I recently got a comment on one of my posts about signing up for Medicare:
Here’s the paraphrase:
“What is there to sign up for? Doesn’t Medicare just send you a card when you turn 65?”
Sadly, if you are turning 65 (and not on Social Security yet), and you are waiting for your Medicare card to show up, you will be waiting a long time.
As with so many things in the “adulting” world, some proactivity is needed.
Here’s the details about enrolling in Medicare:
Manual Enrollment:
If you’re not receiving Social Security benefits, you’ll need to sign up for Medicare during your Initial Enrollment Period (IEP), which starts three months before your 65th birthday and ends three months after. You enroll by contacting the Social Security Administration; either online or at your local office.
Automatic Enrollment:
If you’re already receiving Social Security benefits, you’ll be automatically enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B. You should receive your card about three months before your 65th birthday.
Additional Coverage:
Even if you’re automatically enrolled in Parts A and B, you may want to sign up for additional coverage like Medicare Advantage, Part D (prescription drug coverage), or Medigap to help with costs not covered by Original Medicare.
Let me reiterate: even if you are automatically enrolled in Medicare because you are drawing Social Security before age 65, you have to manually enroll in Part D (Rx coverage) and any supplemental plan you choose. This will not happen automatically.