Ready to sign up for Part A & Part B

To sign up for

Part A (Hospital Insurance)
and/or
Part B (Medical Insurance)
, you’ll need to contact the Social Security Administration. Depending on your situation, we can help you find the easiest way to sign up.

What's your situation?

I want to sign up for both Part A & Part B or only Part A when I turn 65

  1. Apply online (at Social Security) – This is the easiest and fastest way to sign up and get any financial help you qualify for.
  2. You’ll create your secure my Social Security account to sign up for Medicare or apply for Social Security benefits online.

You can only sign up for Part B (or Part A if you have to pay a premium for it) at certain times. Learn about Part A & Part B sign up periods.

Apply Online

I already have Part A & want to add Part B because I’m losing my job-based coverage

  1. Apply online to sign up for Part B if you already have Part A.
  2. Have the employer fill out form CMS-L564.
  3. Send the completed form to your local Social Security office by fax or mail.

If the employer can’t fill it out, complete Section B of the CMS-L564 form as best you can, but don’t sign it. You’ll need to submit proof of job-based health insurance.

Apply Online

I want to sign up for Part A & Part B, but I missed my chance when I turned 65

You can only sign up using one of these Special Enrollment Periods in certain situations.

  1. Fill out form CMS-10797.
  2. Send the completed form to your local Social Security office by fax or mail.
Download Form

I have Part A already & want to add Part B (only available Jan 1 – March 31)

Only sign up this way if none of the other situations on this page apply to you. You can only sign up for Part B at certain times. Learn about Part A & Part B sign up periods.

  1. Fill out form CMS-40B.
  2. Send the completed form to your local Social Security office by fax or mail.
Download Form

To submit your forms:

  • Send completed forms to your local Social Security office by fax or mail.
  • If you or your spouse worked for a railroad, visit RRB.gov, or call the Railroad Retirement Board at 1-877-772-5772. TTY users can call 1-312-751-4701.

If you live outside the U.S.: You may want to get Part B if you plan to return to the U.S. to get health care services. Get help signing up for Part B if you live in a foreign country.

After you sign up

You’ll get a welcome package with your Medicare card, which has your Medicare Number. You’ll need your Medicare Number to create your secure Medicare account here on Medicare.gov, join a plan, or buy supplemental insurance. 

Generally, you can only drop Part A (Hospital Insurance) if you have to pay a premium for it, also called Premium-Part A. You can choose to drop Part B (Medical Insurance), but there are some risks to dropping coverage. How do I drop Part A and/or Part B?

What do you want to do next?