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
Full Answer
How and when you should enroll in Medicare?
Sign up for Parts A and B of Medicare
- I’m already receiving Social Security retirement benefits. ...
- I’m signing up during my initial enrollment period , the three months before to the three months after the month you turn 65. ...
- I’m signing up during a special enrollment period , a time you can enroll in Medicare outside the initial enrollment period when certain conditions are met. ...
When is the last day to sign up for Medicare?
Medicare's annual open enrollment period ends Dec. 7, which means you have a week left to check whether there's a better coverage option for 2021.
What is the initial enrollment period for Medicare?
You can sign up for Medicare only at certain times. You can enroll during your seven-month initial enrollment period, which starts on the first day of the month three months before the month you turn 65 and lasts through the three months after ...
What age do I need to sign up for Medicare?
Your first chance to sign up (Initial Enrollment Period) Generally, when you turn 65. This is called your Initial Enrollment Period. It lasts for 7 months, starting 3 months before you turn 65, and ending 3 months after the month you turn 65. My birthday is on the first of the month. Avoid the penalty.
Do you have to sign up for Medicare or is it automatic when you turn 65?
Yes. If you are receiving benefits, the Social Security Administration will automatically sign you up at age 65 for parts A and B of Medicare. (Medicare is operated by the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, but Social Security handles enrollment.)
How many months before I turn 65 should I apply for Medicare?
3 monthsGenerally, we advise people to file for Medicare benefits 3 months before age 65. Remember, Medicare benefits can begin no earlier than age 65. If you are already receiving Social Security, you will automatically be enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B without an additional application.
How many months before my birthday should I apply for Medicare?
three monthsWhen Should You Apply for Medicare? In most cases, you should apply for Medicare as soon as you're eligible. The initial enrollment period starts three months before the month you turn 65, includes your birth month, and extends three months past the month you turn 65, giving you a seven-month window to apply.
What is the best time to sign up for Medicare?
A: The best time to enroll is during the open enrollment window around your 65th birthday – preferably in the three months before the month you turn 65, so that you'll have Medicare coverage by the time you turn 65.
What documents do I need to apply for Medicare?
What documents do I need to enroll in Medicare?your Social Security number.your date and place of birth.your citizenship status.the name and Social Security number of your current spouse and any former spouses.the date and place of any marriages or divorces you've had.More items...
What should I be doing 3 months before 65?
You can first apply for Medicare during the three months before your 65th birthday. By applying early, you ensure your coverage will start the day you turn 65. You can also apply the month you turn 65 or within the following three months without penalty, though your coverage will then start after your birthday.
How much does Medicare cost at age 62?
Reaching age 62 can affect your spouse's Medicare premiums He can still receive Medicare Part A, but he will have to pay a monthly premium for it. In 2020, the Medicare Part A premium can be as high as $458 per month.
When should I apply for Social Security when I turn 66 and 2 months?
You can apply up to four months before you want your retirement benefits to start. For example, if you turn 62 on December 2, you can start your benefits as early as December. If you want your benefits to start in December, you can apply in August.
Do they automatically send you a Medicare card?
You should automatically receive your Medicare card three months before your 65th birthday. You will automatically be enrolled in Medicare after 24 months and should receive your Medicare card in the 25th month.
What happens if you don't sign up for Medicare at 65?
Specifically, if you fail to sign up for Medicare on time, you'll risk a 10 percent surcharge on your Medicare Part B premiums for each year-long period you go without coverage upon being eligible. (Since Medicare Part A is usually free, a late enrollment penalty doesn't apply for most people.)
Does Medicare start the first day of your birthday month?
If you qualify for Premium-free Part A: Your Part A coverage starts the month you turn 65. (If your birthday is on the first of the month, coverage starts the month before you turn 65.)
Can I get Medicare Part B for free?
While Medicare Part A – which covers hospital care – is free for most enrollees, Part B – which covers doctor visits, diagnostics, and preventive care – charges participants a premium. Those premiums are a burden for many seniors, but here's how you can pay less for them.
Check when to sign up
Answer a few questions to find out when you can sign up for Part A and Part B based on your situation.
