How to Apply for Medicare in South Carolina

Medicare provides health insurance to people who are at least 65 years old, disabled, or in the end stage of kidney disease. These patients often have expensive medical needs and may not be able to afford health care without Medicare. According to State Health Facts, Medicare covers 761,703 people in South Carolina, as of December 2010. Although Medicare is a federal program, residents of South Carolina can apply at one of the field offices in their area.

Instructions

• 1

  Gather the documentation you need to apply for Medicare. Include your Social Security card, birth certificate, your most recent tax return, bank statements, pay stubs or proof of payment from other Social Security programs, lease or house deed to prove residency in South Carolina, and medical records.

• 2

  Look for the Social Security Administration office that serves your area of South Carolina by going to the SSA website and clicking "Find a Social Security Office." The site will ask for your ZIP code and give you a list of offices near you.

• 3

  Go to the office with your documents. Be at the office as soon as it opens to avoid having a long wait to see a case worker. This is especially true for offices in more densely-populated cities such as Columbia and Charleston. Let the case worker know you want to apply for Medicare benefits. She will walk you through the application by asking questions about your identity, age, income, marital status, living arrangements and medical history. Give the case worker your verification paperwork and she will submit the application.

• 4

  Wait up to four weeks for the SSA to process the application. If it approves your application for Medicare coverage, you will receive your Medicare card with the approval notice. If the SSA denies your application, it will send instructions for appealing the decision with the denial notice. You must begin the appeal process within 60 days of the date of the notice.