Medicare plays a key role in providing health and financial security to beneficiaries residing in Massachusetts. With more than 1.3 million Massachusetts beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare, we’ll cover some very important information below about Medicare in Massachusetts. We want to help you better understand your options and make the decision-process as seamless as possible once you’re ready to enroll in Medicare or discover different coverage options.
Massachusetts Medicare Advantage (Part C), Medicare Supplement (Medigap) Insurance and Medicare Prescription Drug Plans (Part D)
For more information on how you can save money on your out-of-pocket costs with a Part C, Part D, or Medigap plan, please click the plans below to learn more. Licensed agents can also answer any of your questions and help you find a plan that fits your needs, lifestyle, and budget by clicking here.
Massachusetts Medicare Enrollments
Original Medicare Plans (Part A and B)
Medicare Advantage & Other Health Plans
Stand-alone Medicare Part D (Drug Plans)
Total Medicare Beneficiaries in Massachusetts
Who Qualifies for Medicare in Massachusetts?
Medicare covers most Massachusetts residents who are 65 or older, and it also covers disabled Massachusetts residents. Medicare enrollment in Massachusetts works the same way as it does in the rest of the country. If you qualify for Original Medicare, also known as Part A and Part B, it will help cover 80% of your health care costs.
When you’re first eligible for Medicare, you have a 7-month Initial Enrollment Period to sign up for Part A and/or Part B. If you’re eligible for Medicare when you turn 65, you can sign up during the 7-month period that:
- Begins 3 months before the month you turn 65
- Includes the month you turn 65
- Ends 3 months after the month you turn 65
In most cases, if you don’t sign up for Part B when you’re first eligible, you’ll have to pay a late enrollment penalty. You’ll be responsible for paying this penalty for as long as you have Part B, and you could have a gap in your health coverage.
Once you reach Medicare eligibility, you can begin choosing additional coverage options to help pay for the remaining 20% of your medical expenses through Medicare Advantage (Part C), Medigap, and/or a Medicare Prescription Drug (Part D) plan.
Local Medicare Health Plan Resources in Massachusetts
Age Strong: Seniors aged 55 and over who live in and around the city of Boston can receive help with managing their Medicare benefits from Age Strong, a program of the city government. Age Strong counselors and caseworkers are trained to educate seniors about various free and low-cost services they may be eligible for. The program offers referrals and direct assistance with discount and free prescription drug programs, and caseworkers can help eligible seniors sign up. Age Strong counselors are also able to help seniors find and apply for other, non-Medicare, or Medicare Advantage programs.
Contact: Call 617-635-4366. Inquiries and requests for counseling appointments may be submitted online or by mail to the Age Strong main office address shown on the program’s website.Serving the Health Insurance Needs of Everyone (SHINE): SHINE provides free health insurance information and counseling to all Massachusetts residents with Medicare and their caregivers. People who have Medicare or who are about to become eligible for Medicare can meet with a counselor to learn about benefits and options available. A counselor will review programs that help people with limited income to pay health care costs.
Contact: Call 1-800-243-4636 or TTY/ASCll (800) 439-2370MetroWest Meds Program: MetroWest Meds is designed to help eligible uninsured and under-insured individuals in the MetroWest area* receive medications through pharmaceutical company prescription drug programs. MetroWest Meds will work with you and your doctor to complete the application process required by the pharmaceutical companies. This service is free to eligible residents of the following towns: Ashland, Bellingham, Dover, Framingham, Franklin, Holliston, Hopedale, Hopkinton, Hudson, Marlborough, Medfield, Medway, Mendon, Milford, Millis, Natick, Needham, Norfolk, Northborough, Sherborn, Southborough, Sudbury, Wayland, Wellesley, and Westborough.
Contact: Call 508-270-5781. Walk-in applications are accepted at program offices, though mail is received at the Edward M. Kennedy Community Health Center in Framingham.Mansfield’s Council on Aging (COA): COA is a multi-faceted human services department that serves the needs of all residents aged 60 and over, their families, and caregivers. The COA oversees Social Services for all Mansfield residents. The mission of the COA is to protect, preserve and improve the ability of older residents of Mansfield to remain healthy, safely independent in their homes, socially engaged, physically active, and intellectually stimulated for as long as they wish and are able. This is to be accomplished through social services, nutrition, exercise, music, and artistic programs.
Contact: Call 508-261-7368 to schedule an appointment with a caseworker. Applications and other correspondence may be mailed to: Mansfield Council on Aging – Town Hall, 255 Hope Street, P.O. Box 232, Mansfield, MA 02048.Greater Lynn Senior Services (GLSS): GLSS is the nonprofit Aging Services Access Point and Area Agency on Aging serving people age 60 and older and adults living with disabilities in Lynn, Lynnfield, Nahant, Saugus, and Swampscott, MA.
Contact: Call 781-581-7557 or email info@glss.net. Written communications, including application packets, can be mailed to 8 Silsbee Street, Lynn, MA 01901.Disability Resource Center (DRC): If you live in Essex or Middlesex counties you may be eligible for assistance with the Medicare and Medicare Advantage programs through the Disability Resource Center (DRC) in Salem. The mission of the center is to inform local seniors, as well as younger adults with any kind of disability, about how Medicare benefits work together, and available extra assistance that they may be eligible for. Program caseworkers are able to offer unbiased advice, educational materials about each program the center works with and direct assistance filling out the necessary application forms.
Contact: Call 978-741-0077 or email information@ilcnsca.orgPrescription Advantage: Prescription Advantage is the state-sponsored prescription drug assistance program for seniors and people with disabilities in Massachusetts. Prescription Advantage supplements prescription drug benefits by helping to pay for medications covered by Medicare Part D or creditable coverage plans**. Membership category determines when Prescription Advantage benefits begin. At that time, members pay no more than Prescription Advantage co-payment amounts. Click here for more detailed information.
Contact: Call 1-800-AGE-INFO (1-800-243-4636) and press 3
The licensed agents that are partnered with Timefor65 can help you compare the availability, benefits, and costs of Medicare plans in your specific region of Massachusetts. Our process makes it easier for you to access your Medicare eligibility in Massachusetts so that you receive personalized, affordable, and easy-to-use coverage options and solutions. Fill out the form or give us a call at (866) 327‑0148 anytime to get a free quote or to ask any questions.