EBW Pre-Medicare Checklist
You are on the verge of turning 65 and are worried about all the aspects of enrolling in Medicare. Don’t worry, the financial advisors at Egan, Berger & Weiner have you covered.
Courtesy of John Norce, president of Medicare Portal, EBW is offering you a pre-Medicare checklist, covering all of the elements of enrolling in the program you’ll need to start preparing for six months before you turn 65.
Norce will be a featured speaker at EBW’s upcoming Back to School Night on October 3, 2019 (his presentation will be on “Medicare Basics”), and you’ll have a chance to ask him more questions regarding Medicare at the event.
4-6 MONTHS BEFORE TURNING 65:
□ Familiarize yourself with the basics and associated costs of Medicare. Helpful resources
include www.medicare.gov, www.medicareportal.org and the CMS “Medicare and You” handbook.
□ Confirm your eligibility for Medicare benefits by contacting the Social Security
Administration at www.ssa.gov or 800-772-1213.
□ Learn what your Medicare enrollment options are if you are working past 65 and choose to
maintain your employer or union-provided health plan.
□ Set a reminder to apply for Medicare under your Initial Enrollment Period (IEP), which begins
3 months prior to your 65th birthday.
3 MONTHS BEFORE TURNING 65:
□Congratulations! You have just entered your IEP, the 7-month window that surrounds your 65th
birthday, and you can apply for Parts A and B without incurring any penalties.
□Apply for Medicare with the Social Security Administration either in person at your local SSA
office, online or through the mail. If you are already receiving Social Security benefits, you will
automatically be enrolled in Parts A and B.
□Confirm if your doctors participate in Original Medicare and/or Medicare Advantage.
Create a Medicare budget by estimating your out-of-pocket expenses per month/year to
include premiums, deductibles and copays/coinsurance.
□Research your list of prescription drugs and consider enrollment in a Part D plan if you don’t
already have prescription drug coverage.
□Identify which coverage option meets your needs and fits your budget - Original Medicare
(Parts A and B) or Medicare Advantage (Part C).
1-3 MONTHS BEFORE TURNING 65:
□ Confirm receipt of your Medicare card so you may proceed with enrollment into a Medicare
Advantage, Medicare Supplement and/or Part D plan.
□ It’s time to enroll! Contact Medicare Portal to assist in enrolling in your Medicare benefits
plans.