Nearing age 65?

You may be presented with a ton of material including phone calls, mail and TV information about Medicare plans. Choosing a plan can be overwhelming and paperwork can be confusing.

Please see below for some of the most commonly asked questions in regards to Medicare:

Q: I'm turning 65 soon. Do I need to enroll into Medicare right away? A: If you are covered by a group health insurance policy through your or your spouse's active employment, and that employer has 20 or more employees, you do not have to enroll into Medicare. There is no penalty for not doing so.

• If the company offering your group policy has fewer than 20 employees, you most likely need to enroll into Medicare. You need to enroll during a seven month period around your birth month, starting three months prior to your birth month and ending three months after.
• As long as you do not have a high-deductible health plan that you, your company, or both contribute to, you can enroll into Medicare Part A at any time.

Q: I did not enroll into Medicare when I turned 65. Will I be penalized? A: As long as you were covered by a group health insurance policy through your or your spouse's active employment, and that employer has 20 or more employees, you will not be penalized. You and the employer offering your group policy will need to fill out a CMS-L564 form. This form shows the Social Security Administration that you have had health insurance coverage since you turned 65, which will eliminate any penalty you would otherwise have accrued for not enrolling into Part B when you turned 65. Q: It's my company's open enrollment period. Should I enroll into Medicare? A: You should review your current and new group coverage options and compare cost differences and coverage. If you have a spouse or dependents who are covered through your employer's group policy and are not yet eligible for Medicare, it may be a good idea for you to remain on your employer's group plan so they can keep that coverage. Q: How do I figure out which of my health insurance options is best? A: Review the following questions. If you answer "yes" to some of these questions, call Alliant Medicare Solutions to discuss your options. If you answer "no" to most of these questions, your current health insurance situation will likely be fine.

• Do you usually meet your annual deductible?
• Would the monthly premium for your current insurance policy be more than the premium for Medicare Part B?
• Do you usually reach the maximum out-of-pocket limit for your current insurance policy?
• Do you have chronic health conditions?

Q: I am retiring soon! What do I need to do about my health insurance? A: Call Alliant Medicare Solutions to discuss your options. The licensed agent will consider your individual needs, ask about what's important to you and guide you through the enrollment process. Q: I already enrolled in Medicare Part A, and I want to keep my group plan through COBRA. Do I need to sign up for Part B? A: Yes. The COBRA insurance plan will assume you have both Parts A and B, and it will pay claims as a secondary payer. You have an eight-month Special Enrollment Period to sign up for Part B, starting on your last date of employment. If you're already past the eight-month Special Enrollment Period, you will need to wait until Medicare's General Enrollment Period, which is Jan. 1 - March 31 each year.