September 15th-21st is Medicare Education Week, which is one month before Medicare open enrollment begins. You have been a hard working American citizen all your life and now it’s time for you to enjoy those benefits that you’ve earned. Here is a little guide to help you on your Medicare mission to become educated and confident in your choice of coverage. If you’re unsure of what it provides or where to start, we have a few ideas to get you going.
Don’t forget to enroll to reap the benefits you’ve sown. Most people are enrolled in Medicare part A automatically. If this is you then you will get your red, white and blue card in the mail 3 months before your 65th birthday. In case you are not automatically enrolled then the initial enrollment period starts three months before your 65th birthday and ends three months after it.
If you aren’t receiving retirement benefits already then you can enroll for part A and part B during this period. You can even sign up if you are not ready to retire. You can do this online at www.socialsecurity.gov, which takes less thatn 10 minutes to fill out the application. You can also call Social Security, Monday through Friday, 7am-7pm. If you would like to speak with someone directly then you can go into your local SS office to chat with a representative.
There are three types of Medicare, parts A, B, C and D. Part A is hospital coverage which doesn’t have a monthly premium, Part B is medical insurance and you pay a monthly premium for it, and part C is an advantage plan where you can receive insurance private companies. Part D can be a stand-alone plan simply for a prescription drug plan. There are also supplement options such as Medigap that cover the gaps that the original Medicare leaves. If you miss the chance to enroll for part B, don’t worry! There is another general period for this from January 1st to March 31st and your coverage will begin July 1st. Be sure to research all the options to be able to choose the best route for you.
Live your best retirement years right with coverage from Medicare to ensure an easier future. Your health may depend on it. Call us to help you!
