Help With Social Security & Medicare
If you are having difficulty obtaining Social Security benefits, receiving your check or have questions about your eligibility for Social Security, we may be able to help. Please contact our staff in the Ohio district office nearest you.
What is the earliest age that I can begin receiving retirement benefits?
The earliest age at which you can begin getting Social Security retirement benefits is 62.
The 1983 Social Security Amendments included a provision for raising the retirement age beginning with persons born in 1938 or later, but does not affect the minimum age for retirement, still age 62. You will receive a reduced benefit if you elect benefits prior to your full retirement age.
See details on the amount of this reduction. The earliest age at which you can be entitled to Medicare is 65. (You can be entitled to Medicare at an earlier age only if you are entitled to Social Security disability benefits.) See more information on the increase in the full retirement age.
Can I receive Social Security benefits and SSI?
You may be able to receive SSI in addition to monthly Social Security benefits, if your Social Security benefit is low enough to qualify. The amount of your SSI benefit depends on where you live. However, the basic SSI check is the same nationwide. Effective January 2008, the SSI payment for an eligible individual is $637 per month and $956 per month for an eligible couple. If you get SSI, you also may be able to get other help from your state or county. For example, you may be able to get Medicaid, food stamps, or some other social services. For information about all the services available in your community, call your local social services department or public welfare office.
For complete information on the eligibility requirements for SSI, you should read Social Security pamphlet "Supplemental Security Income". You should call the toll-free number, 1-800-772-1213, to find out if you might be eligible for SSI in your state.
Applying for Benefits
http://www.ssa.gov/applyfordisability/
Most of the application forms can be completed online, depending on the type of benefit for which you apply:
- Social Security Disability Benefits
You can complete both the Application and Adult Disability and Work History Report online. - Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
You can complete the online Adult Disability and Work History Report. Call 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) or contact your local Social Security Office to set up an appointment to complete the SSI application form in person or over the phone. - Disability benefits for children
You can complete the Child Disability Report online. Call 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) or contact your local Social Security Office to set up an appointment to complete the rest of the application in person or over the phone.
How do I apply for Medicare?
If you are already receiving Social Security benefits:
Most people qualify for Medicare when they turn 65. You qualify for it if you're eligible for Social Security or Railroad Retirement benefits. Or you may qualify on a spouse's (including divorced spouse's) record. Others qualify because they are government employees not covered by Social Security who paid the Medicare part of the Social Security tax. In addition, if you've been getting Social Security disability benefits for 24 months or get Social Security disability benefits and have amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease), you'll qualify for Medicare. You may also qualify if you have permanent kidney failure and you receive maintenance dialysis or a kidney transplant.
If you are already getting Social Security benefits, you'll automatically be enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B. However, because you must pay a premium for Part B coverage, you have the option of turning it down. You will be contacted by mail a few months before you become eligible and given all the information you need.
If you are not already receiving Social Security benefits:
If you are not already getting benefits when you turn 65, you should call 1-800-772-1213 three months prior to your birthday so the Social Security Administration can help you decide if you should sign up for Medicare. You should do this even if you plan to continue working or do not think you have enough work credit under Social Security, because Medicare enrollment period rules are very strict. If you would like to file for Medicare only, you can apply by calling 1-800-772-1213. People who are deaf or hard of hearing may call 1-800-325-0778 (TTY), between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. on business days. Social Security representatives there can make an appointment for you—by phone or in person—at any convenient Social Security office. When you apply for Medicare, Social Security officials often also take an application for monthly benefits. If you want to apply, the Social Security Administration suggests that you apply for retirement and Medicare benefits online.
