Medicare is the federal health insurance program for people aged 65 or older, people under 65 and receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (for a certain amount of time), or people under 65 with End-Stage Renal Disease (permanent kidney failure requiring dialysis or a transplant). The program is funded in part by Social Security and Medicare taxes you pay on your income, in part through premiums that people with Medicare pay, and in part by the federal budget.

You’re eligible for Medicare if you meet the following requirements:

• You must be a U.S. citizen or a qualified legal resident

Both U.S. citizens and qualified legal residents have to be one of the following:

• Age 65 or older
• Younger than 65 with a qualifying disability
• Any age with a diagnosis of End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) or Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS, also called Lou Gehrig’s Disease)

To qualify as a legal resident, you must have lived in the United States for at least five consecutive years before applying for Medicare.

If you already get Social Security benefits, we’ll automatically enroll you in Medicare Hospital Insurance (Part A) and Medical Insurance (Part B). Then, we’ll mail you all the information you need a few months before becoming eligible.

Note: Residents of Puerto Rico or foreign countries won’t automatically receive Part B. They must elect this benefit.

If you don’t get Social Security benefits yet and are not ready to apply, you should sign up for Medicare three months before your 65th birthday. The easiest way to apply for Medicare is by using our online application.

Important Information about Medical Insurance (Part B) Coverage

Because you must pay a premium for Part B coverage, you can turn it down. However, if you sign up for Part B later, your coverage can be delayed, and you may have to pay a late enrollment penalty for as long as you have Part B coverage. In addition, your monthly premium will go up 10 percent for each 12-month period you were eligible for Part B but didn’t sign up for unless you qualify for a special enrollment period.

There are four parts of Medicare: Part A, Part B, Part C, and Part D.

• Medicare Part A provides inpatient/hospital coverage.
• Medicare Part B provides outpatient/medical coverage.
• Medicare Part C offers an alternate way to receive your Medicare benefit.
• Medicare Part D provides prescription drug coverage.

Generally, the different parts of Medicare help cover specific services. Most beneficiaries receive their Part A and B benefits through Original Medicare. The traditional fee-for-service program is offered directly through the federal government. It is sometimes called Traditional Medicare or Fee-for-Service (FFS) Medicare. Under Original Medicare, the government pays directly for the health care services you receive. You can see any doctor and hospital that takes Medicare (and most do) anywhere in the country.

There are a number of reasons to work with a qualified insurance agency like Armor Insurance for your Medicare needs. Here are four key reasons:

• Armor Insurance has years of experience working with Medicare and other government programs, which allows them to provide you with the best possible service.
• Armor Insurance uses state-of-the-art technology that allows them to quickly and easily find the right plan for you, regardless of your health situation.
• Armor Insurance works with top private Medicare coverage providers in the nation.
• Armor Insurance offers a variety of benefits, such as 24/7 customer support and easy payment options.

Our certified insurance agents have been through an extensive process designed to ensure that they are familiar with all aspects of Medicare coverage and know how to work with providers in order to get the best possible coverage rates and coverage. Certification also means that our agents have met the stringent standards set by government regulators, thus guaranteeing quality service and accurate claims processing, which will help cover you for years to come.