Among Friends

[PINKdogWOOD]

We signed up DH last Sunday (a week ago) for Medicare.  The site indicates "quick & easy, takes 10 minutes or less, or maybe up to 30 minutes". 

Well it did take only about 10 minutes ONCE WE GOT to where we needed to be to click on the application!!!

We received his confirmation number.  Site indicated to wait 5 business days before we know anything.  So this morning I logged into ssn.gov, entered his ssn & confirm #.  Still nothing.

I'm beginning to feel uneasy about this.  Can anybody help me with a little reassurance that we are on the right path to signing up properly?  We're ready to choose a medigap company but cannot (as some of you know) we cannot until he gets his official card in the mail.

This entire process just makes me nervous and uneasy. 

[karlam]

I had to sign up in August for Medicare and received a confirmation number and it took almost 2 weeks before I got a response that they accepted it.  

[Pook]

@PINKdogWOODIs he already receiving Social Security benefits?  If so the enrollment will be automatic.

[makeupaddicted1]

Other poster is right about receipt of social security benefits and automatic enrollment.  I received a medicare card in the mail.  I had done nothing to sign up.  I was told that since I was already receiving social security benefits I was automatically enrolled in medicare so I don't need to do anything.

[sunshine45]

i just helped my ex do this.

we went to the social security office near us to do an in person registration.

we waited to be seen for about 20 minutes and then the entire process took less than ten minutes.

within a month he had his card.

[151949]

I wonder if you could take the confirmation # to the SS office in your community and they could check it out for you on their computer. Why don't you call and ask them?

Like some others I was already on SSD so my medicare sign up was automatic . When my DH went to the SS office to sign up for SS the month he was 65 they also signed him up for medicare at the same time.

[Sooner]

What about selecting the parts you want to sign up for and that sort of thing?

[mac116]

When I signed up for SS, I automatically received a Medicare card for PART A, the hospital coverage.  I was still working full time with good insurance coverage, so I did not apply for PART B ( office visits, tests, etc.).  When I was ready to retire from full time work, I applied for PART B.  The confirmation for that took about 2 weeks.

[Hooty]

If you are enrolled in SS, you are automatically signed-up!  My DH won't be 65 till Feb. 2017, but he has already received his Medicare Card and information!  The only thing left is for him to decide his supplement, and he has already decided that too!

[adoreqvc]

Yes if entitled Medicare will decide for him, but their decision may not be the best for him, so it would be very advantageous to do some research into different Medicare plans and see what would be best for him, rather than let the choice Medicare made stand firm.

I know many who were not satisfied with Medicare making their Health and Pharmaceutical Plan Choices, so I feel everyone should choose for themselves, and if need be cancel what Medicare chose, and tell Medicare what plans you prefer to be enrolled in.

"Their consumer hotline # is not a long wait to have a personal conversation with a Medicare Representative".

It is your $, so it should be your personal choice...