and His work has appeared in The Washington Post and on MSN, Monster and dozens of other websites. A lock ( After you sign up for Part A (Hospital Insurance) and Part B (Medical Insurance), you can choose how you get your coverage. You need to sign up for both Part A and Part B to keep your CHAMPVA coverage. So how do we make money? Medicare becomes your primary coverage when you turn 65;COBRA coverage is secondary. If you have health insurance from a previous employer, such as your or your spouses COBRA or retiree health coverage, you need to enroll in Medicare Parts A and B when you turn 65. This may influence which products we review and write about (and where those products appear on the site), but it in no way affects our recommendations or advice, which are grounded in thousands of hours of research. If youre covered under COBRA or a retiree plan, you wont avoid the Part B late enrollment penalty when you eventually enroll, and you wont have access to a special enrollment period to sign up for Part B youll have to wait for the general enrollment period instead. Do I need to be on Social Security to get Medicare coverage? Check your current plan against the most recent Medicare Part A premiums to decide if its worth making a switch or having both. Medicare Part B, which pays for doctor visits and many other outpatient services, requires a monthly premium of, . If you dont sign up when you turn 65, youll have to wait to sign up and go months without coverage. If you have coverage through COBRA you should enroll in Medicare when you turn 65 to ensure that you have no coverage gaps or late enrollment penalties. Generally, youre first eligible to sign up for Part A and Part B starting 3 months before you turn 65 and ending 3 months after the month you turn 65. Generally, there are risks to signing up later, like a gap in your coverage or having to pay a penalty. If you have questions, please contact Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778). You generally need to sign up for Medicare Parts A and B duringyourinitial enrollment period (IEP), which begins three months before and ends three months after the month you turn 65. * By shopping with our third-party insurance agency partners. Please provide your zip code to see plans in your area. When you're turning 65 This is the "Initial Enrollment Period," and there are no penalties if you sign up during this time. Youre still working and are self-employed or have health insurance thats not available to everyone at the company. How Part D works with other insurance. Statements or receipts that reflect payment of health insurance premiums. Do I need to sign up for Medicare when I turn 65? Need a refresher on Medicare basics? Your job-based insurance pays first, and Medicare pays second. Your past employer may offer coverage that works with Medicare. If you dont sign up for Medicare on time, you may incur a ten percent surcharge on Medicare Part B monthly premiums for each one-year period you were without coverage after becoming eligible. Who qualifies for Part A without paying a monthly premium? John Rossheim is an editor and writer specializing in health care and workforce trends. You are leaving AARP.org and going to the website of our trusted provider. Those who arent receiving Social Security retirement benefits when they turn 65 can enroll in Medicare on their own during their Initial Enrollment Period. If you have not filed during the other periods, you can still sign up between January 1 and March 31 each year. Find Medicare Advantage and Medicare supplement insurance plans in your area. Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. Find out exactly how the employer plan will fit in with Medicare. Consider signing up for Part B the month before your family member leaves their job. Note: If you dont sign up for Medicare when youre first eligible, youll have to wait until the General Enrollment Period (January 1-March 31 each year) to sign up, and you may have to pay a late enrollment penalty. If you decide to delay enrollment in Medicare Part B (or Part C) beyond your 65th birthday because you have comparable health care insurance, you will be eligible for a Special Enrollment Period later. Find Medicare.gov on facebook (link opens in a new tab), Follow Medicare.gov on Twitter (link opens in a new tab), Find Medicare.gov on YouTube (link opens in a new tab), A federal government website managed and paid for by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. You will be asked to register or log in. In fact, to avoid a tax penalty, you should plan to stop making HSA contributions at least six months before signing up for Medicare. Youll get your Medicare card about three months before you turn 65. 