Make sure you are eligible for Medicare
First off, are you eligible? Original Medicare (Medicare Parts A and B) becomes available for most people from age 65 and older. But people with certain conditions can qualify at a younger age. People who are under 65 with a disability or end-stage renal disease diagnosis can qualify for Medicare.
Learn more about eligibility for Medicare
Take a look at your coverage options
People get Medicare coverage in one of two ways – Original Medicare or Medicare Advantage (Medicare Part C).
Original Medicare has two parts, Part A and Part B. Part A offers hospital insurance, while Part B offers medical insurance. After you get Original Medicare, you can also enroll in a Medicare Supplement plan. These offer help paying some Medicare costs.
If you enroll in Medicare Advantage, you get all the coverage Original Medicare offers combined with added coverage. This often includes vision, hearing, dental and prescription drug coverage.
Apply for Medicare online
Original Medicare is provided by the federal government. You can automatically enroll if you start getting Social Security payments between the age of 62 and four months before turning 65. If you are not automatically enrolled, you can apply for Medicare online through the Social Security Administration (SSA).
Here’s how:
Check the SSA website’s online checklist to learn what you’ll need
Visit the SSA benefits page and go to “Sign up for Medicare”
Complete the Medicare online application
Select “Submit now” to submit your application once complete
Enrolling in a Medicare Advantage plan
Medicare Advantage plans are provided by private insurance companies. You can enroll in Medicare Advantage by phone, by filling out a paper application or online. Learn more about how to enroll in different plan types.
Avoid Medicare late enrollment penalties
You may get a Medicare late enrollment penalty if you do not enroll during your Medicare Initial Enrollment Period (IEP). These penalties are often permanent and are added to your monthly premium. The best way to avoid them is to apply during the Medicare IEP. If you do receive these penalties, the following could happen:
You pay 10% more for your Part A premium. This only applies if you had to buy Part A (many people qualify for zero-cost Part A). The penalty lasts for twice the number of years you didn’t sign up.
For every year you could have enrolled in Part B but didn’t, you pay 10% more for your Part B premium.
You pay 1% more for Medicare Part D for each month you did not enroll. This applies if you did not enroll in Part D when you first got Medicare or if you go 63 days or more without drug coverage.
