Enrolling in Medicare Nevada at the right time can save you hundreds of dollars, provide you with excellent coverage and you can be set for life! If the timing is off you could end up paying a lifetime penalty for Medicare parts B and D and not be eligible for a Medicare Supplement without being asked extensive health questions. So the critical question is when to enroll in Medicare Nevada.
Determining When to Enroll in Medicare Nevada
It all has to do with the date when you become eligible, compared to the date when you actually enroll.
So – let’s talk about when to enroll in Medicare Nevada. Ideally, you want to enroll right away, when you first become eligible. This sounds obvious but it might not be that straightforward.
Ways to Become Eligible for Medicare
You can become eligible when you become disabled when you end your health insurance coverage with your employer, or, most commonly, when you turn 65. Eligibility due to disability is another topic, but I won’t be addressing it in this particular video.
There are 4 parts to Medicare, parts A, B, C, and D, and each part has its own eligibility window.
Let’s start with Part A, the big part of Medicare that covers some, but not all, of the medical expenses in a hospital.
Original Medicare
Many individuals, even those who continue working, may enroll in part A when they become eligible. If you’re turning 65 you can enroll up to 3 months before your 65th birthday, the month of your birthday and up to 3 months after. If you’re enrolling due to a loss in group coverage you can do this up to 8 months after the coverage or employment ends, and you’ll want to probably enroll in parts A and B at the same time. Basically, you don’t want to wait.
Extra Stuff
Part B, the part of Medicare that covers many of the expenses of physicians, in or out of the hospital, has the same rules as part A as far as the time when to enroll in Medicare Nevada. Now here is where it can get complex. You can stay on your current health plan with your employer, or your spouse’s employer, and you may elect Part A, but you may want to not enroll in Part B. Starting part B of Medicare triggers eligibility for the rest of the parts of Medicare, that is, for Part C, the Medicare Advantage benefit, and for Part D, the prescription drug benefit.
General Enrollment Period
If you missed the initial enrollment for Part B, you can apply anytime between January 1st and March 31st. Your coverage for Medicare Nevada will begin July 1st of that same year. Our office can also help enroll you in a Medicare Supplement Reno or Medicare Advantage Reno plan.