When coverage starts
The date your Part A and Part B coverage will start depends on when you sign up.
When do you get Medicare if you turn 65?
You’ll be automatically enrolled in Part A and B, receive your Medicare card three months before your 65th birthday, and your coverage will start the first day of your birthday month.
What is a SEP for a 65 year old?
If you’re 65 or older, still working, and covered under a group health plan from your current employer (or your spouse is, and you are both covered under their insurance) — you may qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP).
Your first chance to sign up (Initial Enrollment Period)
Generally, when you turn 65. This is called your Initial Enrollment Period. It lasts for 7 months, starting 3 months before you turn 65, and ending 3 months after the month you turn 65.
Between January 1-March 31 each year (General Enrollment Period)
You can sign up between January 1-March 31 each year. This is called the General Enrollment Period. Your coverage starts July 1. You might pay a monthly late enrollment penalty, if you don’t qualify for a Special Enrollment Period.
Special Situations (Special Enrollment Period)
There are certain situations when you can sign up for Part B (and Premium-Part A) during a Special Enrollment Period without paying a late enrollment penalty. A Special Enrollment Period is only available for a limited time.
Joining a plan
A type of Medicare-approved health plan from a private company that you can choose to cover most of your Part A and Part B benefits instead of Original Medicare. It usually also includes drug coverage (Part D).
Signing up for Medicare might make sense even if you have private insurance
Jeffrey M. Green has over 40 years of experience in the financial industry. He has written dozens of articles on investing, stocks, ETFs, asset management, cryptocurrency, insurance, and more.
How Medicare Works
Before diving into how Medicare works with your existing health coverage, it’s helpful to understand how it works on its own. Medicare has four main parts: A, B, C, and D. You can also purchase Medicare supplement insurance, known as Medigap.
Medicare Enrollment Periods
Medicare has a few enrollment periods, but the initial enrollment period may be the most important. This is when you first become eligible for Medicare. And if you miss the deadline to sign up for Parts B and D, you could face expensive penalties .
How Medicare Works If You Have Private Insurance
If you have private insurance, you may want to sign up for Parts A, B, D—and possibly a Medicare Advantage plan (Part C) and Medigap, once you become eligible. Or not. There are reasons both for and against. Consider how the following types of coverage work with Medicare to help you decide.
Primary and Secondary Payers
Your Medicare and private insurance benefits are coordinated, which means they work together. Typically, a primary payer will pay insurance claims first (up to plan limits) and a secondary payer will only kick in for costs not covered by the primary payer.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
No, you can delay signing up for Medicare without penalty, as long as you are covered by another type of private insurance. Generally, if you are eligible for premium-free Part A, you should still sign up for it, even if you have additional private insurance coverage. 18
How long does it take to get Medicare?
Learn how to make sure they have health insurance once you’re enrolled. Medicare eligibility starts at age 65. Your initial window to enroll is the seven-month period that begins three months before the month of your 65th birthday and ends three months after it. Seniors are generally advised to sign up on time to avoid penalties ...
What happens if you don't sign up for Medicare?
Specifically, if you fail to sign up for Medicare on time, you’ll risk a 10 percent surcharge on your Medicare Part B premiums for each year-long period you go without coverage upon being eligible.
When do you get Medicare if you leave your job?
In that case, you’ll get an eight-month special enrollment period to sign up for Medicare if and when you leave your job or your employer stops offering coverage. It will start the month after you separate from your employer, or the month after your group health coverage ends – whichever happens sooner.
Do you have to double up on Medicare?
No need to double up on coverage. Many seniors are no longer employed at age 65, and thus rush to sign up for Medicare as soon as they’re able. But if you’re still working at 65, and you have coverage under a group health plan through an employer with 20 employees or more, then you don’t have to enroll in Medicare right now.
Does Medicare pay for Part A?
That said, it often pays to enroll in Medicare Part A on time even if you have health coverage already. It won’t cost you anything, and this way, Medicare can serve as your secondary insurance and potentially pick up the tab for anything your primary insurance (in this case, your work health plan) doesn’t cover.