Step by step · no cost for our help
How to Sign Up for Medicare, Step by Step
Every step is laid out below. You don't have to do it alone, though: book a free call and we'll enroll you start to finish, by phone.
Let us enroll you. It's free, and it's faster.
Medicare runs on deadlines. Miss your window or pick the wrong start date and you can end up with a gap in coverage, or a late penalty that stays for life. On one call we'll check your dates, do the application with you and line up your coverage.
Fall is our busiest season. Pick a time now, before your window gets close.
Rather do it yourself? Pick your path:
Before you start
Set up your my Social Security account
- Open Social Security's account page and choose how you'll sign in.
- Choose Login.gov if you live in the U.S. and aren't sure which. Choose ID.me if you already have one.
- Have these handy: your email, a phone that gets texts, and a government photo ID like a driver's license. ID.me also needs a camera for a selfie.
- Sign in to my Social Security with the new account. It's where you'll apply for Medicare and check on your application.
This opens ssa.gov. We'll never ask for your Login.gov or ID.me password.
Path 1
Signing up when you turn 65
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Find out whether you'll be enrolled automatically
Already collecting Social Security (or Railroad Retirement) at least 4 months before your 65th birthday? Then Part A and Part B start on their own, and your card shows up in the mail roughly 3 months ahead of your birthday. If that's you, jump to step 5.
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Learn your 7-month sign-up window
Your Initial Enrollment Period opens 3 months before your birthday month and closes 3 months after it. Apply in the first 3 months and coverage begins on the 1st of your birthday month. Apply in your birthday month or later and it begins the 1st of the month after you apply.
Tip: Apply early in the window. Waiting gains you nothing, and going past it can add a late penalty to your premium for as long as you have Part B.
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Set up your my Social Security account
The online application has you sign in first, using a Login.gov or ID.me account. Keep your email, a phone that gets texts, and a government photo ID (a driver's license works) close by.
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Want us to handle the rest with you?
Book a free call before you apply. We'll double-check your dates and complete the application with you, so nothing slips through.
Book my free enrollment call -
Apply for Part A and Part B online
On Social Security's "Sign up for Medicare" page, pick "Apply for myself." Rather talk to a person? Call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213, or go to your nearest office.
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Watch the mail for your Medicare card
The red, white and blue card lists your Medicare number and the dates Part A and Part B begin. Keep it where you can find it: you'll need it to choose your coverage.
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Decide how you'll fill the gaps
Original Medicare leaves gaps. Most people pair it with a Medicare Supplement and a Part D drug plan, or choose a Medicare Advantage plan instead. Your 6-month Medicare Supplement open enrollment begins the month Part B starts, and during those months an insurer can't turn you down over your health.
Path 2
Signing up when you leave employer coverage
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Confirm you qualify for the 8-month window
You get a penalty-free Special Enrollment Period if you (or your spouse) have had health coverage through current work since turning 65, at an employer with 20 or more employees. The window is 8 months from when the job or the coverage ends, whichever happens first.
Tip: COBRA and retiree plans don't count, and that includes state retiree coverage like PEHP or PERACare. The 8-month clock starts when the job ends, not when COBRA runs out.
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Choose your Part B start date
Most people pick the 1st of the month after the work plan ends, so there's no gap between the two. That date goes on the CMS-40B.
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Complete form CMS-40B
This is the Part B application. Send us your answers and we'll fill it out for you, then go over it with you before you sign. Or fill it out yourself online.
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Want us to handle the rest with you?
Book a free call before you apply. We'll double-check your dates and complete the application with you, so nothing slips through.
Book my free enrollment call -
Get your employer to complete form CMS-L564
You fill in Section A. The HR or benefits office fills in Section B to confirm your group coverage. Ask them early: this is usually the slowest step.
Tip: If the employer can't complete it (a closed business, for example), Social Security can take other proof of coverage, like pay stubs or W-2s that show health premiums. Call us and we'll help you sort it out.
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Send both forms to Social Security
Upload them through Social Security's online Part B application, or fax or mail them to your local office. Keep copies of everything.
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Sign up for Part A if you don't have it yet
Part A is premium-free for most people. If you haven't signed up yet, apply online at Social Security.
Tip: Contributing to a Health Savings Account (HSA)? Part A can start up to 6 months back, so stop HSA contributions 6 months before you sign up to avoid a tax penalty.
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Set up your drug coverage and your plan
You have 2 months after the work plan ends to join a Part D drug plan or a Medicare Advantage plan without a penalty. Hang on to the employer letter that says your drug coverage was "creditable." Your 6-month Medicare Supplement window opens when Part B starts.
More detail: Medicare enrollment periods · Part B penalty estimator · Social Security and Medicare timing · Choosing your plan after you sign up
Common questions
Signing up for Medicare
Do I need a my Social Security account to sign up for Medicare?
Only to apply online. Social Security has you sign in with Login.gov or ID.me. If you'd rather skip the account, sign up by phone at 1-800-772-1213 or in person at a Social Security office.
Can I put off Part B if I'm still working at 65?
Usually, if your health coverage comes from current work (yours or your spouse's) at an employer with 20 or more employees. Many people take premium-free Part A and hold off on Part B. With fewer than 20 employees, Medicare usually pays first at 65, so delaying can leave you underinsured. Confirm with your benefits office before you count on it.
What if my employer won't complete the CMS-L564?
Social Security can accept other proof of group coverage, such as pay stubs showing health premiums, W-2s showing pre-tax premiums, or a letter from the insurer. Send what you have with your CMS-40B, and call us if you get stuck.
Do COBRA or retiree plans like PEHP and PERACare count as employer coverage?
Not for this. COBRA and retiree coverage aren't coverage through current employment, so they don't give you the 8-month Part B window. That window starts when the job ends, even if COBRA or a retiree plan keeps going.
Does Medicare On Main charge to help me sign up?
No. The help, the forms and the plan comparison cost you nothing. Call (435) 260-3200 or book a time online and Brian Penner will take you through each step by phone, wherever you live.
Want us to do it with you?
We'll take you through every step by phone, check your forms before you send them, and then help you choose your coverage. There's no cost to you.
Last updated . Maintained by the Medicare On Main Data Desk · reviewed by Brian Penner, Independent Medicare advisor (NPN 16493717).