If you are an American citizen who is 65 years of age or if you are about to turn 65, you qualify to enroll in the federal insurance program for senior citizens known as Medicare. Almost all American recipients are eligible to receive Medicare benefits at age 65 or older. For those who have never paid Medicare tax, there is the possibility of purchasing this coverage.
Medicare Part A Identification
Medicare Part A pays for hospital costs as well as those for skilled nursing facilities. Medicare Part A is free for all retired employees who have paid into the program; however, it is not free for those people who have never worked and paid Medicare tax unless they are spouses of eligible retirees. Coverage normally starts when you reach age 65, but it can start earlier if you are disabled and you receive disability benefits.
Enrollment Period
The enrollment period to sign up for Medicare Part A, without having to pay a penalty, begins three months before your 65th birthday and ends three months following your birthday. If you sign up for Part A at any time during the three months prior to your 65th birthday, your coverage starts on the month of your birthday; otherwise, it begins the month after you enroll. However, you can enroll at later periods as long as you pay a late penalty. These periods are called general enrollment periods, and they start on January 1 and end on March 31 of every year.
Medicare Part A Enrollment
If you are receiving retirement or Social Security benefits at age 65, you are automatically enrolled in Part A, and you do not need to worry about applications or deadlines. However, if you have not yet retired and do not receive any other Social Security benefits, such as disability benefits, you must sign up for Medicare to start your coverage when you turn 65 years of age. Since Medicare Part A is free to you, there is no reason not to take advantage of its benefits.
Medicare Part A Premium
If neither you nor your spouse has ever paid Medicare tax, you can purchase Part A. If this is your situation, you should also enroll as soon as you are eligible. If the enrollment period passes before you sign up, you will have to pay a late penalty that applies to every monthly premium you pay. For this reason, you should enroll in Medicare Part A when you become eligible. You can avoid the late penalty if you are still working and are covered by your employer.
Tags: Medicare Part, late penalty, paid Medicare, three months, 65th birthday