When to Enroll
Your enrollment period for Medicare begins three months before the month you turn 65 and ends three months after the month you turn 65. Visit Medicare.gov to learn about Medicare and ssa.gov to sign up for Medicare Parts A & B.
If you are age 65 and retired, you must enroll in Medicare Parts A and B. Medicare is your primary coverage and HCSC’s retiree health care coverage will pay as secondary, even if you don’t enroll in Medicare Parts A and B. This means that HCSC’s retiree health care coverage will process claims as if Medicare Parts A and B have already been applied, even if you don’t enroll in Medicare. Therefore, it is important that when you become Medicare eligible at age 65, you enroll in Medicare Parts A and B so that you don’t miss out on any coverage.
When it's time to enroll in Original Medicare (Parts A and B) you can:
- Apply online through the Social Security Administration
- Visit your local Social Security office
- Call the Social Security office at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY users call 1-800-325-0778)
Special Enrollment Periods
Some beneficiaries qualify for Special Enrollment Periods, allowing you to enroll in Medicare Part A and/or Part B without a late penalty:
- Anytime you are covered by a group plan that is deemed creditable coverage, including most commercial plans (notice of creditable coverage is sent annually to retirees in September)
- During the 8-month period that starts the month after employment ends or the group plan coverage ends, whichever happens first