Medicare is a national medical insurance program that is available to most Americans age 65 or older and to some disabled Americans. According to Medical News Today, 44 million people were enrolled in Medicare as of 2008. Registration for Medicare is partially automatic; when you are approved for Social Security benefits, you are automatically enrolled in the default Medicare coverage available to all recipients. However, you can fine-tune your coverage online after you receive your Medicare ID number, which will be mailed to you after Social Security registration.
Instructions
1. Register for Social Security. You can do this by phone, in person at a local Social Security office, or online at www.socialsecurity.gov/applyonline.
2. Understand your options. Medicare has four parts (Plans A, B, C and D).
Plan A is automatic and covers hospital stays and some in-home treatment and hospice care. For most people there is no premium associated with Plan A.
Plan B is automatic as well and helps pay for physician visits and other types of outpatient care. However, Plan B does require a premium. Plans A and B are collectively referred to as Original Medicare. Recipients can opt out of Plan B and thus save the cost of the premium, but the premium and deductible increase with every year that the Medicare recipient holds only Plan A. The result is a cumulative penalty for those who decide not to stay with Original Medicare.
Plan C is optional, not automatic, and allows Medicare recipients to choose a participating health maintenance organization (HMO) or preferred provider organization (PPO). The HMOs and PPOs will cover the same services as Original Medicare and may even cover more. However, your choice of doctors and treatment facilities will be limited.
Plan D is optional, not automatic, requires a premium, and covers prescription drug costs after the deductible is met.
Medigap coverage is also available and designed to cover those things not covered by Medicare.
3. Go to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services website, my.medicare.gov.
Click on "Sign Up," which can be found on the left side of the screen within the logon box, just below "Forgot Password?"
Type in your Medicare number found on the red, white and blue card that the Social Security Administration mailed you after you registered for benefits.
Type in your personal information (name, date of birth, address, gender etc.).
Choose a security question. The security question you choose will make it possible for Medicare to verify your identity should you lose your card or forget your password.
Read and click on the box that attests to the veracity of the information you've provided.
Read and click on the box that describes the terms of usage for the site.
Click "Continue."
4. Verify your address. The address Medicare has on file for you will appear. Make sure this address is correct because your one-time password to sign in to MyMedicare will be mailed to this address. (If you provide an email address your password will be emailed to you.)
Click "Continue."
5. Write down the sign-in ID provided for you (you'll be able to change it later) and wait for receipt of your password via regular mail or email.
Return to my.medicare.gov. Type in your sign-in ID. Type in your assigned password. Click "Sign In," and you're ready to go.
Tags: Social Security, Type your, Original Medicare, your password, Click Continue