Are You Eligible for a Medicare Second Enrollment Period?
Are You Eligible for a Medicare Second Enrollment Period?
If you miss an enrollment deadline, you may have to wait to get coverage and pay a . In some cases, though, you can sign up for Medicare outside of your initial enrollment period (IEP) — which starts three months before the month you turn 65 and lasts until three months after — and you won’t have to pay a late-enrollment penalty. This is called a special enrollment period (SEP). You also can sign up during a general enrollment period (GEP), but you may have to pay a penalty.
If you or your spouse still works and you have health insurance through either of your employers, you might decide to sign up for premium-free Part A, which helps pay hospital costs and some skilled nursing care after a hospital stay as an inpatient. Most people don’t pay premiums for Part A because they or their spouse had Medicare taxes deducted from their paychecks for at least 10 years. However, you might — which helps pay for doctor visits and other outpatient services, such as lab tests, medical equipment and X-rays — and costs $170.10 a month for most people in 2022. You might also hold off on choosing a because you have coverage through an employer. When your job-based health insurance ends, either because of retirement or another reason, you can sign up for Part B during a special enrollment period. After that, you can sign up for a stand-alone Part D prescription drug policy and , which can cover most of Medicare’s deductibles and copayments. Or you could buy a , which can provide both medical and drug coverage. You can’t have Medigap and a Medicare Advantage plan at the same time. No matter which route you choose, be sure you’re aware of the enrollment deadlines: For Part B, you’ll need to sign up before your employer coverage ends or within eight months of losing your job-based coverage to avoid a late-enrollment penalty. Your six-month Medigap open enrollment period, when you can’t be rejected for any policy sold in your area because of health problems, generally begins the first day of the month you have Part B and are 65 or older. After that, Medigap insurers may be able to reject you or charge more because of preexisting conditions. For Part D, you have a shorter special enrollment period — two months after the month that your previous prescription drug coverage ends. You don’t have to as long as you have what government officials call creditable coverage, which is prescription drug coverage that is considered to be as good as or better than Part D. It can come from an employer, retiree plan, Tricare military health care or another source. The end of creditable coverage can happen for several reasons, including your retirement or your spouse’s retirement and the end of employer-provided drug coverage, the shutdown of your retiree drug plan or your move from your plan’s service area. You can decide to buy a Part D plan to cover prescriptions or enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan that includes drug coverage.
2. Scroll down and fill out the application for enrollment. Provide your Medicare number, then click Yes when you’re asked if you want to sign up for Part B. Type in your name, address and phone number. In the Remark field, mention the date you would like your Part B coverage to start.
3. In Section B, provide information about the employer you’re receiving health insurance from. 4. In Section C, provide information about your group health plan. 5. In Section D, you’ll need to provide evidence of your coverage. Complete Section A of and ask your employer to complete Section B. The employer can send the form directly to the SSA or the company can send you a digital copy, which you’ll need to upload as part of your application process. If your employer cannot provide evidence of your group health coverage, you’ll need to submit proof of your employment and health insurance coverage. The following documents are acceptable: Explanation of benefits statement from your health plan
Health insurance cards that show the date your policy began Pay stubs that indicate your health insurance premiums were deducted Receipts or statements that show your health insurance premiums were paid Tax returns that show your health insurance premiums were paid W-2s that show pretax medical contributions If you need to include these documents, you’ll upload them in the yellow space. 6. Once you’ve completed Section D, type in your name and click the blue Apply button. 7. Watch for a screen with a black bar at the bottom, then click the blue Click to Sign button. 8. Now enter your email address and click the Click to Sign button. 9. Go to your email account and look for a message from Adobe Sign. Click on the link that says Confirm my email address. 10. You’ll be taken to a page that confirms your e-signing was verified. Watch for a second email that confirms your application was submitted. 11. The SSA will send you a letter informing you of your application’s status. If it’s denied, you can appeal the decision by following the instructions.
