Medicare Part D provides vital prescription drug coverage. In general, anyone who is eligible for Medicare is eligible for Part D.
Medicare Eligibility
To know if you’re eligible for Part D, you just need to know whether or not you’re eligible for Medicare. To be more specific, you must be eligible for and enrolled in Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) first to get Part D.
Many become eligible for Medicare at age 65. Some people are also eligible after receiving 24 months of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), but age is the most common factor. You must also be a U.S. citizen.
You can enroll in Part D when you have Part A and/or Part B.
Enrolling in Part D
Because eligibility is so simple, let’s turn our attention towards enrollment. The best time to enroll in Part D and any Medicare plan is during your Initial Enrollment Period (IEP). This is a seven-month period that will start three months before your 65th birthday.
You also have the option of enrolling in Part D during the Annual Enrollment Period (AEP), which is from October 15th through December 7th. However, if you wait to enroll past your IEP, you may be faced with late enrollment penalties. The longer you wait, the higher the penalty, so it’s best to sign up as soon as possible.
Extra Help Eligibility
The Part D Extra Help program is a subsidy program for low-income individuals and couples. To qualify, your monthly income must be below $1,719 in 2022 or $2,309 for couples.
The Part D Extra Help program offers a lot of benefits, including:
- Support to pay for your Part D premium up to a state-specific benchmark amount
- Lower prescription drug out-of-pocket costs
- Eliminates any Part D late enrollment penalty you may have incurred if you delayed Part D enrollment
Medicare Smooth Sailing—Call the Medicare Sharks
The Medicare Sharks will help you determine your Medicare eligibility, enrollment, benefits, and more. To learn more, call us at (561) 288-2080 or (561) 288-2396.
