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Applying for Medicare: Information You Need to Know

Documents required to enroll in Medicare

Before enrolling for Medicare, you must be able to prove that you are qualified to be in the program. In most cases, the program may not need a document to prove your eligibility.

You don’t need to provide any documents if you have access to Social Security retirement benefits or Social Security Disability Insurance [1]. Medicare and Social Security may have all your necessary information for enrollment.

People without any form of Social Security benefits have to submit documents to prove their eligibility. You don’t have to go to an office to enroll in Medicare. You can enroll over your phone or laptop. You will always need to submit important information during enrollment.

Important information provided during enrollment includes:

  • The amount of money you’ve made in the last 2 years (if you’re applying between September and December, you’ll also need to estimate next year’s earnings)
  • Your date and place of birth
  • The date and place of any marriages or divorces you’ve had
  • The names and ages of any children you have who are younger than age 18
  • The names and ages of any children you have who had a disability before age 22
  • Information on any federal pension you currently have or will receive in the future
  • The name and address of any employer you’ve had in the past 2 years
  • Information about any service ou or a spouse has done for the railroad industry
  • The dates of any military service you had before 1968
  • Your Social Security number
  • Your citizenship status
  • The name and Social Security number of your current spouse and any spouse you’ve had in the past
  • Information about any Social Security work credits you’ve earned in another country
  • If you’ve ever enrolled in Social Security benefits in the past, or If someone has ever applied for you

You can provide these details in most cases by filling out an application. However, you might need additional documentation for some details, including:

  • Your self-employment tax details or W-2 or from the past year
  • Your original birth certificate or a copy that’s been certified by the issuing agency, such as the state you were born in
  • A record of your earnings, which may include your Social Security statement
  • If you don’t have a record of your birth, other documents to prove your age, such as your immunization records, school records, state census records, insurance records, or medical records
  • If you’re not a U.S. citizen, proof of legal residency — including your Permanent Resident Card, often called a green card, and your admission-departure record, if you have it
  • Proof of your service in the military before 1968, such as your discharge papers.
  • Proof of your U.S. citizenship like a naturalization certificate, a U.S. consular report of birth, a Certificate of Citizenship, or a U.S. passport.

While you might not need all these files to enroll in Medicare, experts advise to get many ready. You can contact Social Security to know what you need. Make sure the documents you send are original. You can send copies of medical records, tax documentation, and W-2s. The copies you send must be original. Social will send copies of the documents back to you after processing them.