Get started with Medicare
Medicare is health insurance for people 65 or older who meet citizenship or residency requirements, and some younger individuals with disabilities.
Some people get Medicare automatically, while others need to actively sign up.
Need to check when to sign up or how to sign up?
Answer a few questions about your current coverage, benefits, age, and health situation. You will receive a clear next step.
Six steps from eligibility to a confident coverage decision.
Your Social Security timing may change how you enroll, but the decisions that follow are largely the same. Work through these steps in order and ask for help whenever your situation is not straightforward.
Determine When You’re Eligible
Start preparing about four months before your 65th birthday. For most people, the seven-month Initial Enrollment Period begins three months before the month they turn 65.
- Turning 65Most people first become eligible around age 65. Your exact enrollment timing can depend on your birthday and current coverage.
- DisabilityPeople receiving Social Security disability benefits generally get Medicare automatically after 24 months of disability benefits.
- ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease)Medicare generally starts automatically when Social Security disability benefits begin.
- End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD)Special eligibility and coverage-start rules apply, so confirm your timing before relying on a general age-based timeline.
Understand When and How To Enroll
Already receiving Social Security?
If you are receiving Social Security retirement benefits at least four months before turning 65, Medicare generally enrolls you automatically in Part A and Part B. You will still need to decide how you want to receive coverage and whether you need drug coverage.
Not receiving Social Security yet?
You generally need to sign up for Medicare yourself. Social Security says the easiest option is its online application, and you can also call or make an appointment with a local office.
Enroll and Find Help
Check when and how to sign upStart the official Social Security Medicare application(opens in new tab)Find a Social Security office near you(opens in new tab)Call Social Security: 1-800-772-1213Printable Part B Application
CMS-40B is specifically for people who already have Part A and need to request Part B. It is not the general first-time application for everyone.
Download the CMS-40B Part B application(opens in new tab)Learn What Parts A and B Cover
Part A and Part B make up Original Medicare. They cover different types of medically necessary care, and both can leave costs for you to pay.
Helps cover inpatient hospital care, skilled nursing facility care, hospice care, and some home health care.
Helps cover doctors and other providers, outpatient care, durable medical equipment, home health care, and many preventive services.
Plan For Prescription Drug Coverage
Part D helps cover prescription drugs. You can join a separate Medicare drug plan with Original Medicare, or get drug coverage through many Medicare Advantage plans.
- FormularyEach plan has a list of covered drugs called a formulary.
- Drug tiersPlans group drugs into tiers. Different tiers can have different copayments or coinsurance.
- Total costsCompare the premium, deductible, pharmacy network, drug restrictions, and what your specific prescriptions may cost.
Understand Your Additional Coverage Choices
Original Medicare does not cover every service or every dollar of care. It has deductibles and cost sharing, and it does not include a yearly out-of-pocket limit. Additional coverage may help manage some of those gaps and costs.
A Medicare-approved private plan provides your Part A and Part B benefits and usually includes Part D. Networks, prior authorization, benefits, and out-of-pocket costs vary by plan.
Works with Original Medicare and can help pay certain deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments. A separate Part D plan is generally needed for prescription coverage.
Compare Costs, Doctors, Prescriptions, and Priorities
This is where a personal comparison matters. I can help you organize your doctors, prescriptions, preferred pharmacies, budget, travel needs, and coverage priorities, then compare the options available for your situation.
David de Jonge
Licensed Independent Insurance AgentReady To Talk Through Your New To Medicare Questions?
No cost. No obligation. No pressure. Call or text me, schedule a time, or leave a message and I will explain what happens next.
Send a MessageNew to Medicare FAQs
Common questions before Medicare begins.
A good time to begin is about four months before your 65th birthday. Your Initial Enrollment Period usually lasts seven months: the three months before your birthday month, your birthday month, and the three months after it. Your exact timing can change if you already receive Social Security benefits or have qualifying employer coverage.
Some people are enrolled automatically because they already receive Social Security or Railroad Retirement Board benefits. Others need to apply. Review your situation before your enrollment window so you do not assume enrollment will happen automatically.
It can. Coverage from current employment may allow some people to delay Part B without a late-enrollment penalty, while retiree coverage and COBRA follow different rules. Confirm how your employer coverage coordinates with Medicare before you delay.
Part A is hospital insurance and Part B is medical insurance. Together they form Original Medicare, but they do not cover every service or place a yearly cap on your Original Medicare out-of-pocket costs.
Some younger people qualify because of a disability, ALS, or End-Stage Renal Disease. The timing and enrollment rules depend on the reason you qualify, so confirm the rules for your situation before relying on an age-based timeline.
Start by confirming when and how you need to enroll. Then list your doctors, prescriptions, current coverage, and priorities so you can compare the coverage choices available after Parts A and B begin.
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