Applying for (gulp) Medicare

     I feel old and young at the same time.
     In a little over two months, I will turn 65 (Can it be? I demand a recount) and I’ve heard horror stories about how you must apply for Medicare right around your 65^th birthday or the premiums will be much higher if you apply later.
     Wrong. At least in my situation – which is, working and covered by my employer’s health insurance.
     I read AARP’s wonderful primer on Medicare (I recommend it to everyone) which attempts to lay out in simple terms the various choices one has in this Byzantine program. You probably know the basics – Part A is for hospitalizations; Part B, for doctors’ visits; Part C, for private Medicare plans; and Part D, for prescription drugs. Just reading through it made me understand how Ph.Ds have a tough time figuring out what program would work best for them. Two dear friends – both really smart women – spent months figuring out their options. I didn’t look forward to that process.
     But the guide also recommended that people covered by employer health insurance contact their human resources department to discuss options. Good suggestion. My HR consultant told me I should apply for Part A (hospitalizations) because it’s free and it might supplement any benefits I get through the company. The rest of the stuff I wouldn’t have to worry about until I retired – and I wouldn’t be penalized for it, she assured.
     But I’m a skeptical journalist. I called Social Security, which administers Medicare, and got the same answer. Once I retire, I have eight months to decide which if any of the other plans I want, without facing any penalties.
     So today, after much trepidation, I went on the Social Security Administration website and, for the first, time, clicked on that little button about applying for benefits. I’m now an official applicant for Part A.
     But – the good news – Rick and I have so much left on our mortgage that I’m going to have to work for years before retiring. And by then I’ll be too senile to care what my Medicare options are!
     May you all be so blessed.