How to Sign up for Part A and Part B
If you are already receiving benefits from Social Security or Railroad Retirement Board then most often, you will be automatically enrolled on the first day that you turn 65.
If your birthday is the first of the month, then you will start on the first day of the prior month.
If you are disabled then you will be able to sign on to receive benefits after you get your disability benefits from Social Security after a 24 month period of time
You should receive your Medicare Card three months before your 65th birthday or the 25th month of receiving disability benefits.
If you are not receiving benefits from Social Security or you are still working, then you will need to sign up with Medicare by contacting Social Security three months before you are turning 65.
What is the Initial Enrollment period?
During your Initial Enrollment period there will be a seven month window. This means that you can apply three months before your birthday, the month of your birthday and three months after your birthday. Remember it will benefit you to start the Medicare Benefits the month of your birthday so that you are covered and also to prevent any delay in your issuance.
If you do not sign up during your Initial enrollment period then you must abide by the specific sign-on periods. January 1- March 31 is the time that you can sign up and have an effective date of July 1st. You will have to pay a higher premium for a late enrollment unless you have other coverage such as employer group coverage. You would be in the Special Enrollment Period and you would not have any penalty enrollment fees.
Open Enrollment
During this time… the 6 months that begins on the first day of the month of your 65th birthday. This affords you the opportunity to enroll in a Medigap policy without any medical underwriting. In other words, the insurance company cannot refuse to sell you a policy, and cannot charge you any additional fees for health problems.
There are other situations that allow you to have guarantee issue rates.
There may be a clause, however, that includes a pre-existing waiting period. This clause is waived when you can prove that you had continuous coverage with another insurance policy or “creditable coverage.”