do not qualify for premium-free Medicare Part A, you can pay a penalty for late registration if you enroll during the GEP rather than throughout your IEP. Normally, Part A policy is premium-free in case you’ve worked for a minimum of 10 years (40 quarters) while paying Medicare taxes.

Should you register to get Medicare Part B throughout the GEP rather than throughout your IEP, you might need to pay a late-enrollment penalty. The penalty is 10 percent of your Part B premium for every interval during which you qualified for Part B but did not register for it.

Annual Election Period
The yearly Election Period (AEP) is a time interval when you are able to add, drop, or change Medicare Advantage (Medicare Part C) programs and Medicare Prescription Drug Plans. Annually, it extends from October 15 to December 7.

Should you decide you need Medicare prescription drug coverage, and you also join throughout the AEP rather than throughout your IEP, then you might need to pay a Medicare Part D penalty.

Your acceptance to a Medigap plan might not be ensured Should you miss this window.

Some particular conditions may qualify one to register for Medicare through a Special Election Period (SEP).

For First Medicare, Part A and Part B, a few cases of those scenarios include, but are not Limited to:

• You are insured through a company’s or union’s group health program (yours, your spouse, or a household member’s if you’re disabled). You may register to get Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) anytime, provided that you (or your partner, or relative if you are handicapped ) is functioning.
• Your policy through a company’s or union’s group health plan ends. You’ve got eight weeks to register for Medicare, the month beginning after the job ends, or so the health program.

Some examples of those scenarios for Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug Plans include, but are not Limited to:

• Moving to another location that is not on your program’s service region
• Moving to, residing in moving from a facility like a long-term maintenance hospital or skilled nursing facility
• Losing your policy — for instance, Medicare cancelling your program’s contract

At what age should I apply for Medicare?
If you do not qualify for automatic registration, you have to join through your Initial Enrollment Period (IEP). You can register until you turn 65. In case you’ve got a disability, you are able to enroll in Medicare before age 65, as explained previously. In Case You Have questions regarding Medicare eligibility or registration, contact the Social Security Administration:

Could I postpone Medicare registration without penalty?
Should you continue to operate and are covered under an employer’s or union’s health insurance coverage (or your spouse’s plan) once you have turned 65, you are normally permitted to delay Medicare registration to a time when it is required without facing a penalty. If you decide to postpone Medicare registration for this reason you must register in Medicare when the insurance coverage ends.