How to apply for Medicare online

Q: Please tell me how to apply for Medicare when the Social Security offices are closed?

A: There are four ways to apply for Medicare online:

If you are applying for Medicare Part A and Part B at the same time, you can use the online application found here at www.ssa.gov/benefits/medicare.

If you are applying for Medicare Part B using the Part B Special Enrollment Period (SEP), you can use the online application found at secure.ssa.gov/mpboa/medicare-part-b-online-application.

If you are unable to submit your application online, you can call your local field office (keep track of who you talk to). Collect the necessary paperwork from your employer to prove you had creditable coverage since the age of 65. Once the paperwork is complete, you will be able to fax it to Social Security at 1-833914-2016. Make sure your employer has completed your forms correctly and that you note on your forms when you would like Medicare Part B to begin.

You can mail your information via certified mail to your local Social Security office. Faxing is faster and easier. Make sure to keep checking on the progress of your application by calling social security at 1-800-518-5311.

Q: I hear a lot about mental health in the news right now, how does Medicare cover mental health services?

A: If you have Original Medicare, Part A covers inpatient mental health services that you receive in either a psychiatric hospital (a hospital that only treats mental health patients) or a general hospital. Your provider should determine which hospital setting you need.

If you receive care in a psychiatric hospital, Medicare covers up to 190 days of inpatient care in your lifetime. If you have used your lifetime days but need additional mental health care, Medicare may cover your additional inpatient care at a general hospital.

Medicare Part B covers outpatient mental health care. Medicare Part B also covers partial hospitalization for mental health treatment for people who meet coverage requirements. Partial hospitalization programs provide care that is more intensive than other forms of mental health care, but less intensive than inpatient care.

If you have a Medicare Advantage Plan, your plan must cover the same inpatient and outpatient mental health services as Original Medicare, but they may impose different rules, restrictions and costs. If you need information about a plan’s costs and coverage rules, or if you are experiencing problems, contact your Medicare Advantage Plan.

Lucille Bondi Insurance Solutions, 439 Main St., Rear Bldg., Harleysville, PA 19438. Office: 215.256.5954. Fax: 215.256.8761