Medicare, Online Services

White House Conference on Aging: What You Need to Know First About Enrolling in Medicare

July 13, 2015 • By

Reading Time: 2 Minutes

Last Updated: November 6, 2023

SSA-and-CMS-Accomplishments-Medicare-IEP-3A healthy life is a good life. The Medicare benefits you’ve earned ensure that you can receive the care you need, when you need it.

And, when it comes to Medicare benefits, the most important thing to remember is to apply for them at age 65.

On your behalf, advocacy groups asked us to place a greater emphasis on information about enrolling in Medicare at age 65, and specifically, about the potential problems that arise if you don’t.

In the past few months, in conjunction with the White House Conference on Aging, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Social Security Administration have strengthened many of our communications products to ensure that all people nearing age 65 hear the following message:

Three months before your 65th birthday, you should apply for Medicare benefits. At that time, you’ll be asked to elect if you also want Medicare Part B that helps pay for doctors’ services and many other medical services and supplies that hospital insurance doesn’t cover. If you don’t sign up at age 65, and you then decide to enroll later, you may pay a lifetime late enrollment penalty, and you may have a gap in medical insurance coverage. There are exceptions, but play it safe, and ask your Medicare or Social Security representative about your personal situation.

To make this message clear, our two agencies have already:

In the next few months, CMS will update their website and the Medicare initial enrollment period package; revise more Medicare publications; and add online resources for people who are still working.

Visit Medicare.gov to find out more about enrolling in Medicare. And, remember to apply online for Medicare three months before your 65th birthday!

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About the Author

Doug Walker, Deputy Commissioner, Communications

Deputy Commissioner, Office of Communications

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Comments

  1. jack

    I enrolled in MEDICARE A in 2008 only after discussing with my health plan about MEDICARE B. Now I received a bill for the full amount of Physical Therapy. If I enrolled in MEDICARE B, what would be my current costs, including any penalty?

    • Lorenzo D.

      Jack, the Medicare premium for Part B in 2015 is $104.90 per month, but higher income beneficiaries pay more. Those who apply for Medicare Part B after their Initial Enrollment Period (IEP) at age 65 can sign up only during the general enrollment period (GEP). The GEP lasts from January 1 through March 31 with coverage beginning July 1. Most people who sign up for Part B during the GEP will have a 10 percent increase in monthly premiums for each 12-month period that they did not enroll, but were eligible. If you are still working and covered under a group health plan based on that employment, you may not need to file for Medicare part B until you stop working or drop your health care coverage, and you may qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP), which would allow you to sign up for Medicare Part B without penalties. Please read our “Medicare” publication for more information.

      For security reasons we do not have access to information about your specific account in this venue. To determine your costs, it is best to call our toll-free number at 1-800-772-1213. Representatives are available Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.,

  2. S T.

    For those living overseas and returning to the US after age 65, there is possibly no penalty for late enrollment for Medicare if you have been continuously covered under another health insurance, which, in Europe, is most likely the country’s health care program. Be sure to obtain proof of continuous coverage before returning to the US.

  3. Tony S.

    We want Medicaid!!! Medicaid has been revamped to pay the bills without any copays or deductibles. Poor OASDI beneficiaries, making less than $1,000 a month must not be forced to spend a disproportionate amount of their income on defective medical care, money they could have formerly. SSA really needs to provide their beneficiaries, especially the poor ones, with prioritized access to food stamps and Medicaid, just like SSI. It is downright wrong for OASDI beneficiaries making less than the SSI income guarantee to be denied food stamps and Medicaid. Free Medicaid for the poor. Sell Medicaid to the working and rich taxpayers at Medicare prices. Abolish Medicare. Medicare steals our drug money like Burwell’s enforcement has stolen our online pharmaceutical industry with the unlawful detention orders against an Indian diplomat and the Chinese guy who translated the labels.

  4. Luke P.

    I have a friend her husband was a government employee. When he died his wife received her pension. When she turn 65 she didn’t receive Medicare. Please explain, thank you for your assistance.

    Sincerely

    Luke Pham

  5. Janet

    Why should there be a penalty for older people that doesn’t sign up for Medicare 3 months before turning 65. There shouldn’t be a penalty at all for these older people no matter when they decide to sign up.

    • Lorenzo D.

      Janet, the deadlines and penalties are established by law, so we advise people to apply for Medicare benefits as soon as they are eligible. When a person first becomes eligible for Medicare hospital insurance (Part A), they have a seven-month Initial Enrollment Period (IEP) in which to sign up for medical insurance (Part B). If you’re eligible at age 65, your IEP begins three months before your 65th birthday, includes the month you turn age 65, and ends three months after your 65th birthday. Under certain conditions, people may qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP), which would allow Medicare Part B sign up if they are past their Initial Enrollment Period. If you are still working and covered under a group health plan based on that employment, you may be entitled to a Special Enrollment Period and not need to file for Medicare part B until you stop working or drop your health care coverage. If a person applies for Medicare Part B after age 65 and does not qualify for a Special Enrollment Period, he or she can sign up only during the General Enrollment Period (GEP). The GEP lasts from January 1 through March 31 of each year with coverage beginning July 1. Most people who sign up for Part B during the GEP will have a 10 percent increase in monthly premiums for each 12-month period that they did not enroll, but were eligible. Please read our publication “Medicare” for more information.

  6. Debbie m.

    I don’t understand why all the extra help insurance companys are so different when it comes tout what they will pay for and what they will not

  7. CLEVELAND E.

    I was 58 yrs old became injured on the job I have Lumbar Radiculopathy ,Sciatics and now at the age of 62 and ran out of money aug 2014 I needed help found out That Working People USA don’t have any knowledge of how to help themselves their state medical assistance program they need to find help through them before 65 because if a supervisor says they don’t remember your accident you don’t have any benefits paid to you.

  8. Diane

    I will be 65 on Aug. 19th and am I eligible for Part B? I have not applied for social security benefits and I have worked all my life at different jobs. I waited until I was 65 just so I could get the full benefits. How can I find out what is the best plan for me who do I call?

    • Lorenzo D.

      Diane, since you will be 65 soon, you should sign up now for Medicare benefits. If you have been working all of your life, you are most likely eligible for both Part A (Hospital Insurance) and Part B (Medical Insurance). Then you can apply for your retirement benefits later.

      There are a lot of factors that go into deciding when to retire. Visit our Retirement Planner to estimate your retirement benefits and determine the best retirement age for you. The earliest age one can get retirement benefits is 62, and the current full retirement age is 66. If you choose to get benefits before your full retirement age, they will be reduced. When you are ready to apply for retirement benefits, you can complete your application online in as little as 15 minutes!

  9. rich

    its all designed 2 get ur $ jw that is so they can hav their merc and liv on the top on mtn in glendale.and dat foo at da top is respons 4 all dis sh his wife is worse.shhhhhh

    • rich

      its all designed 2 get ur $ jw that is so they can hav their merc and liv on the top on mtn in glendale.and dat foo at da top is respons 4 all dis sh his wife is worse.shhhhhh a ho foo s

  10. Sandra

    I have been on widows benefits Medicare for a few years. It is a Good thing that I am my own DR. Because I would be dead if I depended on these programs. I guess if I was a non working person I would have got better care.

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