There are 2 ways to enroll in Medicare:

• Automatic Enrollment
• Applying for Medicare

Automatic enrollment

If you are already receiving Social Security Retirement or Railroad Retirement benefits before reaching age 65

You will be enrolled in both Part A and Part B upon reaching age 65. About 3 months before your 65th birthday, you should receive a notification of your Medicare enrollment in the mail.

If SSA determines that you are disabled 

You will be enrolled in both Part A and Part B. This begins the 25th month that you are eligible for Social Security disability insurance (SSDI) benefits.

If you are on dialysis or have ALS

You will be enrolled in Medicare when your disability benefits start.

If you do not want Part B benefits, you must notify Social Security in writing to decline the coverage.

Applying for Medicare

If you are not enrolled in Medicare as described earlier, you will need to apply.

Your application must be made during a 7-month period based on when you turn age 65. Your 7-month period:

• Begins 3 months before the month you turn 65;
• Includes the month you turn 65; and
• Ends 3 months after the month you turn 65.

If you do not enroll within this 7-month period, you must wait until the next general enrollment period. This period is January 1 through March 31 of each year.

If you do not enroll until the next general enrollment period, your Part B coverage will not start until the following July.

For each year you wait to enroll after you turn 65, your Part B premium will increase by 10%. Therefore, it is important to apply for Medicare when you turn 65.

You are allowed to delay enrolling in Part B without penalty under the following circumstances:

• You are age 65 or over and you have group health insurance based on your own or your spouse's current employment; or
• You are disabled, and you have group health insurance based on your current employment or the current employment of a family member.

In these cases, you can enroll in Part B at any time that you are covered by the other health plan, or within 8 months after the end of employment or the coverage, whichever is earlier.