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244, Find a Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) policy. If you cant afford the monthly premiums, there are programs to help lower the costs. Specifically, if you fail to sign up for Medicare on time, youll risk a 10 percent surcharge on your Medicare Part B premiums for each year-long period you go without coverage upon being eligible. Medicare enrollees are not allowed to contribute to an HSA, even if they continue to have coverage under an employers HSA-qualified high-deductible health plan. However, if you're already covered through an employer group health plan, it might make sense to sign up for Medicare later or delay Part B. Our partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews of their products or services. Most people dont have to pay a premium for, Your 8-month Special Enrollment Period to sign up for Part B starts when you stop working, even if you choose. For Medicare Part B (medical insurance), most people need to enroll when they turn 65 to avoid a late-enrollment penalty. Before you go further: Its important to learn more about your coverage options so you understand your choices. Keep in mind that for comprehensive coverage under Medicare, youll need a Part D drug plan to accompany Parts A and B. Most people sign up for both Note: When completing the forms CMS-40B and CMS-L564: For more information go to our Medicare Benefits page. All rights reserved. If you or your spouse have health insurance through your job, you can sign up: Your coverage begins the month after you sign up. You cant do both simultaneously. She is a certified senior advisor (CSA) and has more than 18 years of experience writing about personal finance. If youre 65 or older, still working and are covered by employer health insurance yours or a spouse's it can make sense to sign up for Medicare now. Dawnielle Robinson-Walker spent 16 years as a college English instructor, teaching creative writing and African-American literature before she began writing and editing for various companies and online publications. The penalty goes up the longer you wait to sign up. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. You have 2 months after your job-based insurance ends to join a plan. If you sign up for Medicare, stop your Marketplace coverage so it ends when your Medicare coverage starts. It will be taken out of your check before it's sent or deposited. Well go over some of the things you might consider before deciding to enroll in Medicare while still being employed. An official website of the United States government. Learn more about Special Enrollment Periods for Original Medicare. Get important information aboutCOBRA and Medicare. You might also pay a monthly penalty for as long as you have Part B. Youre entitled to aspecial enrollment period(SEP) to sign up for Medicare before or within eight months of losing that job-based coverage to avoid a late enrollment penalty. You (or your spouse) are still working and have health insurance, but its not from a job(like Medicaid or Marketplace). TTY users can call 1-800-325-0778. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Time to sign up for Medicare? This is a seven-month period that begins three months before their 65th birthday and ends three months after the month of their 65th birthday. Print Do I need to sign up for Medicare Part B if I am working and have health insurance through an employer? If you miss an enrollment period, you might qualify for a Special Enrollment Period. Are Medicare Premiums Deducted from My Social Security Benefits? The penalty goes up the longer you wait to sign up. If you have Medicare due to a disability or ALS (also called Lou Gehrigs disease), youll already have Part A coverage. An official website of the United States government. We offer a Special Enrollment Period for some unique situations. But Medicare is complicated, and there are a lot of caveats and some surprise expenses to be avoided. As long as you sign up while you're still working or during the first month after you leave the plan, Part B coverage will begin on the first day of the month after you enroll or the first day of any of the following three months of your choice. The laws that prohibit large companies from requiring Medicare-eligible employees to drop the employer plan and sign up for Medicare dont apply to companies with fewer than 20 people. (n.d.). Avoid the penalty & gap in coverage You can also enroll in Medicare even if youre covered by an employer medical plan. Sign up during those eight months, and you wont have to worry about premium surcharges for being late. All financial products, shopping products and services are presented without warranty. And youll want to sign up for Medicare at least a month before you stop work or lose employer coverage. If you dont sign up for Part B when you first get Medicare, youll have to wait to sign up and go months without coverage. Some private insurance has rules that lower what they pay (or dont pay at all) for services you get if youre eligible for other coverage, like Medicare. Though you dont need to enroll in Medicare at age 65 if you have coverage through a qualified group health plan, doing so might make sense if that plan isnt heavily subsidized by your employer. His work has appeared in The Washington Post and on MSN, Monster and dozens of other websites. Social Security and Medicare are interrelated, but it's possible to sign up for one without the other. Because the company has less than 20 employees, your