How Do I Sign Up for Medicare?
Key takeaways:
To sign up for Medicare, the first step is to apply for original Medicare (Part A and Part B), assuming you’re eligible.
You can apply for original Medicare in one of three ways: online, by phone, or in person at your local U.S. Social Security Administration office. You may find that applying online is the fastest way.
After you have original Medicare, you can sign up for additional Medicare coverage online.
Table of contents
Before you begin the Medicare enrollment process, it’s important to understand your situation — including why you qualify for coverage.
Most people first become eligible for Medicare around the time they turn 65. However, some people qualify earlier because they have a disability or condition such as permanent kidney failure (end-stage renal disease) or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease).
The U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) and the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) are the agencies that determine Medicare eligibility. The SSA or RRB will decide whether you or your spouse worked long enough to qualify. For instance, if you or your spouse worked 40 quarters (or 10 years), you can typically qualify for Part A (hospital insurance) without paying a monthly premium and for Part B (medical insurance).
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Do you automatically enroll in Medicare when you turn 65?
Some people are automatically enrolled in Medicare when they turn 65. If you have been approved for Social Security or RRB benefits, you’ll automatically get Part A once you’re eligible for Medicare. If you’ve been getting Social Security or RRB benefits for at least 4 months before you turn 65, you’ll automatically get Part A coverage and get signed up for Part B (unless you live in Puerto Rico or outside the U.S.). Because there is a monthly premium for Part B, you can choose whether to keep it or drop coverage.
When do you sign up for Medicare?
If you are becoming eligible for Medicare for the first time because you’re turning 65, ensure you sign up as early as possible. You have a 7-month window for initial Medicare enrollment, which includes the 3 months before you turn 65, your birth month, and the 3 months after your birthday.
You can also check the Medicare website to learn more about:
Signing up for Part A and Part B — or Part A only — when you turn 65
Adding Part B when you have Part A and will be losing your job-based health coverage
Adding Part B when you have Part A under other circumstances
Signing up for Part A and Part B when you missed the 7-month initial enrollment period
How do you sign up for Medicare for the first time?
If you don’t meet the requirements for automatic Medicare enrollment, you can apply for Medicare online, in person, or by phone.
To sign up, you’ll need a few important documents:
Your birth certificate or other proof of birth
Proof of U.S. citizenship or legal residence (if you weren’t born in the U.S.)
Social Security card if you’re already drawing benefits
Information about your current health insurance, including the type of coverage and effective dates of coverage
Proof of employment, if applicable (a copy of your W-2 form, for example)
U.S. military discharge papers, if you served before 1968
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Signing up for Medicare online
You can apply for Medicare online if you:
Are within the 7-month initial enrollment window
Live in the U.S. or one of its territories
It’s important to note that you can also apply for Medicare online even if you don’t want to apply for monthly Social Security retirement benefits yet.
The only way to sign up for original Medicare online is through SSA.gov, the official SSA website. If you’re eligible and ready to enroll in Medicare, you can start a new application at www.ssa.gov. While the SSA manages Medicare eligibility, you don't have to be receiving Social Security benefits to get Medicare.
Online enrollment is a convenient way to sign up for Medicare. It typically takes 10 to 30 minutes to complete the application, and you don’t need to do it all at once. You can start and stop your application without worrying that you’ll lose your work. When you complete the application, hit “submit now” to send it to the SSA. Then, you’ll get an application number so you can track the status of your enrollment.
A word of caution: When signing up for original Medicare, make sure you are applying through SSA.gov. Other websites may claim to process Medicare enrollment, but they often collect your information for marketing purposes. And you won’t actually be enrolled.
Signing up for Medicare by phone
To apply for original Medicare by phone, you can call the SSA at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778). But be prepared to wait. You may not get help immediately, especially if other callers are ahead of you. As an alternative, you can schedule an appointment for a phone interview.
