How long does it take to get Medicare after signing up?

[myDrain]

When coverage begins is all pretty well spelled out on the www.medicare.gov web site. No guessing involved. See https://www.medicare.gov/sign-up-ch...hen-coverage-starts/when-coverage-starts.html for the straight stuff (provided you can believe the government).

 

[Alan]

After you sign up for Medicare online at the Social Security site you will get a confirmation number. Print and save that page that contains your confirmation number as you will need it to check the status of your Medicare application.

You will also receive an email with a link to the Social Security site where you can check the status of your application. The email tells you to wait 5 days. What it does not tell you, and it is nowhere on the Social Security site, is that it takes 30 to 60 days to get approved for Medicare.

It is sort of misleading in that you think that after the 5 days you might know something about your application, but it takes far longer before you will be approved.

That is another reason that it is important to sign up for Medicare 3 months before your 65th birthday!

Hi there I am new!
I went to the social security office and I did not get a number. Should I go back and find out what happened?

 

[Mack]

I can't say if you are given a confirmation number when you sign up at the social security office. I just know that when you sign up online they issue a confirmation number. If you are concerned you might want to give them a call.

 

[Alan]

I can't say if you are given a confirmation number when you sign up at the social security office. I just know that when you sign up online they issue a confirmation number. If you are concerned you might want to give them a call.

Thank you I will !!!!

 

[SEC]

I receive Medicare--signed up online last year--no problem. My husband is a naturalized citizen and we've been married for 25 years. When he tried to sign up online, he could not proceed. Called SS - hour hold, and was told he had to apply on the phone or in person, but he didn't know why. Maybe the citizenship. No office appts for 2 months, so took a phone appt - applied for Medicare on Oct. 19. The rep asked us to bring over the citizenship certificate so she could see the original--we did. She gave us a copy of the application.

Haven't heard anything back. My husband calls the SS office every few days to try to get the number and checks his online account. No info except it is in the system. His 65th birthday was Nov. 10. We do not receive SS Benefits--Medicare only. The local SS office is superbusy--you cannot just show up without an appt (which takes 2 months to get). Any suggestions? Does it really take up to 60 days to get a number? It only took me a few weeks.

 

[Joe]

I think it is a matter of how big their workload is. They say 30 to 60 days to get approved once you submit the application. It can vary. Call them and they will talk to you about it.

My birthdate was incorrect and i went to the local social security office and showed them my passport and Florida Drivers license. Both of these I had to present my birth certificate. I was signing up for Medicare. I was told only the birth certificate would be accepted proof of the date. I have ordered a birth certificate to meet the requirement. I was told by the social security agent that when I return he will be able to issue everything including my card. IS HE OVER SIMPLIFYING? I have extended my current health insurance coverage till I get my Medicare card in hand. I have a January birthday. If I do not receive my card till sometime after my 65th birthday can my insurance company drop me even while I am waiting for my card? I do know once I get my card I have to advise my current carrier of a life changing event.

I found out the birthdate issue when I went online to sign up. I was overseas back in October and after a 90 minute telephone hold time I found this out. The first appointment time available was December 17th. I did a walk in while I was home for Thanksgiving in South Florida. The agent informed me that there is no way to upload the birth certificate to them. IT HAS TO BE BROUGHT INTO A SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICE. No I cannot bring it to the embassy overseas as it goes to a regional center a 5 hour flight away (Budget cuts). Anyway it will be another flight back from Asia to get this done. I am officially stateside permanently in June 2019. My concern is that the 4 agency employees have all given different answers.

The first paragraph has the question. The second paragraph is about how I got to where I am. I have till April to figur it out. Yes the social security agent said to continue my current coverage till I get my card. Now I am not so sure he was truthfull

 

[Deleted member 985]

I had issues too. It has been stuck on step 2 of 3 for well over 2 months. Yes there was an error, but eventually I logged in and I was under the impression I did sign up. Why else would the site say theyre reviewing my application? I managed to set up ssa online and correctly answered the security questions.

So after talking with someone she was not nice, to put it mildly and said I never applied. All that time of checking the mail box and online, my birthday came and went and now to learn I have to live without medical care in my aging years because ssa cant process my enrollment.

They wanted me to come in. I don’t understand why. I answered the security questions and set up the ssa. As far as I’m concerned, I’ve been through enough trauma. I wish I could get someone to process it aside from the person I spoke with. When she looked it up and saw the letter, she said she didn’t see that, but she said I still needed to prove myself.

I get part of it. The site asks questions from ages ago that of course I don’t remember, like old phone numbers for example. But eventually I did answer correctly and got the account set up. I understand their thinking, but because I correctly answered the questions, they should clear the error, process the application and let me have my card because I did prove myself. Their bad programming is not my fault. I just want them to finish. Going in is a hardship because I am unable to drive.

But if that’s what Medicare is like then maybe I’m better off without it, or is it just the ssa part that’s like that? I’ve heard some are nice.

 

[Deleted member 985]

Will share I had one nice lady reach out to me from ssa. With all the fraud going on, wasn’t sure so needed to check first. Turns out she is fine. So I decided to call her. She is in another state. She asked me some questions and I am getting my card. So at least it will come in open enrollment I’m hoping.