Press Release             

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Deane Beebe
Communications Director
Medicare Rights Center
212-204-6219
dbeebe@medicarerights.org

March 23, 2004

As Retirement Age Increases, People May Experience Gaps in Health Coverage

[New York, NY] – This year, for the first time since Medicare was enacted, the date people become eligible for full retirement benefits (often referred to simply as “Social Security benefits”)—four months after their 65th birthday—falls outside of their Medicare initial enrollment period. As a result many older adults are confused about when to enroll in Medicare and can find themselves without critical health care coverage.

People already receiving Social Security benefits are automatically enrolled in Medicare when they turn 65. Now, however, because people are eligible for Medicare before they are eligible for full Social Security benefits, they will not be enrolled in Medicare automatically if they wait until they are 65 and four months to sign up for Social Security. In fact, if they do not sign up for Medicare during their initial enrollment period, they could experience over a year’s delay to get Medicare coverage.

“Increasing the age that a person can receive full Social Security benefits has created confusion about when to enroll in Medicare,” said Robert M. Hayes, president of the Medicare Rights Center. “People may experience serious delays in coverage if they are not pro-active about enrolling as soon as they are eligible.”

To ensure that people do not experience gaps in health coverage, the Medicare Rights Center offers the following advice:

1. Remember that Medicare eligibility age remains 65, even though the age to receive full Social Security benefits is increasing two months annually until it reaches 67.

2. If you will need primary health insurance at age 65, make an appointment with your local Social Security Office to enroll in Medicare during your initial enrollment period, which is the three months before, the month of, and the three months after your 65th birthday. Call 1-800-772-1213 to locate the nearest Social Security office

3. If you miss your initial enrollment period and want Medicare coverage, be sure to enroll during the next general enrollment period, which runs from January through March. Coverage will begin the following July. There is a life long premium penalty of 10 percent for every 12 month period you delayed enrollment (and did not have primary coverage from another source such as an employer.)

4. If you were wrongly informed by a Social Security representative, did not enroll in Medicare when you should have, and are now being charged with a premium penalty, be sure to appeal. It helps to keep a record of all your communications with Social Security, including the date and the name of the person with whom you spoke.

_________________________________