How to Switch to Medicare

Medicare, the nation's largest health insurance program, is available to Americans over age 65, as well as those of any age with permanent kidney failure or some other disabilities. Within the program, you can decide among several different types of coverage, for everything from hospital stays to doctor visits to prescriptions. Switching from your current insurance to Medicare isn't too challenging, as long as you meet requirements.

Instructions

• 1

  Visit medicare.gov to see if you qualify for Medicare. The website provides an eligibility tool, which asks specific questions about your circumstances, as well as a general overview of who is eligible to enroll in Medicare.

• 2

  Visit your local Social Security office to collect the forms you must fill out before enrollment. Unless you have special circumstances, you'll need to do this sometime between January 1 and March 31, which is the general enrollment period. If you are 64 years old and are currently receiving Social Security or Railroad Retirement benefits, you'll receive these forms in the mail a couple of months prior to your 65th birthday; you will not need to visit your Social Security office unless you don't send back the forms in the time frame provided. If you're not receiving these benefits, you will still have to visit your local Social Security office, but you can do this anytime during the seven-month period that begins three months before your 65th birthday. For anyone else, to find out if you have special circumstances that allow you to sign up outside of the three-month, year-beginning window detailed above, call Social Security at 800-772-1213.

• 3

  Receive your Medicare card. This will arrive by mail three months prior to the start of your coverage.

• 4

  Cancel your previous insurance. Wait to do this until you are certain you're signed up for Medicare, and know the start date of your Medicare coverage. Then simply call your current insurance company's customer service number and tell them you'd like to cancel.