How to Enroll in Medicare Outside of Your Turning 65 Window
If you are enrolling in Medicare outside of your original turning 65 window, there are a few additional steps that need to be taken and reminders to be aware of.
1. Prior Coverage Attestation:
You will receive a letter from the private insurance company, on behalf of Medicare, called the “Declaration of Prior Prescription Drug Coverage”. This will arrive in the mail soon.
This is a normal step in the process, and nothing to worry about. It is the government confirming that you did not have a break in prescription drug coverage for more than 63 days since becoming Medicare eligible at age 65.
Since you did not have a break in drug coverage, simply fill out the form with the dates that you had drug coverage.
Some examples of this could be your employer health insurance, or a prior Part D plan from Medicare.
Fill in the requested information (name of the health insurance, the coverage start and end date etc.). Mail it back to the requested address.
Alternatively, you can call your new Prescription Drug Plan Company directly and give them a verbal attestation over the phone, stating that you did not have a gap in coverage.
Either option is sufficient.
2. Coming off an Employer Plan:
If you are coming off of an employer plan, and have enrolled in a Medicare Supplement Plan, you can double check that Medicare is your primary insurance by calling 1-855-798-2627.
This is the number of the Benefits Coordination department. Sometimes your employer insurance will remain listed as your primary insurance, even after you have been successfully enrolled in a Supplement plan, so it’s important for you to double check with the Benefits Coordination department.
3. Original Medicare Costs
The last reminder we always like to give our clients is that Medicare is not free. The Social Security Administration charges a base premium of $170.1 per month just to have Medicare.
If you are collecting Social Security it will be deducted automatically. If you are not collecting Social Security, it will come in the form of a quarterly bill so please keep an eye out for this in the mail.
Keep in mind that if you do not have Original Medicare, you can not have a Medicare Supplement or Medicare Advantage plan. You can also be charged a higher premium if the Social Security Administration deems you in a higher income bracket. Here is a link to the B bracket. Here is a link to the Part D bracket.
If you are collecting Social Security it will be deducted automatically. If you are not collecting Social Security, it will come in the form of a quarterly bill so please keep an eye out for this in the mail.
Keep in mind that if you do not have Original Medicare, you can not have a Medicare Supplement or Medicare Advantage plan. You can also be charged a higher premium if the Social Security Administration deems you in a higher income bracket. Here is a link to the B bracket. Here is a link to the Part D bracket.
Medicare is confusing- the New York Medicare advisors at Plan Medicare are here to help along the way. Give us a call 516-900-7877 for New York Medicare help.