Second Chances at Signing Up for Medicare
If you missed earlier enrollment periods you can sign up at other specified times
Getty/AARP When it comes to Medicare, timing is everything.If you miss an enrollment deadline, you may have to wait to get coverage and pay a . In some cases, though, you can sign up for Medicare outside of your initial enrollment period (IEP) — which starts three months before the month you turn 65 and lasts until three months after — and you won’t have to pay a late-enrollment penalty. This is called a special enrollment period (SEP). You also can sign up during a general enrollment period (GEP), but you may have to pay a penalty.
How a special enrollment period works
If you or your spouse still works and you have health insurance through either of your employers, you might decide to sign up for premium-free Part A, which helps pay hospital costs and some skilled nursing care after a hospital stay as an inpatient. Most people don’t pay premiums for Part A because they or their spouse had Medicare taxes deducted from their paychecks for at least 10 years. However, you might — which helps pay for doctor visits and other outpatient services, such as lab tests, medical equipment and X-rays — and costs $170.10 a month for most people in 2022. You might also hold off on choosing a because you have coverage through an employer. When your job-based health insurance ends, either because of retirement or another reason, you can sign up for Part B during a special enrollment period. After that, you can sign up for a stand-alone Part D prescription drug policy and , which can cover most of Medicare’s deductibles and copayments. Or you could buy a , which can provide both medical and drug coverage. You can’t have Medigap and a Medicare Advantage plan at the same time. No matter which route you choose, be sure you’re aware of the enrollment deadlines: For Part B, you’ll need to sign up before your employer coverage ends or within eight months of losing your job-based coverage to avoid a late-enrollment penalty. Your six-month Medigap open enrollment period, when you can’t be rejected for any policy sold in your area because of health problems, generally begins the first day of the month you have Part B and are 65 or older. After that, Medigap insurers may be able to reject you or charge more because of preexisting conditions. For Part D, you have a shorter special enrollment period — two months after the month that your previous prescription drug coverage ends. You don’t have to as long as you have what government officials call creditable coverage, which is prescription drug coverage that is considered to be as good as or better than Part D. It can come from an employer, retiree plan, Tricare military health care or another source. The end of creditable coverage can happen for several reasons, including your retirement or your spouse’s retirement and the end of employer-provided drug coverage, the shutdown of your retiree drug plan or your move from your plan’s service area. You can decide to buy a Part D plan to cover prescriptions or enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan that includes drug coverage.
11 steps to enroll online in Part B
If you need to enroll in Part B during a special enrollment period, visit the . To complete the form, you’ll need your Medicare number, documentation of your spouse’s or your health insurance and an email address. Be sure to use a Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge browser. 1. At the bottom of the opening page, check a box indicating that you understand the agency’s policies. Click Start application and you’ll be taken to the application page.2. Scroll down and fill out the application for enrollment. Provide your Medicare number, then click Yes when you’re asked if you want to sign up for Part B. Type in your name, address and phone number. In the Remark field, mention the date you would like your Part B coverage to start.
3. In Section B, provide information about the employer you’re receiving health insurance from. 4. In Section C, provide information about your group health plan. 5. In Section D, you’ll need to provide evidence of your coverage. Complete Section A of and ask your employer to complete Section B. The employer can send the form directly to the SSA or the company can send you a digital copy, which you’ll need to upload as part of your application process. If your employer cannot provide evidence of your group health coverage, you’ll need to submit proof of your employment and health insurance coverage. The following documents are acceptable: Explanation of benefits statement from your health plan
Health insurance cards that show the date your policy began Pay stubs that indicate your health insurance premiums were deducted Receipts or statements that show your health insurance premiums were paid Tax returns that show your health insurance premiums were paid W-2s that show pretax medical contributions If you need to include these documents, you’ll upload them in the yellow space. 6. Once you’ve completed Section D, type in your name and click the blue Apply button. 7. Watch for a screen with a black bar at the bottom, then click the blue Click to Sign button. 8. Now enter your email address and click the Click to Sign button. 9. Go to your email account and look for a message from Adobe Sign. Click on the link that says Confirm my email address. 10. You’ll be taken to a page that confirms your e-signing was verified. Watch for a second email that confirms your application was submitted. 11. The SSA will send you a letter informing you of your application’s status. If it’s denied, you can appeal the decision by following the instructions.