Sign Up for Medicare and Estimate Medicare Costs
Reading Time: 2 MinutesLast Updated: July 16, 2021
Affordable medical coverage is something everyone wants, especially as people age. Luckily, our nation has safeguards for workers as they get older. Millions of people rely on Medicare, and it can be part of your health insurance plan when you retire.
Medicare is available for people age 65 or older, as well as younger people who have received Social Security disability benefits for 24 months, and people with certain specific diseases. Two parts of Medicare are Part A (Hospital Insurance) and Part B (Medicare Insurance). You are eligible for premium-free Part A if you are age 65 or older and you or your spouse worked and paid Medicare taxes for at least 10 years. Part B usually requires a monthly premium payment.
You can apply online for Medicare even if you are not ready to retire. Use our online application to sign up. It takes less than 10 minutes. In most cases, once your application is submitted electronically, you’re done. There are no forms to sign and usually no documentation is required. Social Security will process your application and contact you if we need more information. Otherwise, you’ll receive your Medicare card in the mail.
You can sign up for Medicare on our website.
If you don’t sign up for Medicare during your initial enrollment window that begins three months before the birthday that you reach age 65 and ends three months after that birthday, you’ll face a 10 percent increase in your Part B premiums for every year-long period you’re eligible for coverage but don’t enroll. You may not have to pay the penalty if you qualify for a special enrollment period (SEP). If you are 65 or older and covered under a group health plan, either from your own or your spouse’s current employment, you may have a special enrollment period during which you can sign up for Medicare Part B. This means that you may delay enrolling in Part B without having to wait for a general enrollment period and without paying the lifetime penalty for late enrollment. Additional rules and limits apply, so if you think a special enrollment period may apply to you, read our Medicare publication, and visit the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for more information.
Health and drug costs not covered by Medicare can have a big impact on how much you spend each year. You can also estimate Medicare costs using an online tool.
Keeping your healthcare costs down allows you to use your retirement income on other things that you can enjoy. Social Security is here to help you plan a long and happy retirement. Visit our website today.
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About the Author
Darlynda Bogle, Assistant Deputy Commissioner
Darlynda Bogle, Assistant Deputy Commissioner
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Diane D.
my husband is 58 been abroved for ssd has stage 4 cancer, his union said he should be receiving mediacare???
Ann C.
Hi, Diane. We are sorry to hear about your husband’s condition. Medicare starts 24 months after a person receives disability benefits. When a person becomes eligible for disability benefits, they will automatically be enrolled in Medicare. We start counting the 24 months from the month the person was entitled to receive disability, not the month when they received their first check. If he has specific questions about his case, and when his Medicare begins, he can call 1-800-772-1213, Monday-Friday between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. and a representative will assist him. Generally, he’ll have a shorter wait time if he calls later in the day. We hope this helps!
Vicky N.
I began receiving my Social Security benefits at age 62. I will turn 65 in August and I thought I read that I would automatically be enrolled in Medicare if already receiving benefits. But I can’t find the exact place it states it. Can you help me?
Ann C.
Hi, Vicky. Thanks for your question. If you are already getting Social Security retirement benefits, you will be enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B automatically. However, because you must pay a premium for Part B coverage, you have the option of turning it down. If you are not already getting retirement benefits, you should contact us about three months before your 65th birthday to sign up for Medicare. You can sign up for Medicare even if you do not plan to retire at age 65. To learn more about Medicare go here. We hope this helps.
Susan G.
I am 67 yrs. old and have Medicare A. I am covered under my husbands Employee Health Benefits. He may possibly get laid off in March 2020. Would I be able to apply for Medicare B and would I get penalized and have to pay 10-50% more on my premium. I went on Disability at 61.
Ann C.
Hi, Susan. Thanks for your questions. People 65 or older with coverage under a group health plan from their own or a spouse’s current employment have a special enrollment period. During this “special enrollment period”, they can enroll in Medicare Part B. This means that they may delay enrolling in Medicare Part B without having to wait for a general enrollment period and paying the 10 percent premium surcharge for late enrollment. The rules allow them to enroll under the following two situations:
Enroll in Medicare Part B any time while they have coverage under the group health plan based on current employment; or
Enroll in Medicare Part B during the eight-month period that begins with the month their group health coverage ends, or the month employment ends–whichever comes first.
You will need to complete to submit (Form CMS-L564) and (Form CMS-40B) to your local office. We hope this helps.
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Smith M.
You should take a life insurance policy and relax from thinking about medicare cost.
Mary
Here is what is wrong with the magi amount. It is based on previous years, not the current one. So people are unjustifiably being charged for income they no longer make and are grossly overcharged. This is hard at all times, but especially over the holidays when they were given less than two weeks to pay the first bill. Someone needs to fix this injustice. This isn’t fair at all. How can you expect people to trust and use Medicare when people are being overcharged like this? I have no plans of using it ever.
Sharon D.
Question: Are medicare premiums taken from your Social Security check one month in advance of the month you become eligible. For example, I became eligible for Medicare effective 10/1/2019 due to the fact that I was approved for Social Security disability. The premium due for the month of October 2019 would have come out in September 2019 as I was told at Social Security they take medicare deductions one month in advance. So October premium would have come out in September, November premium in the month of October and December premium in the month of November. Is this how it works?
Ann C.
Hi, Sharon. Yes, if you receive benefits, we will automatically deduct the Medicare Part B premium from your monthly payments. To learn more about the Medicare program, go here. We hope this helps.
Kez
Good day,
Does Medicare/ SSA tale 2 months worth upon entering Medicare $144 times 2?
Thanks,
Ke
Luis A.
Hi Kez. For your security, we do not have access to your personal information in this forum. For specific questions about your account, please call our toll free number, 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), from Monday through Friday, between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. You may also contact your local Social Security office. We hope this helps.
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