Enrollment in Medicare Part D may begin up to 3 months prior to the month of your 65th birthday. Also, to accommodate procrastinators, Medicare Part D allows you to enroll up to 3 months after the month of the 65th birthday. It is very important to enroll in Medicare during this enrollment “window” as there are lifelong premium penalties for those who do not.
Note: You do not have to be a US citizen to qualify, only a legal resident of the United States who has paid a minimum of 40 quarters of Medicare tax into the system OR the spouse (married 10 years or more) of someone who has.
Medicare Part D Coverage How To – Step by Step
The Official Medicare Website’s online comparison and enrollment tool has evolved into a very consumer friendly format over time. Here’s what to expect:
- You would first log onto the official Medicare website, enter some basic information about yourself, including your Medicare ID# if you have been assigned one.
- You are then provided a tool to enter both type and dosage of each medication your are currently taking, along with selecting your preferred pharmacy; storefront or mail order.
- After completing those tasks, the website then returns a comparison of every available plan (often dozens, depending on area), ranked by net cost* quality and participating pharmacies.
- You may then make a decision based off of the above factors and if you wish, enroll directly on the Medicare website.
We Are Here to Help
If all this feels like a little too much, or you are concerned about the electronic process. Please be in touch. We are happy to walk you through the enrollment process and provide you with the information you need to make the best choice for you. Please be in touch. Click to email your questions, or simply call us at 408-348-8930. We look forward to providing the information you need.
Click HERE – To return to Medicare Part D Explained
Click HERE – To learn more about Medicare Supplements
*Net cost on drug quoting tool includes cost of annual premium, applicable deductibles and applicable co-pays both annualized and pro-rated for the remainder of the calendar year.
