In this Q&A series, Medicare expert Christian Worstell answers your questions about Medicare coverage, benefits, eligibility, enrollment and more. Christian is a licensed insurance agent and frequent contributor to MedicareAdvantage.com.
Have a question for Christian? Ask it here.
"I turn 65 next year. Will I be automatically enrolled in Medicare? Is there anything I need to do?" – Linda M., Springfield, MO
Thanks for writing in, Linda. I’ll start answering your question by asking one of my own: Will you be collecting retirement benefits from Social Security or the Railroad Retirement Board for at least four months by the time you turn 65 years old?
I ask because automatic enrollment in Medicare hinges largely on that particular criteria.
It’s important to know that if you are not collecting Social Security or Railroad Retirement Board benefits and therefore are not eligible for automatic Medicare enrollment, Medicare will not take any steps to contact you or notify you of your enrollment options.
If you do not enroll within three months after turning 65 (the end of your Initial Enrollment Period), you may be faced with late enrollment penalties and delayed coverage when you finally do enroll later on.
Let’s talk a little more about your Medicare Initial Enrollment Period. This period begins three months before you turn 65 years old, includes the month of your birthday and continues for three more months after you turn 65, for a total of seven months.
It is during this Initial Enrollment Period that you may first sign up for Medicare.
During your IEP, you may also be able to enroll in a private Medicare insurance plan such as:
Private Medicare plans are optional and you will not be automatically enrolled in any of them.
If you choose not to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan or a Medicare Part D plan during your Initial Enrollment Period, you will have to wait for the Annual Enrollment Period (AEP, also known as the Medicare Open Enrollment Period for Medicare Advantage and prescription drug plans) that runs from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7 each year.
Depending on your eligibility, you may be able to apply for a Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) plan after you turn 65.
A Medigap plan works alongside your Original Medicare coverage and helps pay for certain out-of-pocket Medicare costs such as copays, coinsurance and more. The best time to apply for a Medigap plan is during your Medigap Open Enrollment Period, which lasts for six months and starts as soon as you are 65 and enrolled in Medicare Part B.
It’s important to note that Medicare Supplement plans and Medicare Advantage plans are not the same thing, and you cannot have a Medicare Supplement plan and a Medicare Advantage plan at the same time.
If you have any additional questions about the Medicare Advantage plans that may be available where you live, you can call today to speak with a licensed insurance agent who can help you compare plan costs, find out what plans cover your drugs and – if you’re eligible – help you sign up for the right plan for you.
You can also compare plans online for free, with no obligation to enroll.
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Compare your Medigap plan options by visiting MedicareSupplement.com
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