Turning 65: your Medicare game plan
When to sign up, what to choose, and how to avoid the penalties that catch people by surprise. Your step-by-step checklist.
Your Initial Enrollment Period
Most people first sign up for Medicare during their Initial Enrollment Period, a seven-month window around their 65th birthday:
If you sign up before your birthday month, coverage usually starts the first day of your birthday month. If you’re already getting Social Security benefits, you’ll typically be enrolled in Parts A and B automatically, and your card arrives in the mail.
Your Turning 65 checklist
- Decide whether you need Part B now. If you’re still working and covered by an employer plan with 20+ employees, you may be able to delay Part B without penalty. Otherwise, enroll on time.
- Sign up for Parts A and B through Social Security (ssa.gov or your local office) if you aren’t enrolled automatically.
- Choose your path: Original Medicare + a Medicare Supplement + a Part D plan, or a Medicare Advantage plan.
- Gather your details: doctors, hospital, pharmacy, and prescription list with doses.
- Enroll before your coverage starts so there’s no gap.
Penalties to avoid
- Part B late penalty: 10% added to your Part B premium for each full 12-month period you could have had Part B but didn’t, for as long as you have Part B.
- Part D late penalty: 1% of the national base premium for every month without creditable drug coverage, for as long as you have Part D.
- Missing your Medigap window: after your six-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period, you may have to answer health questions to buy a supplement.
Still working past 65? The rules for delaying Part B depend on your employer’s size and whether your coverage is from active employment. Call us before you decide. It takes 15 minutes and can save you a lifetime penalty.
Frequently asked questions
When should I start planning for Medicare?
About three to four months before your 65th birthday. That gives you time to enroll in Parts A and B and choose a plan before your coverage begins.
Do I have to sign up for Medicare if I’m still working?
Not always. If you have creditable coverage through your own or your spouse’s current employer with 20 or more employees, you can usually delay Part B. Many people still take premium-free Part A. Check before you skip anything.
Does it cost anything to get help?
No. Our help comparing plans is free, and you won’t pay more for a plan by enrolling through us.
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