Medicare applications submitted over the phone may take longer to process than those submitted online or in person. You typically have to wait for forms to be mailed to you, so you can fill them out and return them.
Applying for Medicare in person
If you’d rather sign up for Medicare in person, you can go to your local SSA office. This is a good option if you’re turning 65 very soon and you need to submit your application as quickly as possible. You can use this search tool to find an SSA office near you.
What Medicare plan should you join?
Before you begin the Medicare enrollment process, it’s important to decide what kind of coverage you need.
Original Medicare — Parts A and B — will cover a lot of the common healthcare costs you’ll face as an enrollee, but it doesn’t cover everything. And it comes with out-of-pocket costs, such as deductibles, copays, and coinsurance for most services. Original Medicare also doesn’t cover certain types of routine care, such as vision, dental, and hearing services. Prescription medications, certain vaccines, and medical supplies are only covered if you buy a Part D plan.
For these reasons, many Medicare enrollees choose to join a Medicare Advantage plan, a private alternative to Part A and Part B. (Medicare Advantage is also known as Medicare Part C.) Most of these plans include prescription medication coverage. If the plan you enroll in doesn’t, you will need to buy a standalone Part D plan to cover your medications.
If you want coverage to help you pay for original Medicare’s out-of-pocket costs, you may want to consider buying a Medigap supplemental plan. Medigap plans cannot be used to cover Medicare Advantage plan costs, however.
What happens once I’m signed up for Medicare?
After you’re enrolled, you will receive your Medicare card, which typically takes 3 to 4 weeks to arrive in the mail. If you join a Medicare Advantage plan, you will receive a card from your private insurer.
Shopping for Medicare coverage
There are a few different ways that you can shop around for Medicare coverage.
Online
Medicare.gov offers a plan finder tool that allows you to enter your ZIP code to search for plans that are available where you live. There is also a Medigap plan search tool to help you find and compare supplement plans available to you.
Agents and brokers
Agents and brokers are individuals or agencies that sell Medicare Advantage plans and standalone Part D plans. While they’re typically free for you to work with, they do receive a commission for helping you sign up for a plan. They must be licensed by the state, but they’re not obligated to sell all of the plans available in your area.
Insurance companies
You can purchase Medicare Advantage, Part D, and Medigap plans directly from insurance companies offering coverage.
Free help
If you need help, you can call Medicare for free guidance at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).
You can also seek free, unbiased local Medicare counseling from your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). Trained SHIP counselors can assist you with a variety of Medicare-related questions.
The bottom line
If you’re not automatically enrolled around the time you turn 65, the first step in getting original Medicare (Part A and Part B) is applying. You can do this online or by phone, as well as in person at your local U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) office. After you’ve enrolled in original Medicare, you can consider buying Part D prescription medication coverage and/or a Medigap supplemental plan. You can also switch to a Medicare Advantage plan, known as Part C.
For help with Medicare enrollment, you can use tools provided by Medicare.gov, call Medicare’s toll-free line, or contact your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP).
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References
CMS.gov. (2023). Agent broker compensation. U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
CMS.gov. (2023). End-stage renal disease (ESRD). U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
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Medicare.gov. (n.d.). Explore your Medicare coverage options. U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Medicare.gov. (n.d.). Find a Medigap policy that works for you. U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Medicare.gov. (n.d.). Get started with Medicare. U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Medicare.gov. (n.d.). Joining a plan. U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Medicare.gov. (n.d.). Prepare to sign up. U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Medicare.gov. (n.d.). Ready to sign up for Part A and Part B. U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Medicare.gov. (n.d.). When does Medicare coverage start? U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
U.S. Social Security Administration. (n.d.). Apply for benefits.
U.S. Social Security Administration. (n.d.). Sign up for Medicare.
U.S. Social Security Administration. (n.d.). Social Security office locator.
U.S. Social Security Administration. (2022). Apply online for Medicare — even if you are not ready to retire.
