How to Apply for Medicare + Check Status Online
How to apply for Medicare online, by phone, or at a Social Security office, when to do it, and how to check your application status. Plain-English help from licensed advocates.
You sign up for Medicare through the Social Security Administration, not through Medicare.gov, and the fastest way is online at SSA.gov. Many people never apply at all, because they are enrolled automatically. So the first question in how to apply for Medicare is whether you need to.
Who is enrolled automatically, and who must apply
You are automatically enrolled in Original Medicare, meaning Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B, if you are already receiving Social Security or Railroad Retirement Board benefits when you turn 65. Your Medicare card arrives about three months before your birthday month, and you do nothing.
You must apply yourself if you are not yet drawing those benefits, which is now most people, since many delay Social Security past 65. Nobody sends a reminder. Missing your window is what triggers a late enrollment penalty that can follow you for life. Our guide to when to enroll in Medicare covers the timing in full.
Two groups are automatically enrolled before 65: people who have received Social Security disability benefits for 24 months, and people with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, who are enrolled as soon as their disability benefits begin. People with end-stage renal disease, or ESRD, can qualify at any age but usually need to sign up for Medicare themselves rather than being enrolled automatically.
How to sign up for Medicare online, by phone, or in person
| Method | Details |
|---|---|
| Online (fastest) | Apply for Medicare online at SSA.gov. It takes about 10 to 30 minutes and needs no appointment. |
| By phone | Call the Social Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213, TTY 1-800-325-0778, weekdays. |
| In person | Book at your local Social Security office. See how to make an appointment first, because waits are long. |
| Railroad retirees | Apply through the Railroad Retirement Board instead, at 1-877-772-5772. |
You can apply for Medicare only, without starting Social Security retirement benefits. That is the right choice for most people still working, and the online form has a specific option for it.
Have ready your Social Security number, date and place of birth, and, if you have employer coverage, the name of your group health plan and its start date.
When to apply: the three enrollment periods
This is where the money is, because applying late costs more for as long as you hold the coverage.
Initial enrollment period (IEP)
Your initial enrollment period runs seven months: the three months before the month you turn 65, your birthday month, and the three months after. Apply in the first three months and coverage starts on the first day of your birthday month. Apply later and it starts later.
Special enrollment period (SEP)
If you kept working past 65 with creditable employer coverage, you get a special enrollment period to join Part B without penalty. It runs eight months from the month that employment or the group coverage ends, whichever comes first. A SEP is why delaying Part B while genuinely covered at work carries no penalty.
Retiree coverage and COBRA do not count as employer coverage for this purpose. That misunderstanding is the most common cause of a permanent penalty we see.
General enrollment period (GEP)
Miss both and you are left with the general enrollment period, January 1 to March 31, with coverage starting the first of the month after you sign up. You will usually owe a late enrollment penalty: 10% added to your Part B premium for every full 12 months you could have had it and did not, for life.
Part D has its own, smaller penalty, so keep prescription drug coverage in place even if you take no medication today.
How to check your Medicare application status
- Online: sign in to your account at SSA.gov and open the application you submitted. It shows whether it is still processing or approved.
- By phone: call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 and ask for an update. For questions about Medicare itself rather than the application, call 1-800-MEDICARE.
Most applications are processed within a few weeks. Once approved, your red, white, and blue Medicare card is mailed, usually arriving about two to three weeks later. It carries your Medicare number, the identifier every provider and plan will ask for.
If you are denied, you can appeal, and the notice will say why.
After you are approved: what to decide next
Enrolling in Medicare does not stop at Parts A and B. Part A is your hospital insurance and Part B is your medical insurance, and between them Original Medicare leaves real gaps: no drug coverage, a deductible on each part, and no cap on what you can spend in a year.
- Add prescription drug coverage with a Medicare Part D plan, or get it bundled inside a Medicare Advantage plan, which is also called Part C.
- Then pick a lane. Either keep Original Medicare and add a Medicare supplement, also called Medigap, to cover your share of costs, or move to one of the Medicare Advantage plans in your area, which bundle everything under a network. You can change that choice each year during Medicare open enrollment.
Your Medigap window matters: the six months after your Part B starts is when an insurer must sell you any policy regardless of health, whatever your deductible or health history. It does not reopen, and Original Medicare on its own has no out-of-pocket ceiling.
Free, unbiased help is available from your SHIP, the State Health Insurance Assistance Program, in every state.
Frequently asked questions
How do I apply for Medicare?
Sign up for Medicare through the Social Security Administration: online at SSA.gov, by phone at 1-800-772-1213, or at a Social Security office. Medicare.gov is where you manage coverage afterwards, not where you apply. Railroad retirees apply through the Railroad Retirement Board.
Do I have to apply, or is Medicare automatic?
You are automatically enrolled only if you already receive Social Security or Railroad Retirement Board benefits at 65, or have had disability benefits for 24 months. Otherwise you must sign up for Medicare yourself.
When should I apply for Medicare?
During your initial enrollment period, or IEP, the seven months around your 65th birthday. Apply in the first three months for coverage starting the month you turn 65.
Can I apply for Medicare without claiming Social Security?
Yes, and many people do. The online application has an option to apply for Medicare only, which leaves your retirement benefit untouched.
What happens if I apply late?
You may owe a late enrollment penalty: 10% on your Part B premium for each full year you delayed, for as long as you have Part B. A special enrollment period avoids it if you had creditable employer coverage.
How long does a Medicare application take?
Usually a few weeks. Your Medicare card arrives about two to three weeks after approval.
Does COBRA count as employer coverage for delaying Part B?
No. Neither COBRA nor retiree coverage qualifies you for a special enrollment period, and relying on either is a common and expensive mistake.
How do I check my Medicare application status?
Sign in at SSA.gov and open your submitted application, or call 1-800-772-1213. The status shows as processing or approved.
Talk to a licensed Medicare advocate
Working out whether to take Part B now, and what to add once you have it, is where most of the money is decided. A licensed Medicare Advocate can walk through the timing with you, at no cost and with no pressure to enroll in anything.