How to Enroll in Medicare When You Become Eligible

Although most seniors know that they are eligible to enroll in Medicare, many find the process of getting signed up for senior health insurance to be a bit confusing and daunting.  With that in mind, the government’s official Medicare website, Medicare.gov, has put together a checklist for seniors looking to sign up for Medicare.  Their tips include:

1) Fill out the enrollment questionnaire.  You’ll receive this about 3 months before you become Medicare eligible.  Simply fill it out and send it back to Medicare, or finish the form over the phone.

2)Fill out the authorization form.  Medicare is not permitted to share your personal info with anyone unless you give them permission.  So if you have family members who will be keeping track of your Medicare usage, you’ll need to fill out the authorization form so Medicare can share your medical history with them.

3) Get a Physical Exam.  Medicare will pay for a one-time “Welcome to Medicare” physical with your doctor.

4) Sign up for MyMedicare.gov so you can track all of your Medicare information online.

5) Choose a prescription drug plan (also called Medicare Part D).  You have 7 months to enroll in this plan.

6) Download “Your Medicare Benefits,” a handy document that outlines all of your Medicare benefits.