7 Tips on Enrolling in Medicare for Seniors
More than 44 million Americans use some kind of Medicare program to cover their healthcare needs. These programs are obviously popular and provide great options for those over the age of 65.
But enrolling in Medicare can be a confusing process. With the variety of options, specific tasks, and technical language it can be difficult to make sure you've done things correctly.
Follow our tips to making sure you get set up with the right plan for you and are ready to begin using your benefits.
1. Be Sure of Timelines
One of the first things to look into to figure out how Medicare works are the timelines. You can't sign up for coverage whenever you want, so it's important to know when the enrollment periods are.
Medicare coverage is only for those individuals who are 65 years old or older. So this timeline is the first to be aware of, as you can't sign up until you're in that age range.
Most people are eligible to sign-up for Medicare three months before they turn 65.
If you wait until after your birthday, you only have three months of open enrollment time. After that, you're only eligible to sign-up under general enrollment (January-March) or special enrollment (for very specific circumstances).
It's important to look into enrollment periods well before your 65 birthday to make sure you can get covered quickly and don't have a gap between coverage.
2. Check for Automatic Enrollment
Before you even begin looking into timelines and enrollment periods, you should check to see if you'll be automatically enrolled on your birthday.
This generally happens for those individuals who are already receiving their social security benefits. The system will automatically get them set up for Medicare coverage through their social security account.
There are a few other specific circumstances that allow a person to be automatically enrolled but are much less common.
The process of enrollment can be difficult and time-consuming, so double-checking you even need to go through the process can save you a lot of hassle.
3. Research Plan Options
The next step in your enrollment process is to check out the different Medicare plans. This is where things can get confusing if you're not paying really close attention to what you're learning.
There is a specific language used for the options for insurance and it's helpful to learn those first to be able to make an educated decision.
The main Medicare plan options are Medicare Part A, Medicare Part B, and Medicare Part D. With these options, individuals usually find what they're looking for and get the coverage they need.
Each option will have unique coverage options, payment plans, and possible changes. It's important to have a very clear understanding of your choice before committing.
4. Look Ahead for Future Needs
Insurance coverage can't just be changed whenever you feel like it or have changing needs. This is especially true for Medicare coverage as there are limited enrollment periods.
So when you sign-up for a Medicare plan you need to look at the big picture of your life and not just how things are going right this minute.
Obviously, you can't know what's ahead for you and what your health will look like years from now. But there are predictions you can make based on your history, family history, and general aging happenings that can help you get the coverage that will last.
Even if you feel great now, you still want to be able to see the doctor if your health declines.
5. Work with a Professional
Sometimes the best thing you can do is work with a professional to get a job done right and save yourself a lot of hassle.
Going through the different Medicare plans is the perfect opportunity to find someone to help you navigate through. There are trained professionals who know the ins and outs of the entire process and can walk you through it.
This will help ensure that you get the coverage you need, all of your paperwork in on time, and get your payment plan set up.
As you move into retirement and that new chapter, there are so many things to take care of. Having help enrolling in Medicare can be a game-changer.
6. Find Additional Coverage
While the options for insurance through Medicare are fairly comprehensive and will work for most individuals, there are times when you need some more coverage.
One of the benefits of Medicare is that you can customize your coverage options to make sure all your needs are met. But it will take some extra work on your part to add on the additional coverage.
You can get supplemental insurance plans to cover prescription medications, dental visits, or other specialty services.
It's important to know the holes in your coverage to determine if you want or need more.
7. Ask Questions
The most important thing to remember when enrolling in Medicare is to ask questions whenever you have them.
With so many rules and timelines involved in getting set up with Medicare insurance, it's critical to get things done the right way. If not, you could forfeit your coverage and have to wait for the next enrollment period.
When you come up with a question about your application, coverage, or cost of enrollment you can contact the social security office or a Medicare professional.
These trained professionals have the education and knowledge to help walk you through the process of getting covered. They also are kept updated on the changing system and any new policies that have been put in place.
Remember that the system can be confusing, so there's no shame in asking questions.
Getting Started Enrolling in Medicare
Enrolling in Medicare is a great step towards being confident in your financial plan in retirement.
This program allows you to get the healthcare coverage you need, when you need it, all at an affordable price. And once you're set up with the right plan, it's easy to continue coverage and not have to worry about changing regularly.
If you're ready to get started looking into Medicare plans and options but want some help navigating the process, contact us today!
