A step-by-step walkthrough — typically about 10 minutes from start to finish INTRODUCTION Signing up for Medicare online is one of the simplest ways to get your enrollment in motion. The whole process is handled by the Social Security Administration at ssa.gov, and most people can complete the application in roughly ten minutes once their account is set up. When you start the application, you'll choose between enrolling in Medicare alone (a "Medicare Only" application) or enrolling in...

A practical guide for beneficiaries not yet collecting Social Security INTRODUCTION Most people on Medicare have their Part B premium pulled automatically from their monthly Social Security retirement check. But if you are enrolled in Part B and have not yet started collecting Social Security benefits, the responsibility for paying that premium falls on you — and Medicare will send a bill directly. This page covers the four payment methods Medicare accepts, the two methods that are not...

How to coordinate Medicare with your group health plan — and avoid costly mistakes. INTRODUCTION If you're approaching Medicare eligibility while still covered by an employer group health plan — yours or your spouse's — one of the bigger questions you'll face is whether to enroll in Medicare, delay it, or take only certain parts. For most people the answer comes down to one factor: the size of the employer providing your group coverage. The same is true if you're transitioning to COBRA after...