Generally speaking, we plan when we will retire and we plan when we will be coming off an Employer Group Health Plan.But there are certain life scenarios when you will find that you have to act very quickly to get your Medicare coverage started.

Let’s back up a bit.When you turn 65, you have the right to go on Medicare.There are two parts to Medicare, Part A and Part B.You pay into Medicare all of your working years so that when you are eligible for Medicare, you don’t have to pay a premium to be on Part A.

If you are still covered by an Employer Group Health Plan through the active employment of you or your spouse when you turn 65, you can get on Part A only OR avoid Medicare all together until you or your spouse fully retires. Usually, you would avoid Medicare all together if you are the employee carrying health coverage and you are making contributions to an HSA with your health plan. If your plan doesn’t have an HSA, then it’s nice to get on Part A only.

Having Part A in place will supply you with your Medicare number. This number is your number for the rest of your life.When you add Part B, your number stays the same. If you run into a situation and you need to get on Medicare very quickly because of a sudden loss of coverage, it is nice to have your Medicare number already if possible.

Most of the time, when you want to add additional insurance to Medicare, you need your Medicare number. If you are already on Part A, you can apply for Part B and still submit an application for the additional coverage while waiting for Part B to process.If you do not have Part A, then you have to wait for SSA to process your Medicare Application and generate a Medicare number before submitting your additional insurance application.

If you have questions, please reach out. I am always happy to help. Call/Text 720-665-6015.