When Do I Sign Up for Medicare?
The right time depends on your situation. Here are the three most common — in plain English.
1. You're Turning 65
You get a 7-month window around your birthday: the 3 months before your birthday month, your birthday month, and the 3 months after.
- Sign up in the 3 months before your birthday month so your coverage starts on time, with no gap.
- Already getting Social Security? You're enrolled automatically — your card arrives about 3 months before you turn 65.
- Miss your window and you could pay a late penalty for life, so it's worth marking the date.
2. You're Losing Job-Based Coverage After 65
Still working at 65 (or covered by a spouse who is) with insurance from that job? You can usually delay Medicare without a penalty while that coverage lasts.
- When the job-based coverage ends, you get an 8-month Special Enrollment Period to sign up for Part B — no penalty.
- Important: COBRA and retiree coverage do not count as active job coverage. Don't wait on those — sign up when the employment coverage ends.
- Not sure if your employer coverage lets you delay? That's a quick question worth asking before you decide.
3. You Have Medicaid or a Limited Income
If money is tight, you may qualify for programs that help pay your Medicare premiums and prescription costs — and sometimes more.
- If you have both Medicare and Medicaid, there are plans built specifically for your situation, and you can usually make changes more often than other people.
- Billions of dollars in this help goes unclaimed every year simply because people don't know it exists.
- It's worth a short conversation to see what you qualify for — at no cost to you.
Not Sure Which One Is You?
These three cover most people, but life doesn't always fit in a box — maybe you're turning 65 and still working, or moving states at the same time. That's exactly what a quick, no-pressure conversation is for. We'll figure out your timing together so you don't miss a deadline or pay a penalty you didn't need to.