When you turn 65, you can enroll in Medicare* — a federal, national health insurance plan. Your initial enrollment period is three months before your 65th birthday, the month your turn 65, and three months after your 65th birthday. If you’re already collecting Social Security Benefits, you will automatically be enrolled. If you’re not collecting Social Security Benefits you must actively enroll. Below are the steps to get you started:
If you enroll before your 65th birthday your coverage begins the first day of the month you turn 65. If you enroll the month of or after your 65th birthday, your coverage begins on the first day of the month after you’ve applied.
You may delay Medicare enrollment if you are currently insured through a spouse who is actively employed, or through your own employer and want to keep that coverage. This may save you money on monthly premiums, which are calculated based on income, and also allow you to continue contributing to your Health Savings Account (HSA). However, the plan you’re staying on must be a large group plan that covers at least 20 or more employees and provides benefits that Medicare Parts B and D will cover. It is important to check with your current plan administrator that your plan is eligible to delay Medicare enrollment because penalty fees for late enrollment can be costly and last the rest of your life.
To delay Medicare enrollment, all you have to do is not sign up when you are first eligible. Or, if you’d only like Medicare Part A, which is generally free to most Americans, you simply enroll only in Part A and delay your Part B enrollment. The benefits of enrolling in Part A when you are first eligible are:
The disadvantage of enrolling in Part A if you or your spouse are still working is that you can no longer contribute to an HSA account.
When your coverage through your or your spouse’s active employment ends, this will trigger a Special Enrollment Period, for which you will have eight months to sign up for Medicare Part A and/or Part B, and two months to sign up for additional coverage (Medigap or Medicare Advantage) and/or a Prescription Drug Plan. Because of the difference in schedules, and the fact that you must have Medicare Parts A and B to sign up for additional coverage, you can plan on a two-month period to enroll in Medicare after active employer benefits end. Two forms must be submitted with your Part B application if you have delayed your Part B enrollment: CMS40B and [CMS-L564](https://www.cms.gov/cms-l564-request-employment-information#:~:text=This form is used for,coverage and dates of employment.).
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