Nothing about Medicare requires the internet
Online is faster, and most guidance assumes you'll use it. But every single step — signing up for Parts A and B, comparing plans, joining a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan, and buying a Medigap policy — has a phone or paper route that works just as well and produces exactly the same coverage.
This matters for more people than it might seem: rural households without reliable broadband, anyone who finds the websites hard to read, and people who simply want a human being on the line while they do something this important.
Parts A and B: call Social Security
Social Security handles Original Medicare, not Medicare itself. Call **1-800-772-1213** (TTY 1-800-325-0778), Monday through Friday. Expect a wait, and expect to be offered a callback — take it.
You can also make an appointment at a local Social Security office and apply in person, or request the paper forms and mail them. If you're retiring after 65 and delayed Part B, the two forms are CMS-40B and CMS-L564 — see the two forms you file when you retire after 65.
Have ready: your Social Security number, your birth certificate or proof of citizenship, and if you're coming off employer coverage, the employer's details and the dates you were covered.
Comparing plans: call Medicare
**1-800-MEDICARE** (1-800-633-4227, TTY 1-877-486-2048) is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and the representatives can look up every Medicare Advantage and Part D plan in your ZIP code — the same complete list the website shows.
Before you call, write down every prescription with its exact name and dose, and the names of the doctors you want to keep. Ask them to compare estimated total yearly cost with your drugs entered, not just the monthly premium. Ask for the plan names and numbers in writing if you want to think it over.
You can also enroll in the plan on that same call. Ask for a confirmation number and write it down.
Free help in person
Your State Health Insurance Assistance Program gives free one-on-one counseling, often in person, and sells nothing. In Wyoming it's the Wyoming State Health Insurance Information Program; in Utah it runs through Aging and Adult Services. They will sit down with your drug list and go through options with no commission at stake — which is more than we can say about ourselves.
Local senior centers frequently host SHIP counselors during the fall enrollment season. Our government help center lists the official contacts.
What to write down while you're on the phone
Keep a notebook by the phone and record four things every time: the date, who you spoke with, what they told you, and any confirmation or claim number. If something goes wrong later, that page is your evidence and it is worth more than a memory.
Once you've enrolled, keep watching the mail. Your Medicare card, the plan's welcome packet and the first bill all arrive separately over several weeks — what happens after you enroll sets out the timeline.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I sign up for Medicare entirely by phone?
Yes. Social Security takes Parts A and B applications at 1-800-772-1213, and 1-800-MEDICARE can compare and enroll you in Medicare Advantage or Part D plans on the same call.
Is 1-800-MEDICARE really available at night?
Yes, it's staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including holidays. Calling at an off hour often means a shorter wait.
Can I get paper Medicare enrollment forms mailed to me?
Yes. Ask Social Security to mail the forms, or pick them up at a local office. Completed forms can be mailed, faxed, or handed in at an office.
Where can I get free in-person help?
Your State Health Insurance Assistance Program offers free one-on-one counseling and sells nothing. Local senior centers often host SHIP counselors during fall enrollment.
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