If you are NEW to Medicare because you are turning 65, and need to Enroll in Medicare A and B, these instructions are for you!  This also applies to people over over 65 who are retiring or have been downsized, are losing Employer group coverage, and need to enroll in Medicare A and B for the first time or have A but need to enroll in Medicare B...

Medicare may seem confusing and hard to understand – Don’t Panic!  

We have made it easy and broken down the process into 4 EASY STEPS:

We created this YouTube Channel to help you understand all this Medicare stuff. 
These videos are short (5-10 min) and easy to understand on topics like:

Watch the "HOW TO" video we made on our CB Health Insurance YouTube channel.   

Click here to start watching: How To Enroll in Medicare  

For further assistance in Enrolling in Medicare, you can call the Social Security office at 1-800-772-1213

NOTE: Confirmation of enrollment can be found online if you applied online, or if you receive a letter from SS office, or if you receive your Medicare Card with your Medicare #.

• Upon receipt of the Medicare Contact form, our office will send you a SECURE link to complete the Medicare Questionnaire; we will need you to obtain some personal info, including your most current list of medications and providers, info on your preferences and budget, and  other personal info such as your birthdate, zip code, smoking status, in order for us to provide Medicare Supplement quotes and options for drug coverage. 
  
  

  NOTE:  You will need your Medicare Card and Medicare # in order to enroll in any additional plans including drug coverage.  Our office wants to make sure we have the most current and up-to-date medical info and list of your prescriptions. 
  
  

• Once our office receives the completed questionnaire from you, we will prepare all quotes for all options based on your interest, budget and preferences (including Medicare D, Medicare C, and Medicare Supplements).   We will reach out to you via email to schedule a Zoom meeting with our staff to review all options, answer all your questions, and help you pick the BEST plan that suits your needs and budget! 

NOTE:   At this time, our office is not offering in-office appointments. 

DISCLAIMER:  

Our office will waive any and all fees for preparing quotes and comparisons for anyone that enrolls in plans through our office and becomes our client.  If you choose not to enroll through our office, fees for quoting will apply. 

For more info on fees, refer to "Shopping for Plans" page.

Feel free to download this document:  2025 Medicare B and D premiums.

Your Initial Enrollment  is a 7-month window that begins 3 months prior to your birthday month, includes your birthday month and 3 months after your birthday month.   You are eligible for Medicare first of the month in which you turn 65.   If your birthday is July 7^th  for example, you are eligible for Medicare July 1^st and your initial enrollment is from April 1^st – Oct 31^st.  For someone OVER age 65 who has had Employer Group coverage as their primary, they are allowed to enroll in Medicare part B at any time and can also do so online or at the local SS office.

NOTE:  If your birthday is on the 1^st of the month, you are eligible the prior month for Medicare.

Options to Enroll in Medicare keep changing: During COVID, people were not allowed to go tot he SS office; instead an individual would call the toll free # to schedule a future phone appointment to enroll or be directed to enroll via online application on the SS website.  Since the re-opening of SS offices, the gov't has yet again changed their protocol.  It is not recommended to go to the local SS office without an appt. Calling the toll free number will only get you an appointment to enroll (and could be in person) at a future date.  Online is still the best option! 

1. Online here: Enroll in Medicare A and B through Social Security office ONLINE
   I’m told the online app is easy.  I recommend this!!!!!!!!!!!
   
   
2. NO LONGER RECOMMENDED: Go to a local Social Security office to sign up for Medicare A and B. -  Without an appointment, you could wait about 2 hours to talk to someone.  If you call SS and schedule an appt, they will most likely make it for your Birthday month, and not sooner.  Since most people want their Medicare card BEFORE their eligibility, they will either go in and wait or enroll online.   You cannot enroll by calling the SS toll free number.
   
   
3. Call Social Security to Make a phone appointment to enroll: 1-800-772-1213.   They will not enroll you immediately over the phone without first scheduling an appointment to do so. 

Since enrollment into Medicare can take a few weeks, and can be delayed further if there are questions about enrollment or your application, we recommend doing this at the beginning of your initial enrollment period; if you sign up online, you will probably get your Medicare card mailed to you in a couple of weeks. 

If you enroll in Medicare the three months prior to turning 65 or during your birthday month, the effective date of Medicare will be the first of the month in which you turn 65. If you enroll in the last 3 months of your initial enrollment, the SS office will enroll you in a future effective date, which can be 5 months in the future if you wait until the last month to enroll.  

You really have one of two options to supplement AND cover Prescription Drugs:
(In both cases, you need to be enrolled in Original Medicare part A and B to get a supplement or Medicare Advantage plan.)

1. You can purchase a Medicare Supplement and a Drug Card (which is Part D of Medicare)
   
   
2. You can enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan with a Prescription drug card (MAPD).  These utilized networks of providers through HMO or PPO networks.  We would want to look up your providers if you went this route.

DISCLOSURE    

Our first priority is helping you find the BEST Medicare plans that suits your needs and budget.   While our office is licensed with most of the Major A-rating insurance carriers in IL, we do not offer every plan in the state of Illinois.  See list below.  To see the entire list of carriers in IL, you can visit www.Medicare.gov or call 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all your options. 

In the state of IL for calendar year 2025, there are 6 insurance carriers offering Medicare Part D prescription plans.  Our office is licensed with all 6 carriers to sell 13 PDP plans.  However, we are aware of at least 1 plan that cannot be offered through our agency; for info on all plans, visit www.medicare.gov. 

For MAPD plans, there are 11 insurance carriers selling plans in the state of IL, and our office is licensed with 6 insurance carriers including  Aetna, BCBS of IL (HCSC), Cigna, Humana, UnitedHealthcare/AARP, and WellCare/Centene.  We do not currently represent Molina Health (1 HMO only in certain counties), Zing (2 HMO plans), Devoted (2 HMO and 1 PPO).  Clear Spring Health (2 HMO plans); we are working on getting contracted with Essence health, a new carrier to IL for 2025.