In the not so distant past, a lot of elderly people, or those with permanent disabilities, found it difficult to get adequate medical care simply because it was expensive. They would often be required to settle for what they could afford, whether it met their needs or not. Relying on the compassion of family and friends was commonplace. Charitable organizations contributed whenever possible, but there were times when people had physical problems and no way to pay for medical help. The government stepped in with the institution of the Medicare program, a health care system that offers basic medical insurance for qualifying American citizens. Here are a few tips on how to apply for Medicare.

Types of Plans

There are a great many varieties of Medicare type plans available, although in reality they are more than likely some form of Medicare advantaged health plan. These plans are offered through other, non-government providers but offer the same sort of coverage as Medicare. Details for these plans, and how they can affect your Medicare benefits, can be examined by visiting http://medicare-medicaid.com.

Qualifications

Medicare is offered as a benevolent program by the United States government to assist its citizens with medical care costs. In order to receive Medicare payments, you must meet certain criteria. There are four parts to Medicare, and each has their own qualifications--but basically you must be 65 years of age or permanently disabled in order to receive Medicare. For details regarding the specific requirements of each part of Medicare you can visit http://ssa-custhelp.ssa.gov and type in ‘how to qualify for Medicare’ in the website's search engine. If you follow the links that come up, you will be able to find out whether or not you are eligible to receive Medicare.

Contact the Social Security Office

If you are considered eligible to receive Medicare you will have to go through an application process before you can receive any monetary help. The first step in the process is to contact the Social Security Administration. You can either call your local Social Security office or call the national office at 1-800-772-1213. You can also contact the Social Security Administration by visiting http://www.ssa.gov. A representative will provide information on how to proceed with the application process. Keep in mind that this is a huge government organization and it may take some time to get in touch with the proper person to help you. If you are patient and persistent, you will undoubtedly be rewarded with the correct contact information. In the event that you have a hearing disability you can call 1-800-325-0778 and communicate through the use of a TTY hookup. The hours these lines are open may change from time to time, so calling during regular business hours is recommended.

Online Application

Because we live in a digital age where instant communication is not only convenient, but expected in many cases, it should come as no surprise that it’s possible to apply for Medicare benefits via the Internet. You no longer need to drive to a Social Security office or even spend time on the telephone in order to apply. You can do it from the convenience of your own home. If you don’t have Internet access at home, you can go to a local library and use one of their computers.  Online application is as easy as clicking the mouse a few times and following the directions on the website. By visiting http://www.ssa.gov/medicareonly, you can fill out the necessary electronic forms. In most cases it only takes about 10 minutes, and you are allowed to fill out the forms even though you’re not actually retired yet--however you must be within a few months of your 65th birthday--and you don’t have to be receiving Social Security benefits yet in order to apply for Medicare. However, you must be living within the boundaries of the United States or one of its commonwealths or territories.

Personal Savings Accounts or Insurance

If you have a Health Savings Account and/or health insurance through an employer, you should contact the financial affairs office at your place of employment, or your insurance company, to find out whether or not applying for Medicare will affect your financial situation. You may also want to consult with an accountant to determine the affect applying for Medicare will have on your finances.

Guest post from Sandy Morgan. Sandy writes for NursingHomes.org.