5 things to do before signing up for Medicare
When & how do I sign up for Medicare?You can sign up anytime while you (or your spouse) are still working and you have health insurance through that employer. You also have 8 months after you (or your spouse) stop working to sign up. Show
You’ll need to have your employer fill out a Form CMS-L564 (Request for Employment Information). If the employer can’t fill it out, complete Section B of the form as best you can, but don’t sign it. You’ll need to submit proof of job-based health insurance when you sign up. The way you sign up depends on if you already have Part A coverage or if you’re signing up for both Part A and Part B. Get forms and ways to sign up. Avoid the penalty
& gap in coverage What do you want to do next?
Generally, we advise people to file for Medicare benefits 3 months before age 65. Remember, Medicare benefits can begin no earlier than age 65. If you are already receiving Social Security, you will automatically be enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B without an additional application. However, because you must pay a premium for Part
B coverage, you have the option of turning it down. You will receive a Medicare card about two months before age 65. (Note: Residents of Puerto Rico or foreign countries will not receive Part B automatically. They must elect this benefit.) If you would like to file for Medicare only, you can apply by calling 1-800-772-1213. Our representatives there can make an appointment for you at any convenient Social Security office and advise you what to bring with you.
When you apply for Medicare, we often also take an application for monthly benefits. You can apply for retirement benefits online. If you didn’t sign up when you were first eligible for Medicare, you can sign up during the General Enrollment Period between January 1 and March 31 each year, unless you are eligible for a
Special Enrollment Period. Content created by Digital Communications Division (DCD) You will not be eligible for Medicare at age 62 outside of a few rare circumstances, like if you have Lou Gehrig's disease, end-stage renal disease or you have been on Social Security disability insurance for two years. If you don't meet those requirements, you'll have to wait until 65 to be eligible for Medicare.
Fact Checked Our fact-checking process starts with vetting all sources to ensure they are authoritative and relevant. Then we verify the facts with original reports published by those sources, or we confirm the facts with qualified experts. For full transparency, we clearly identify our sources in a list at the bottom of each page. Cite Us APA Simmons, C. (2022, September 30). Medicare at Age 62. RetireGuide.com. Retrieved October 31, 2022, from https://www.retireguide.com/medicare/eligibility-and-enrollment/age-62/ MLA Simmons, Christian. "Medicare at Age 62." RetireGuide.com, 30 Sep 2022, https://www.retireguide.com/medicare/eligibility-and-enrollment/age-62/. Chicago Simmons, Christian. "Medicare at Age 62." RetireGuide.com. Last modified September 30, 2022. https://www.retireguide.com/medicare/eligibility-and-enrollment/age-62/. Why Trust RetireGuide.com Content created by RetireGuide and sponsored by our partners. Key PrinciplesRetireGuide’s mission is to provide seniors with resources that will help them reach important financial decisions that affect their retirement. Our goal is to arm our readers with knowledge that will lead to a healthy and financially sound retirement. We’re dedicated to providing thoroughly researched Medicare information that guides you toward making the best possible health decisions for you and your family. RetireGuide LLC has partnerships with Senior Market Sales (SMS) and GoHealth. Our partners are able to be reached through the phone numbers and/or forms provided on our website. The content and tools created by RetireGuide adhere to strict Medicare and editorial guidelines to ensure quality and transparency. Editorial IndependenceWhile the experts from our partners are available to help you navigate various Medicare plans, RetireGuide retains complete editorial control over the information it publishes. We operate independently from our partners, which allows the award-winning RetireGuide team to provide you with unbiased information. Visitors can trust our inflexibility regarding our editorial autonomy. We do not allow our partnership to influence RetireGuide’s editorial content whatsoever. Can You Get Medicare at 62?It’s not impossible to get Medicare at 62, but it is rare to qualify. The vast majority of Americans can’t enroll until they are 65. But you do have a chance if you meet one of a few rare circumstances. Medicare Eligibility by Age
Exceptions to Medicare Age RequirementsWhile you are typically not eligible for Medicare unless you are 65 and a U.S. citizen, there are some other ways that you can qualify. If you have been receiving Social Security disability insurance for two years or more, you can be eligible for Medicare early. You can also enroll if you have ALS or end-stage renal disease. In these circumstances, you are exempt from the requirement to have been on disability insurance for two years. If you meet none of these requirements, you will have to wait until your standard eligibility period. According to AARP, your initial enrollment period will begin three months before the month of your 65th birthday. Original Medicare is split into two parts, Part A and Part B. Unless you meet the above requirements, neither part is available to you early. There is a third part, Part C, which is also known as Medicare Advantage. Private insurers provide Part C plans which offer expanded benefits and coverage like vision and dental. Have you selected your 2023 Medicare plan? Maximize your Medicare savings with a plan from GoHealth. Annual Enrollment is open until December 7th. How Reaching Age 62 Can Affect Your Spouse’s MedicareWhile you may not be eligible to enroll in Medicare when you turn 62, your age can have an impact on your spouse’s benefits. If you are in the workforce and your spouse is not, then you turning 62 can give them access to the premium-free Part A of Original Medicare. You may also be eligible to receive Social Security benefits but don’t have to start taking them. This is a requirement because if your spouse didn’t work, they are essentially reliant upon your work history for their eligibility. Part A premiums can also be significant; in 2023, they can be as much as $506 a month. To be eligible for the premium-free Part A when you turn 65 and can enroll in Medicare, you must have paid Medicare taxes for at least 10 years and be eligible for or receive benefits from Social Security or the Railroad Retirement Board. You also could qualify for the premium-free Part A if you had Medicare-covered government employment. Read Our New to Medicare Checklist Health Care Options Between Early Retirement and MedicareIf you plan to retire early, you’ll need to figure out a plan to pay for health care before you reach Medicare eligibility age. There are a few different options. If your spouse is still in the workforce, you might be eligible to be covered under their employer’s health plan if it includes spouses. You also could opt for COBRA coverage, which allows you to essentially continue using your former employer’s coverage in some circumstances for a limited amount of time. This option can be expensive since you will have to pay the full premium. This arrangement may not be sustainable depending on how early you retire since COBRA coverage typically only lasts for 18 to 36 months. Depending on your financial situation, you may be eligible for Medicaid. Eligibility varies by state, but this is typically an option if you have very little money or income. You also could opt to purchase a private insurance plan. Last Modified: September 30, 2022 9 Cited Research Articles
What benefits do you get if you retire at 62?If you start taking Social Security at age 62, rather than waiting until your full retirement age (FRA), you can expect a 30% reduction in monthly benefits with lesser reductions as you approach FRA. Remember, FRA is no longer age 65: It's 67.
Do you automatically get Medicare when you retire?Yes. If you are receiving benefits, the Social Security Administration will automatically sign you up at age 65 for parts A and B of Medicare. (Medicare is operated by the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, but Social Security handles enrollment.)
Is Medicare taken out of Social Security at 62?Yes. In fact, if you are signed up for both Social Security and Medicare Part B — the portion of Medicare that provides standard health insurance — the Social Security Administration will automatically deduct the premium from your monthly benefit.
What is the earliest age you can get Medicare?You can sign up for Part A any time after you turn 65. Your Part A coverage starts 6 months back from when you sign up or when you apply for benefits from Social Security (or the Railroad Retirement Board). Coverage can't start earlier than the month you turned 65.
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