Medicare coverage usually starts at 65 years of age. As an exception, people who have a disability and who qualify to be enrolled in the Social Security Disability program can receive Medicare before age 65. If you have not yet retired and you are 65 years of age, you can enroll in Medicare without any problems or concerns.
Medicare Eligibility
Even if you are still working when you reach 65 years of age, you can still enroll in Medicare. The only difference is that, instead of being automatically enrolled, you must contact the Social Security office to sign up to start your benefits. If you are still working and you have paid (and still pay) Medicare tax, your Medicare Part A coverage is free, and you should sign up to receive its benefits. Medicare Part B (medical insurance), Part C (Advantage plans) and Part D (prescription drug plans) are not free, but you are also eligible to sign up even if you are still working.
Medicare Part A and Part B Enrollment Periods
If you are still working when you turn 65 years of age, you need to contact the Social Security office and tell them that you want to start your Medicare benefits, but that you are still working. You can do this starting from three full months before your 65th birthday to be able to start using your coverage by the first of your month of birth. You can enroll until the last day of the third month after your month of birth, but that means your coverage only starts on the first day of the second month after you apply. If you do not sign up at this moment, you might need to pay a late penalty later on, unless you have group insurance.
Medicare Part C and Part D Enrollment
Even if you are still working, you can enroll in Medicare Part C and Part D at the same time you enroll in Medicare Part A and Part B. However, you also have the option to enroll later during the general enrollment periods for Part C and Part D. As of 2011, the general enrollment period for Part C and Part D starts on October 15th and lasts until December 7th. Signing up for Part C later does not have any consequences. However, unless you have another prescription drug coverage, if you sign up late for Part D, you are required to pay monthly penalties.
Enroll
As mentioned above, you must contact the Social Security office to enroll in Medicare if you are still working when you reach 65 years of age. You can do it by calling them on the number provided in the "Medicare and You" handbook. You can also enroll for Part A and Part B online on the Social Security website, a process that takes around 10 minutes. To enroll for Part C and Part D, you must contact the plan you choose or enroll on the plan's website. (You can find a list of these plans on the Social Security website.)
Tags: Part Part, Medicare Part, Social Security, enroll Medicare, still working, Medicare Part Part, contact Social
