Frequently Asked Questions
Get Quick Answers to Popular Questions!
What is Medicare?
Medicare is the federal health insurance program for:
People who are 65 or older
Certain younger people with disabilities
People with End-Stage Renal Disease (permanent kidney failure requiring dialysis or a transplant, sometimes called ESRD)
What are the parts of Medicare?
The different parts of Medicare help cover specific services:
Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance)
Part A covers inpatient hospital stays, care in a skilled nursing facility, hospice care, and some home health care.Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance)
Part B covers certain doctors' services, outpatient care, medical supplies, and preventive services.Medicare Part D (prescription drug coverage)
Helps cover the cost of prescription drugs (including many recommended shots or vaccines).
What are my options to help with costs Medicare doesn't cover?
There are two ways to get coverage for medical costs that are not covered by Medicare. You can either purchase a Medigap (Medicare Supplement) plan or you can purchase a Medicare Advantage plan.
Medicare Supplement insurance plans work with Original Medicare, Part A and Part B, and may help pay for certain costs that Original Medicare doesn't cover. In contrast, Medicare Advantage plans are an alternative to Original Medicare.
When can I enroll in Medicare?
When you first get Medicare
When you're first eligible for Medicare, you have a 7-month Initial Enrollment Period to sign up for Part A and/or Part B.
If you're eligible for Medicare when you turn 65, you can sign up during the 7-month period that:
Begins 3 months before the month you turn 65
Includes the month you turn 65
Ends 3 months after the month you turn 65
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Special circumstances (Special Enrollment Periods)
Once your Initial Enrollment Period ends, you may have the chance to sign up for Medicare during a Special Enrollment Period (SEP). If you're covered under a group health plan based on current employment, you have a SEP to sign up for Part A and/or Part B anytime as long as:
You or your spouse (or family member if you're disabled) is working.
You're covered by a group health plan through the employer or union based on that work.
You also have an 8-month SEP to sign up for Part A and/or Part B that starts at one of these times (whichever happens first):
The month after the employment ends
The month after group health plan insurance based on current employment ends
Usually, you don't pay a late enrollment penalty if you sign up during a SEP.
You may also qualify for a Special Enrollment Period for Part A and Part B if you're a volunteer, serving in a foreign country.
Once I'm enrolled in Medicare can I change my Medicare Advantage plan?
Yes! Every year there is the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period from October 15 - December 7 that allows you to change your Medicare Advantage or Prescription Drug Plan or enroll in a Medicare Advantage Plan if you have only been enrolled in Original Medicare.