First of all, you need to know that Medicare is a Social Security Program that the Federal government funds. Medicaid Services as well as the Centers for Medicare manage it. This health insurance program works all over the USA. It is for those who are 65 years old or more. It will be Social Security the one in charge of checking your application. They will also help you with any doubts you may have regarding this program.
Apart from the age requirement, there are other things Social Security takes into consideration. Whether you get any Social Security Disability benefits or not matters. If a person has a specific disability or kidney failure that is irreversible, they might be eligible for it. Despite the fact that they are younger than 65, they might benefit from Medicare. SSA will tell you if you can get it or not.
In order to register, there is some basic personal information you will have to provide Social Security. Before signing up get your Social Security number. Besides, you will need to tell them where you were born. They will ask you about your country, state, and city. Then, some details regarding your health insurance are necessary too. Dates of when current group health plans started or finished.
Do you need to inform Social Security of any group health plans after the age of 65?
You will certainly have to inform Social Security about the dates you started and ended any group health plans for over 65-year-olds. Once you have gathered all this information, you can move on to start your application here. Do not worry if you think you have forgotten to tell them about anything. SSA employees will call you or send you an email to request extra information.
Sometimes people prefer to call rather than do the application online. You can usually call them from Monday to Friday. Remember that they start working at 8 a.m. and finish at 7 p.m. It is not possible to call 24/7. If you are not confident in English because you are from another country, you may have other languages available. You could call them at +1 800-772-1213 and tell them you would like to apply for Medicare.
If you are deaf or hard of hearing you have the possibility of calling a different number. Simply call TTY+1 800-325-0778. Once you have finished the process, you just need to wait. As soon as they approve it, it can take up to 30 days to get your Medicare card. You will get a notice telling you when your Medicare coverage starts. It could get before your card though. Do not forget to check the status of your application here.