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Most people should enroll in Medicare Part A (hospital coverage) during the Initial Enrollment Period (IEP).

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IMPORTANT: If you’re receiving Social Security benefits, you will be automatically enrolled in Medicare Part A at the start of your Initial Enrollment Period.

Some people may delay Medicare Parts A and B past age 65. Much depends on whether you’re still covered by an employer health plan, and how large your employer is. If you are covered by a High Deductible Health Plan and have a Health Savings Account, signing up for either Part A or Part B while still employed may prevent you from adding funds to your HSA, so make a decision carefully. For a detailed answer based on your circumstances, visit Medicare.gov and select the situation that applies to you. 

It’s possible. If your income is limited, Medicare might pay for 75% or more of your drug costs including monthly prescription drug plan premiums, annual deductibles, coinsurance, and copays.

Additionally, there are four kinds of Medicare Savings Programs that may help you pay Medicare Part A and Part B deductibles, coinsurance, and copays. Explore the benefits and limitations of these Medicare Savings Programs.

To learn if you quality for Extra Help, Medicare’s low-income subsidy program, call Medicare at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). Hearing or speech impaired call 1-877-486-2048, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Or call the Social Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213. TTY 1-800-325-0778 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Monday – Friday. You can also visit Social Security. 

If you’re no longer covered under your employer’s health insurance plan, you should obtain new insurance. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois may be able to provide you with another plan. We have a special section on our website that can provide the information you need. 

If you purchased your Blue Cross and Blue Shield plan through the Health Insurance Marketplace, you can keep it until your Medicare coverage begins. In most cases it’s better for you to sign up for Medicare when you’re first eligible, so you avoid penalties and any increases in the cost of your Marketplace plan. You can find more details about this at Healthcare.gov.

IMPORTANT: Once your Medicare coverage is active, you will need to cancel your Marketplace coverage.

If you’re considering a Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan, here’s some good news. Although you can’t enroll in Medicare until your Initial Enrollment Period, you can enroll in a Blue Medicare Supplement Insurance plan up to a year before you want coverage to be effective.