I Need My Citizenship Paperwork to Enroll in Medicare…?

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Dear Toni,

I had no problem opening the “My Social Security” account to enroll in Medicare because I knew those answers. That was another story when it came to filling out the Medicare application.

I had a problem with some of Medicare’s personal questions. I knew my name, address, date of birth, Social Security number, etc. When it came to what kind of citizen that was another issue because I am not a U.S.-born American, I was born in Greece and am proud to say that I received my American citizenship about 15 years ago. The application asked for the date that I became a U.S. citizen, and I could not answer that exact date and had to estimate. Now, I have to take in person or mail my original citizenship papers to my local Social Security office.

Toni, your Medicare column readers need to know that even though enrolling online at www.ssa.gov is supposed to be easier, there are still a few kinks that can confuse Americans. Please let your readers know not to give up when having a problem. If my wife and I had not scheduled a Medicare consultation via Zoom with the Toni Says office I would have been lost applying online.

Thanks,
Nick from Tampa, FL

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couple looking over finances — ^{LordHenriVoton / Getty Images}

Hello Nick,

What a great compliment! I’m glad you found your original citizenship papers and could get them to your local Social Security office.

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Let’s discuss how to apply online, along with a few of the problems we encounter when helping others apply for Medicare.

Contact your local Social Security office by phone or call (800)-772-1213 and inform the Social Security agent that you are not able to open a Social Security account, are locked out, and need Social Security’s help.

Once your “My Social Security Account” is established, you will need the following information to submit to Medicare (www.ssa.gov/medicare/sign-up):

Name, Social Security number, gender, and date of birth
Address, phone number, email address
Citizenship information regarding you
Questions about your health benefits
Then submit your application online
View your receipt

Your receipt will advise you on what documents will be needed to approve your Medicare. In Nick’s case, he had to provide his original citizenship papers. Another example of a document you might need is if worked fewer than 40 quarters, you will be asked to provide a marriage certificate to verify that you are married and are applying under your spouse’s Medicare benefits.

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Next steps.

Nick, after turning in your documents, visit www.ssa.gov/myaccount to find out when your Medicare application is finalized and approved. Download your “Benefit Verification Letter”, which includes your Medicare number and Part A and/or B dates. You can enroll in a Medicare Supplement and a stand-alone Medicare Prescription Drug plan or Medicare Advantage Plan which includes Medicare Part D. With your Medicare information, you will be able to open a www.medicare.gov account where one can print off your Medicare card, pay your Medicare premium, and discover which Medicare Part D or Medicare Advantage plan best meets your needs.

How to Choose a Medicare Advantage Plan

Medicare Advantage Plans written on a notebook — ^{Image Credit: Shutterstock}

To help you pick a plan, a good first step is to call the office managers of the doctors you use and find out which Advantage plans they accept, and which ones they recommend. Then go to the Medicare Plan Finder tool at Medicare.gov/plan-compare to compare Advantage plans in your area. This tool provides a five-star rating system that evaluates each plan based on past customer satisfaction and the quality of care the plan delivers. When comparing, here are some key points to consider:

Total costs

Look at the plan’s entire pricing package, not just the premiums and deductibles. Compare the maximum out-of-pocket costs plus the copays and coinsurance charged for doctor office visits, hospital stays, visits to specialists, prescription drugs, and other medical services. This is important because if you choose an Advantage plan, you’re not allowed to purchase a Medigap policy, which means you’ll be responsible for paying these expenses out of your own pocket.

Drug coverage

Check the plan’s formulary – the list of prescription drugs covered – to be sure all the medications you take are covered without excessive co-pays or requirements that you try less expensive drugs first.

Dental, vision, and hearing

Many Advantage plans come with dental, vision, and hearing benefits, but are usually limited. Get the details on what exactly is covered.

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Coverage away from home

Most Advantage plans limit you to using in-network doctors only within a service area or geographic region, so find out what’s covered if you need medical care when you’re away from home.

Out-of-network coverage

Check to see what’s covered if you want to see a specialist in a hospital that is not in a plan’s network. You can get a list of doctors and hospitals that take part in a plan on the plan’s website.