Medicare Enrollment (Initial Enrollment Period)

Watch this video first! It explains the whole online enrollment process for Part A only, or both Parts A & B. This would include enrolling leading up to your 65th birthday, as well as after age 65 (assuming it’s your first enrollment in any Medicare).

Note: If you enrolled in Part A only online, and then still during your 7-month Initial Enrollment Period you decided to add Part B…complete and submit Form CMS 40B to your local SSA office (download button in orange below).

Your Part B start date will be based on which month you submit the application (see calendar in next section below).

You DO NOT need to use this paper form, if you enroll in Part A & Part B online at the same time during the initial application.

If You’re Enrolling In Medicare For The First Time During Your 7-Month Initial Enrollment Period (surrounding your 65th birthday month)…

Notes Before You Start

• If you’re NOT receiving Social Security retirement benefits, you can proactively enroll in Medicare online at www.ssa.gov.

  • Social Security allows you to submit an enrollment application in the 4 months prior to your birthday month (yes, 4 months prior).

    • You must have a My Social Security online account first to submit the enrollment.
      VIDEO: How to Create a My Social Security Account

    • Start dates are always the 1st of the month. Note: If your birthday is on the 1st of the month, you’re eligible one-month sooner.
      
      
      

• If you’re receiving Social Security benefits at least 4 months prior to turning 65, you’ll automatically be enrolled in Parts A & B.

  • You DO NOT need to enroll online. Your Medicare card will arrive about 3 1/2 months prior to your birthday month.

  • You must keep Part A at least in this situation.
    
    
    

• You need 40+ quarters of work history to complete an online application for Medicare coverage. Otherwise, you’ll need to enroll through your spouse’s work record (if applicable).

  • See our blog post: How to Enroll in Medicare on Your Spouse's Work Record
    
    
    

• This online application is only for those who are enrolling in Medicare for the first time. Meaning, you don’t have any Medicare or Social Security at this point. If you proactively enrolled in Part A in the past, or you’re receiving Social Security benefits (which automatically gives you Part A)…you’ll want to follow the steps on our Special Enrollment Page.

  
  
  

The Timing of Your Application Submission

• Whichever month you START the application in, that will be the date the system uses to determine when your coverage begins…even if you save it and come back later to finish it up.

• Part A — Submitting the enrollment any time during your Initial Enrollment Period will yield a Part A start date of the 1st of your birthday month.

• Part B — The month you submit the enrollment determines the start date. If you’re Medicare eligible 1/1/2023 or after, this is how it works…

  • Enrolling in month 1, 2, or 3 will yield a Part B start date of the 1st of your birthday month.

  • Enrolling in month 4, 5, 6, or 7 will yield a Part B start date of the 1st of the next month.

  
  
  

The Application Questions

Here are the most important questions on the application to be aware of:

• It’s assumed that you want Part A, so you won’t have to answer a question whether you want Part A.
  
  
  

• You need to answer the question, “Do you want to enroll in Medicare Part B?”

  • If you want Part A only, answer NO.

  • But if you want Part A & Part B, answer YES.
    
    
    

• Be sure to answer this question right, “Do you wish to enroll in Medicare ONLY, but not for monthly retirement cash benefits?”

  • YES means you want Medicare ONLY (not retirement benefits).

  • NO means you want BOTH Medicare and retirement benefits.
    
    
    

• The last question is , “Do you have health insurance through a group health plan?”
  
  It’s really asking, “Do you have health insurance through a group health plan, based on your CURRENT employment or your spouse’s CURRENT employment?”

  • Answer YES and the sub-questions, only if you have group health insurance based on your current employment or your spouse’s current employment.

  • Answer NO if you have Cobra coverage, retiree coverage, or individual health coverage (ACA Marketplace, short-term, or ministry sharing plan)…as those are NOT based on current employment.

MEDICARE CARD & COVERAGE CONFIRMATION

Depending on the timing of your request, you should receive a letter in the mail in 2-6 weeks with confirmation that the enrollment has been completed for your requested effective date. And your updated Medicare card will arrive soon after.

You can get confirmation sooner by accessing your Benefit Verification Letter when logged in to your My Social Security online account at www.ssa.gov. Your Medicare Number and start dates will be summarized in the Medicare Information section of this letter. The location of the Benefit Verification Letter is different depending on whether you’re also receiving Social Security benefits. See below…

Here’s How It Looks When You’re Receiving BOTH Medicare & Social Security Benefits:

Here’s How It Looks When You’re Receiving ONLY Medicare (NOT Social Security):