Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Medicare is providing extra enrollment time and other accommodations for seniors who wish to enroll in Medicare. This “equitable relief” is available if:
- You missed the open enrollment period or a special enrollment period to sign up for a prescription plan or Medicare Advantage plan because of the pandemic. You now have until July 13, 2020 to enroll.
- You lost your job due to the pandemic and did not previously enroll in Medicare B because you had job-related health insurance. You now have until June 17, 2020 to submit your application. Normally, you must have your former employer complete form CMS-L564. However, if your former employer is unreachable or does not have access to records, Medicare will allow you to complete the form yourself to the best of your ability. You will have to submit supporting documentation to prove prior employment and health care coverage, such as pay stubs that reflect deductions for health insurance premiums, W-2’s reflecting pre-tax medical contributions, etc.
Applications can be submitted online here, faxed to 1-833-914-2016 or mailed to your local Social Security office which you can find here. Remember that Social Security field offices, while operational, are closed to visitors.
For more information about COVID-19 “equitable relief” click here or check the Medicare website page here.
