Medicare 101
How to Enroll in Medicare
Enrolling in Medicare happens in two stages: first you sign up for Original Medicare (Parts A and B) through Social Security, then you choose your coverage — either a Medicare Advantage plan, or a Medigap plan paired with a standalone Part D drug plan. If you're already drawing Social Security, Parts A and B may start automatically; if not, you enroll yourself. Here's the whole process in order.
Step 1 — Sign up for Parts A and B
This is done through Social Security, not Medicare directly. If you already receive Social Security benefits, you're usually enrolled in A and B automatically and your card arrives before your 65th birthday. If not, you apply online at ssa.gov, by phone, or at your local Social Security office. Do this during your 7-month Initial Enrollment Period.
Step 2 — Decide your path: Original Medicare or Advantage
Now the real choice: keep Original Medicare and add a Medigap (Supplement) plan plus a Part D drug plan for go-anywhere freedom and predictable costs — or choose a Medicare Advantage plan for a lower premium, a network, and extra benefits. This is where most people want a second set of eyes, and where we spend our time with you.
Step 3 — Match a plan to your doctors and drugs
Whichever path you pick, the specific plan matters. We check that your doctors and hospital (St. Mary's, Intermountain, your local clinic) are in-network and that your prescriptions are on the formulary at the best tier. Then we compare premiums, deductibles, and max out-of-pocket across the plans we offer in your county.
Step 4 — Enroll and confirm coverage
Once you've chosen, we complete the enrollment with you and confirm your coverage is active before your start date — so there's no gap. You leave with a plan that's set up correctly, not a stack of brochures and a phone number for a call center.
Why do it with a local agent
A licensed local agent costs you nothing — carriers pay us — and you get a real person on the Western Slope who knows the plans and stays with you for claims, appeals, and the annual review. You're never navigating the government alone. We do not offer every plan available in your area.
What to have ready before you enroll
A few things make enrollment smooth: your Medicare number (from your card) or your Social Security enrollment confirmation, a current list of your prescriptions with dosages, the names of the doctors and hospital you want to keep, and a rough sense of your monthly budget. With that in hand, we can complete a full comparison and enrollment in one or two conversations.
Common mistakes we help you avoid
The big ones: assuming Parts A and B enroll automatically when they don't; dropping employer coverage without timing Part B correctly; picking a plan by its premium alone and later finding your drug or doctor isn't covered; and forgetting to review the plan each year. None of these are obvious, and all of them are avoidable — which is exactly what a local agent is for.
After you enroll — what happens next
Once your plan is active, your carrier mails your member ID card, and you can start using your benefits on the plan's effective date. We confirm the plan shows active before that date, help you set up your pharmacy and any mail-order drugs, and put a reminder on the calendar for your first annual review. Enrollment isn't the finish line — it's the start of a relationship we keep up year after year, at no cost to you.
Local Medicare help across the Western Slope
Medicare rules are federal, but the plans, provider networks, and prices are local — and they change every year. Medicare On Main is an independent agency based in Grand Junction, Colorado (Mesa County), serving Grand Junction, Fruita, and Palisade plus Moab (Grand County) and Monticello (San Juan County), Utah — and Brian Penner is licensed in 18 states. We compare the plans we offer in your county against your own doctors, prescriptions, and budget, confirm your local providers are in-network, and stay your advisor for claims, appeals, and the annual review — at no cost to you, because carriers pay licensed agents, not you. That local, year-round help is the difference between reading about Medicare and having a plan built around your life.
Questions, answered
Where do I sign up for Medicare?
Parts A and B are through Social Security — online at ssa.gov, by phone, or at a local office. For your plan choice (Advantage or Medigap + Part D), a local agent like us compares your options and enrolls you, free.
Will I be enrolled automatically?
Only if you're already receiving Social Security benefits before 65 — then Parts A and B start automatically. Otherwise you must enroll yourself during your Initial Enrollment Period.
How long does enrollment take?
Signing up for Parts A and B is quick. Choosing the right plan is the part worth doing carefully — we usually complete a full comparison and enrollment in one or two conversations.
Do I have to choose a plan the same day I get Parts A and B?
No, but you should choose within your Initial Enrollment Period to avoid gaps and penalties. We help you get it done inside your window.
Official Medicare sources
We point you to the federal sources so you can verify everything. For current-year figures and to compare the plans available in your area:
- Medicare.gov — the official U.S. government site for Medicare costs, coverage, and rules.
- Medicare Plan Compare — the official tool to compare Medicare Advantage and Part D plans by ZIP.
- Social Security (ssa.gov) — enroll in Medicare Parts A & B and check your eligibility.
- CMS.gov — Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which runs the program.
Education and estimates only — confirm current figures on Medicare.gov before enrolling. We do not offer every plan available in your area.
Talk to a local Medicare advisor
Free, no pressure — we compare your options for you.
Last updated . Maintained by the Medicare On Main Data Desk · reviewed by Brian Penner, Independent Medicare advisor (NPN 16493717).