Am I eligible for extra time to sign up for Medicare? Yes, if all of the following apply:
- You are eligible to sign up for Medicare between the dates January 1st, 2022 through December 30th, 2022 if you were unable to enroll because of the problems faced by Social Security’s telephone system.
- You have yet to sign up for Original Medicare.
- You follow the necessary steps and sign up by the December 30th, 2022 deadline.
If you sign up by December 30th, 2022, the time between when you would have enrolled if you had been able to contact Social Security in 2022 and when you are able to sign up, will not count towards a late enrollment penalty.
Medicare.gov
Medicare Enrollment Periods
| Initial Enrollment Period (IEP) | General Enrollment Period (GEP) | Special Enrollment Period (SEP) | Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) | Open Enrollment Period (OEP) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Who Can Use | Someone turning 65 | Someone who missed the Initial Enrollment Period (IEP) | Someone who has or had employer-based coverage | Medicare Plan Enrollees | Medicare Advantage (MA) Enrollees |
| What Is The Purpose | To enroll in Original Medicare Parts A & B | To enroll in Original Medicare Parts A & B | To enroll in Original Medicare Part B | To reevaluate options & elect changes | To make a one-time change from an MA-plan |
| When Can It Be Used | 3 months before and after 65th birthday | January 1 – March 31 | Anytime while employed and 8 months from termination of employer coverage | October 15th – December 7th | January 1st – March 31st |
HOW DO I SIGN UP DURING THIS TIME PERIOD?
You can sign up the same way you would if you were signing up during the enrollment period you missed. You may call the Social Security at 800-772-1213 or online at SSA.gov.
WHEN WILL MY COVERAGE START?
Coverage can start the month after you enroll or as early as the month it should have started. The exact date your coverage begins will depend on which enrollment period you were eligible for. You will need to pay the premiums for each month of past coverage if you choose to have your coverage at a date in the past.
If you were eligible to sign up during the 2022 General Enrollment Period (January 1st-March 31st) then your coverage can be effective starting on July 1st, 2022, as long as you sign up by December 30th, 2022.
Medicare.gov