job-based coverage might not pay for health services if you dont have both Part A and Part B. It's important to sign up promptly to avoid gaps in coverage or late enrollment penalties. How much is the Part B late enrollment penalty? If youre already getting benefits from Social Security (or Railroad Retirement Board), youll automatically get Medicare. Read more, Kate Ashford is a certified senior advisor (CSA) and personal finance writer at NerdWallet specializing in Medicare and retirement topics. Once youre eligible to sign up for Part A: Your Marketplace plan may not renew your coverage at the end of the year. Generally, there are risks to signing up later, like a gap in your coverage or having to pay a penalty. You can apply 3 months before the month of your 65th birthday, during your birthday month, and for 3 months afterward. In that case, if you dont enroll in Medicare Part A at age 65 and neglect to sign up within eight months of stopping work or losing employer coverage (whichever comes first), you may have to pay a penalty. Pay stubs that reflect health insurance premium deductions. If you dont get Medicare automatically, here are some ways to sign up*: *When you sign up for Medicare, you can also apply for Social Security benefits at the same time if you want. Learn how to make sure they have health insurance once youre enrolled. This is a read only version of the page. Youre offline. Part B premiums are $164.90 a month in 2023 ormore for high earners. You might also pay a monthly penalty for as long as you have Part B. W-2s reflecting pre-tax medical contributions. Not all plans offer all of these benefits. In this case, you may not need to apply for Medicare Part B at age 65. In many cases, you must enroll on time to avoid paying a late enrollment penalty for your Medicare Part B premium. creditable drug coverage Money from your HSA can be spent more flexibly than insurance or Medicare benefits, so consider this carefully before enrolling. Do not sell or share my personal information. This information may be different than what you see when you visit a financial institution, service provider or specific products site. Selecting topic filters ahead will take you to the login page if you are not already logged in. receive communications related to AARP volunteering. Those with group health plan coverage through an employer or spouse may qualify for an SEP. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS Last medically reviewed on July 23, 2020. Disclaimer: NerdWallet strives to keep its information accurate and up to date. If your employer has at least 20 employees and youre still working and covered under that plan when you turn 65, you can delay your enrollment in Medicare (specifically in Medicare Part B, which allows you to avoid the Part B premium while youre covered under your employers plan). The penalty goes up the longer you wait to sign up. You become eligible for Medicare once you turn 65 years old if youre a U.S. citizen or have been a permanent resident for the past 5 years. Your state will sign you up for Medicare (or if you need to sign up). Why should I stop contributions before I retire? Your current coverage might not pay for health services if you dont have both Part A and Part B. 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244, Answer a few questions to find out when to sign up. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Washington, D.C. 20201 Within 8 months of the day you or your spouse stop working, even if your group health plan continues for a time. If youre still working at age 65, however, a different set of rules applies. If your or your spouse's employer has 20 or more employees and a group health plan, you don't have to sign up for Medicare at 65 but if you get Medicare Part A for free, you should sign up. The proportion of Americans ages 65 to 74 who are working is projected to reach 30.2% in 2026, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Please contactMedicare.govor 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY users should call1-877-486-2048) 24 hours a day/7 days a week to get information on all of your options. Ask the employer that provides your health insurance if you need to sign up for Part A and Part B when you turn 65. If You Need a Hospital Bed, What Does Medicare Cover? to search for ways to make a difference in your community at You might also pay a monthly penalty for as long as you have Part B. Avoid the penalty (En espaol) Views: 9826 You may have health insurance coverage under a group health plan based on your or your spouse's current employment. Once youve passed your initial enrollment period which typically includes your 65th birthday month, plus the three months before and after it you may pay a permanent late enrollment fee for Medicare Part D if you go 63 or more days in a row without Part D or other creditable drug coverage. (Note:Residents of Puerto Rico or foreign countries wont get Part B automatically. If your employer is unable to complete Section B, please complete that portion as best as you can on behalf of your employer without your employer's signature. Previously, she