Ready to enroll in Medicare? Here’s a final checklist of what you’ll need

Congratulations! You’re ready to sign up for your Medicare benefits. You’ve done your research and know the benefits included as part of Medicare, you know your coverage options and you’ve even researched the costs associated with your preferred type of Medicare coverage.  

First, the good news: if you’re already receiving your Social Security benefits, you’re automatically enrolled in Original Medicare (Part A and B) the first day of the month you turn 65. But for people who choose to delay getting Social Security payments until after age 65, you’ll need a few pieces of information handy to begin your enrollment in Medicare.  

So, what documents do you need to begin your application? To sign up you may be asked for proof of your age, your work history and your citizenship or permanent resident status. 

You can ensure you have the required information by collecting some personal records ahead of time. In the end, you may not need to provide every document on the Medicare checklist below, but it’s always better to be prepared.  

And if you’re interested in enrolling in coverage through a Medicare Advantage plan, there are a few other pieces of easily obtained information you’ll need once you’ve signed up for Original Medicare.   

 

What you’ll need 

 

 

Some additional items for Medicare Advantage 

When you join a Medicare Advantage Plan, you'll have to give these additional items: 

• Your Medicare number (you can find this information on your Medicare card) 
  
• The name of the Medicare Advantage plan you’ve selected 
  

Once you’ve done your research, enrolling in Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage is fairly easy. But if you want to save some time and trouble, you can make the process even easier by ensuring you have all your information and documentation organized before you sit down to sign up. Having everything mentioned on this checklist will help make the process a breeze.