Enrolling
in Medicare | | 40 Quarters of Coverage| | Fewer
Than 40 Quarters | | CalSTRS Program
| | Reimbursements
Enrolling in Medicare When You Have
At Least 40 Quarters of Medicare Credit
There are three times when you can sign up for Medicare
Parts A and B.
Initial Enrollment Period
You may sign up for Medicare Parts A and B during your initial enrollment
period, which begins three months before the month you turn 65 and ends
three months after the month you turn 65. (For example, if you turn 65
on July 15, you can sign up anytime between April 1 and October 31.) Your
Medicare coverage will begin the 1st day of the month in which you turn
65.
General Enrollment Period
If you did not enroll in Medicare Parts A and B during the Initial Enrollment
Period, you can sign up during the Medicare General Enrollment Period
which is January 1 through March 31 of each year. Your Medicare
coverage will start July 1 of the year you sign up. You may be charged
penalties for late enrollment in Medicare. Any such penalties will be
reimbursed to you by the Peralta District through its reimbursement program
(see link below).
Special Enrollment Period
This period is available if you are eligible for Medicare and waited to
enroll in Medicare because you or your spouse was actively working and
had group health plan coverage through an employer. You can sign up for
Medicare any time you are still covered by an employer group health plan
through your or your spouse's current employment. If you have not signed
up while you were covered by your or your spouse's employer you can still
sign up without penalty during the eight months following the month
that the group health plan coverage ends, or when the employment ends
(whichever is first). (For example, if you retired in June, 2011,
you can sign up for Medicare until February 2012 without any penalty for
late enrollment.)
For more information about Medicare enrollment periods,
please contact the Social Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213.
How To Enroll
To enroll in Medicare you can contact the Social Security Administration
at 1-800-772-1213 or you may apply for Medicare online at https://secure.ssa.gov/iClaim/rib.
Although Medicare Part A will be free for you, there may be a penalty
for late enrollment (more than three months after your 65th birthday or
eight months after you stop working). Everyone must pay a premium for
Medicare Part B. Any premiums and/or penalties for Medicare A and
B are fully reimbursed by the Peralta District.
Next Steps
If you are enrolled in the District's PPO (Preferred Provider Organization)
program (Anthem/Blue Cross-CoreSource) Medicare will become your "primary"
insurer, while CoreSource will provide "supplemental" coverage
for those eligible expenses not paid by Medicare. When you use medical
services be sure to give your provider both your Medicare card and your
CoreSource card.
If you are enrolled in the District's Kaiser program
you must enroll in Kaiser's Senior Advantage program
after you sign up for Medicare. This will assign your Medicare benefits
to Kaiser and will also offer you some benefits in addition to those you
are entitled to under Peralta's Kaiser plan. You will not be able to use
Medicare for non-Kaiser medical services. To enroll in Senior Advantage
call 1-877-552-1149 after you have enrolled in Medicare
Parts A and B.
Information
about Kaiser's Senior Advantage Program
Information
about receiving reimbursements for Medicare payments
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