Procedures for Buying Health Insurance in Chicago

If anyone is looking to buy Medicare health insurance in Chicago or in any other US city then they are required to follow a particular process. Here is a quick look at this process, which is quite simple in its own right. However, different plans of health insurance in Chicago require different types of enrollment periods.

Enrolling for Parts A and B Health Insurance in Chicago

Anyone who gets their Social Security before they become 65 years of age are automatically enrolled in the 'original' Medicare schemes, now known as Parts A and B. Part A or Hospitalization Insurance (HI) and Part B or Medical Insurance (MI) both have differing enrollment rules. You can either get automatic enrollment in both these policies and you will receive a Medicare about 90 days before it actually starts becoming effective. This is how you are automatically enrolled for both these policies.

At times, this might not happen so easily. If you see that you don't get any intimation about these automatic health insurance in Chicago or other cities, then you can do it manually yourself. Call their toll free number 1-800-772-1213 and manually enroll for these policies just as you become 65 years old. Or you can look up the Social Security site and apply for Part A, Part B, and if you wish, Medicaid as well.

Enrollment Procedures for Part B Health Insurance in Chicago

Part B health insurance in Chicago offers you some degree of flexibility when it comes to enrollment procedures. As described above, your initial enrollment begins a bit before your 65th birthday and continues for 7 months after that. This is known as your Initial Enrollment Period.

You can also take advantage of a General Enrollment Period which comes into effect in the beginning of a calendar year, every year, and continues till March 31st. If you use this period to enroll for a Part B health insurance in Chicago and elsewhere then your coverage will begin on 1st July of that year.

Part B health insurance in Chicago can also be availed of during a Special Enrollment Period. Here, you need to be a part of a group coverage. This group can comprise of a union or your peers at a workplace or even your partner or spouse. If you receive health benefits and coverage in group then you can enroll in Part B whenever you want. You can also do it after your coverage ends but within 8 months of the end date of your groups coverage. Otherwise, you should not delay in enrolling for Part B as it attracts a 10% penalty. You can opt out of Plan B Medicare health insurance in Chicago by following the lucidly written instructions that appear on the back of the card.