First Steps
Pre-planning Phase
Financial Planning
Take some time to identify any sources of income available to you during retirement, such as Social Security payments, pensions and benefits from past employers, annuities, insurance payouts etc.
Download Your "INTRODUCTION TO MEDICARE" Checklist
See what you should be doing — and when.
Get ChecklistHELPFUL HINT
Remember, healthcare planning is an important part of your overall retirement strategy. You must protect your savings against unexpected medical costs.
Next Steps
Plan Selection Phase
Coverage That Matters to You
Write down what you like about your current health coverage. No referrals? Prescription drug coverage? Fitness benefits? This will give you an idea of what to look for in a Medicare plan.
Find a Doctor
When selecting a plan, it pays to check and see if your doctor, specialists and hospitals are included in the network. Or, call us at 1-855-828-3982 (TTY 711)* and we'll be glad to see if your doctor(s) are included.
Look Up ProvidersREAD THE MEDICARE MAP GUIDE
Start comparing costs and benefits of each of our plans. Request your free Medicare Map Guide now.
Get Guide
Compare Our Plans
Get an idea of what your healthcare costs may be. You can do that by taking a look at the monthly premiums associated with our plans.
Compare PlansFinal Steps
Enrollment
Phase
Apply for Original Medicare
Apply for Medicare benefits (Parts A and B) if retiring at age 65 (and not already receiving Social Security benefits).
Helpful Hint
To avoid delays in your coverage, be sure you’re enrolled in Social Security and Medicare Part A and Part B before your 65th birthday. You can actually enroll in a Medicare health plan 3 months before your birthday. Waiting until your actual birth month will delay your coverage by at least another month.
REQUEST AN ENROLLMENT KIT
Now you’re ready to enroll! All the tools you need are right here in this easy-to-use kit.
Get Enrollment Kit
Enroll in a Plan
Enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan or a Medigap plan and Prescription Drug Plan.
Enroll Now
Third Party Website Disclaimer
You are about to leave the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama Medicare products website to visit one of our social media sites. Although content of our social media sites is maintained by Blue Cross, Blue Cross does not control the security and/or privacy practices of these external social media sites. Therefore, Blue Cross advises users of these sites against sharing any personal health information or any other information the user would otherwise not feel comfortable being made public. Blue Cross shall not be liable for privacy breaches, security incidents or similar events due to the use of social media sites.
To continue, click "Accept." If you want to stay on the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama Medicare website, click "Cancel."