***You should contact the SS office near you 3 months before your retirement age birthday so that they can get you started in the enrollment process.****
Medicare Part A is Free. Sign up as soon as SS sends you the form. Part A is for hospitalization only.
You don't need Part B IF you have insurance through your husband's work. Your husband's insurance is your primary insurance.
You will have an EFFECTIVE DATE which is when you are eligible for Medicare.
You will have some time to sign up for part B once your husband stops working, but don't let yourself be uninsured.
Part B costs $115.40 for 2011 in Illinois.
When you no longer have your DH's insurance, you will need TO BUY Part B &/or supplemental ins. Supplemental Ins pays what Medicare Part B does not pay & this can be alot if your are hospitalized! The fee for this is based ON YOUR AGE. There are times in your life when the amt. you pay will change. I'm disabled. I am under 62,therefore I pay the highest premium for Part B. I pay the same as a person 86 yrs old & I became eligible at 59.. You will need to check out what is offered when the time comes that you need it.
Medicare has done away with some of their previous programs for new enrollees & at this time "F" is the best choise for supplemental medical coverage. The reason "F" is best is because it pays 100% of everything. I have to pay $203/month for it in my circumstance. That is along witth the $115.40 for Part B.
Medicare Part D is for medicine. If you have this through your husband, you don't need it yet either. I pay about $35.00/month for this and a co-pay of $9.00 for prescriptions. All prescriptions aren't covered. You will get a book of covered medications or you can look them up.
In total I pay $353.00/month for medicare A (free), B, D, & supplemental ins through BCBS per month. This is a LARGE chunk of my Disability check. DH is unemployed due to co. buyout.
As I need more tests, MRI's, CT's, surgeries, etc, if Medicare won't/doesn't pay it, the supplemental BCBS will pick up the entire bill. No co-pays, no other expenses for ANY tests, Physical Therapy, etc.
Medicare does not pay for any dental of any kind. (I think they used to pay for 1 set of dentures every few yrs but I don't know if that is still true since i don't need them.)
Medicare does not pay for any vision unless related to a medical problem like Glaucoma or Cataracs. Then Medicare will pay for the 1st pair of glasses after surgery & that's it.
There is a program in some or all states that helps with questions. Here in Illinois it's called SHIP. Maybe it's called that in all states, but I don't know that for a fact. But you should be able to find the similar program in your state to help with your questions. Then you call the office & you can ask your questions.
Your SS office will send you info if you call & ask them, also.
***You should contact the SS office 3 months before you are going to retire so that they can get you started in the enrollment process.