We’ve been helping people navigate the Medicare maze since 2007. We partner with only A-rated insurance companies to help ensure that your health care experience is the best it can be. We are dedicated to making sure you understand all of your choices by explaining coverage options in a clear and transparent way. Our goal is to make sure you receive the best health care coverage from the providers that you choose.

Navigating The Medicare Maze

Trying to make sense of, let alone navigate, the different parts of Medicare and Social Security is confusing for many people. Where do you start? First and foremost it starts with Medicare Parts A and B. For the uninitiated, Part A is your hospital insurance and Part B is your medical insurance (for a quick overview of all the parts of Medicare check out our Medicare 101 page). Without Parts A and B you will not be able to enroll in any Medicare plans (the exception being a standalone drug plan in which you need either Part A or Part B). Most people are automatically enrolled in Part A upon turning 65. As long as you have worked and paid into Medicare via payroll taxes through your job(s) for at least 10 years you will not have to pay a premium for Part A. With Part B, on the other hand, most people do have to pay a premium. If you are already drawing Social Security benefits before age 65, you will automatically be enrolled in Part B when you turn 65. If you are waiting to draw Social Security benefits until on or after age 65, you will have to sign up for Part B either in person or by phone with your local Social Security office.  Another fast and convenient way to sign up for Medicare is online through the Social Security website at: https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/medicare/. Signing up online is a fairly straightforward process and will only take 15 – 20 minutes.

If You Have Worked Past Age 65

If you or your spouse have been working past age 65 and have been covered under an employer’s group health insurance, signing up for Part B through the Social Security website may not be possible. In this case, your best bet is to set a phone appointment or an in person appointment with your local Social Security office. The reason is because you will need to show proof that you’ve had “creditable coverage”, a term that means “as good as or better than Medicare”, since you turned 65. To demonstrate proof, you will need to take a “Request For Employment Information” form (found here: https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/CMS-Forms/CMS-Forms/Downloads/CMS-L564E.pdf ) to your employer (or spouse's employer) and have them fill out Section B. You will need to fill out section A and then bring the completed form with you to your appointment with Social Security. If your appointment is over the phone, the Social Security representative will instruct you on how to submit the form to them.

What Type Of Medicare Plan Should You Enroll In?

Once you are enrolled in Medicare Part A and signed up for Medicare Part B, it’s time to start looking at Medicare plan options. For people on Medicare there are typically two coverage options: Medicare supplement (also called “Medigap”) or Medicare Advantage (also called “Medicare Part C”). Both options have advantages and disadvantages and ultimately what it comes down to is what is right for you.

Things to consider when enrolling in a Medicare plan: