MEDICARE

Where and How to Get Your Benefits

If you’re new to Medicare, here’s how to get started:

• Step 1: Sign Up. Contact the Medicare office at 1-800-MEDICARE or online through Medicare.gov. You’ll learn: When you’re eligible for Medicare; whether you’ll get Medicare Part A and Part B automatically or if you need to sign up; your premium amounts; and the different parts of Medicare, Parts A and B, and the services they cover. You’ll need to decide whether you want Part B. If you don’t get Medicare automatically, you can apply online.
• Step 2: Choose your coverage. There are two main ways to get Medicare coverage: Original Medicare or a Medicare Advantage Plan (like an HMO or PPO). Some people get additional coverage, like Medicare prescription drug coverage (Part D) or Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap). If you have other health insurance, you can learn how Medicare works with it.
• Step 3: Fill out an Initial Enrollment Questionnaire (IEQ). About three months before your Medicare coverage starts, you’ll get an IEQ in the mail. You can also complete the IEQ online at MyMedicare.gov.

If you have additional questions, talk with your pharmacist. He or she can answer many of your questions and can also suggest local resources where you can go to learn more and where staff can walk you through the enrollment process.

-Source: Medicare.gov