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ene_thingI have been told so many things about how to sign up for medicare (yes I am dating myself) and they are all basically wrong. What is worse is that all the web sites purportedly there to help, and most of the people I talked to in my research seemed to be as knowledgeable as I was, or less. I did finally get to someone who could start the first step.
One step - NOT
Easy - maybe it used to be...
Easiest on the website - so very NOT! Just getting logged on is a nightmare that I gave up on when I found I had gotten a login just to get permission to get a login... if they wanted people to avoid doing anything government related online, they could hardly have done a better job. And it may be secure at their end but I certainly dont consider my end all that secure for as much privacy data as they want to use.
The open window that anyone who watches broadcast tv will have memorized- not what you think it means (3 months before your birthday month, your birthday month, and three months after, but the latter is time to finish the process, if the window means anything at all)
First of all, you dont go to medicare or medicare insurance to sign up for medicare. Even though you arent signing up for Social Security, you go to Social Security. You can theoretically go in person if you have a convenient Social Securit office, but those have become fewer even as our population grows so I was warned many offices now require an appointment. In person is useful later, so note its location and zip code of the one you want to go to and go somewhere comfortable to phone the national SS customer service line. I left my phone number with their bot and only had to wait for a call back about half an hour. It can be longer.
Once on the phone with a human, it was reasonably pleasant. She was half way across the country but got the ball started with my "A" application , requested the "B" application be mailed to me, and set up an appointment. I watched phone appointments conducted with my brother and hate them, but thats the default so you have to ask for inperson if thats your preference. They also have a zip code based default office but can change it if you have a preference and a zip code for them. That appointment finishes step one of many but mine isnt for a couple of months, so if you need to use the famous start up window, start at the beginning, three months before the month of your birthday in order to finish on time, if you need it. But if you have some other insurance that doesnt automatically drop you, you have another 8 to 12 months to finish the process, fortunately, because it took me well into the window to track down the starting point, the web sites and people were so unhelpful!
As far as I can make out, the second step, the appointmentment, will finish getting me a medicare number, at least. Maybe billing and maybe part B. Since they are mailing part B, I suspect I will be mailing it back, followed by notification of a need for another appointment. THEN I can start the process for supplemental medical insurance and part D. (Part D requirements are tied to supplemental. Dont fail to sign up for D if you dont get a supplement because it gets a permanent increase in cost if you are slow to get what may seem like an unnecessary extra for those of us not on perpetual medications, yet.
I will get back to you as I learn more, but dont believe anyone who says it is easy!
One step - NOT
Easy - maybe it used to be...
Easiest on the website - so very NOT! Just getting logged on is a nightmare that I gave up on when I found I had gotten a login just to get permission to get a login... if they wanted people to avoid doing anything government related online, they could hardly have done a better job. And it may be secure at their end but I certainly dont consider my end all that secure for as much privacy data as they want to use.
The open window that anyone who watches broadcast tv will have memorized- not what you think it means (3 months before your birthday month, your birthday month, and three months after, but the latter is time to finish the process, if the window means anything at all)
First of all, you dont go to medicare or medicare insurance to sign up for medicare. Even though you arent signing up for Social Security, you go to Social Security. You can theoretically go in person if you have a convenient Social Securit office, but those have become fewer even as our population grows so I was warned many offices now require an appointment. In person is useful later, so note its location and zip code of the one you want to go to and go somewhere comfortable to phone the national SS customer service line. I left my phone number with their bot and only had to wait for a call back about half an hour. It can be longer.
Once on the phone with a human, it was reasonably pleasant. She was half way across the country but got the ball started with my "A" application , requested the "B" application be mailed to me, and set up an appointment. I watched phone appointments conducted with my brother and hate them, but thats the default so you have to ask for inperson if thats your preference. They also have a zip code based default office but can change it if you have a preference and a zip code for them. That appointment finishes step one of many but mine isnt for a couple of months, so if you need to use the famous start up window, start at the beginning, three months before the month of your birthday in order to finish on time, if you need it. But if you have some other insurance that doesnt automatically drop you, you have another 8 to 12 months to finish the process, fortunately, because it took me well into the window to track down the starting point, the web sites and people were so unhelpful!
As far as I can make out, the second step, the appointmentment, will finish getting me a medicare number, at least. Maybe billing and maybe part B. Since they are mailing part B, I suspect I will be mailing it back, followed by notification of a need for another appointment. THEN I can start the process for supplemental medical insurance and part D. (Part D requirements are tied to supplemental. Dont fail to sign up for D if you dont get a supplement because it gets a permanent increase in cost if you are slow to get what may seem like an unnecessary extra for those of us not on perpetual medications, yet.
I will get back to you as I learn more, but dont believe anyone who says it is easy!