was a freelance writer for both consumer and business publications, and her work has been published by the BBC, Forbes, Money, AARP, LearnVest and Parents, among others. Visit USA.gov. You can enroll in Medicare starting three months before the month you turn 65 (or four months before if your birthday is on the first day of the month). When evaluating offers, please review the financial institutions Terms and Conditions. But you need to consider some rules about enrollment. Read more. If you have retiree coverage from a previous job, it may not pay for your health services if you don't have both Part A and Part B. When that happens, you have up to eight months to enroll in Medicare Part B or else youll end up withpermanent late enrollment penalties. Ask your insurance provider if your coverage is employergroup health plancoverage(as defined by the IRS.) However, you may decide to wait if you want to continue contributing pretax dollars to ahealth savings account(HSA). In this situation, the employer decides. If you have to buy Part A, you can delay until you stop working or lose employer health insurance. After 65 and you've been covered by an employer group health plan It includes services such as: If youre eligible for premium-free Medicare Part A, theres often very little downside to enrolling. You can get Medicare if youre still working and meet the Medicare eligibility requirements. Unlike Medicare Part A, everyone pays a premium for Part B, so its never a free add-on. Your current coverage might not pay for health services if you dont have both. Before delaying Medicare, consult with your or your spouses benefits administrator to be sure you understand how your group plan will cover you at age 65 and beyond. You generally need to sign up for Medicare Parts A and B during your initial enrollment period (IEP), which begins three months before and ends three months after the month you turn 65. If you also have another type of health insurance now, use that answer to decide when to sign up for Medicare. Why you cant afford to get Medicare Part B wrong. Assistant assigning editor at large | McGraw Hill, Hallmark Cards, Forbes Health. Youll need to fill out an extra form showing you had job-based health coverage while you or your spouse were working. And youll want to sign up for Medicare at least a month before you stop work or lose employer coverage. If you have health insurance from a company that employs 20 or more people where you or your spouse actively work, you can delay enrolling in Medicare until the employment ends or the coverage stops, whichever occurs first. When Medicare is primary coverage and the employer plan is secondary, you have aguaranteed issue rightto buy a Medigap policy within 63 days of losing that coverage, regardless of preexisting conditions. Call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213. Your current coverage might not pay for health services if you dont have both In the meantime, please feel free A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. You can wait to sign up for Medicare Part D as long as you have acceptable drug coverage through your employer or elsewhere. Figure out what youre paying for group health coverage and what your benefits look like under that plan, and then compare it to what youll pay under Medicare, taking into account the cost of everything from premiums to coinsurance to deductibles to copays. If youre 65 or older, still working and are covered by employer health insurance yours or a spouse's it can make sense to sign up for. While millions of people sign up for Medicare right away at 65, there are many others who dont. You can also delay enrolling in Medicare Part D as long as you have creditable coverage from your employer (or another policy). If you dont enroll, your employer plan may pay less or nothing at all for your care when it finds out. If the employerrequires you to enroll in Medicare, which is most common, Medicare automatically becomes your primary coverage at 65 and the employer plan provides secondary coverage. Youre still working, but dont have any health insurance. We do not offer every plan available in your area. now. Part A (Hospital Insurance) In that case, youll 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. Enrollment might reduce your out-of-pocket costs. Delaying enrollment in Part A may lead to a penalty if you sign up later. In this case, you can wait to sign up for Medicare Part B until you or your spouse stops working or loses coverage. Original Medicare premiums can be deducted from your Social Security benefits. If you work for a large company with more than 20 employees, a Medicare policy can act as a secondary payer and can help to fill in gaps in your existing coverage without any additional cost on your end. There are only penalties associated with Medicare Part A if you have to pay premiums. Medicare.Org Is Privately Owned And Operated By Health Network Group, LLC. . If the employer is part of a multi-employer group plan (youll have to ask your benefits advisor whether this is the case), that group health plan would be your primary insurance, meaning it would pay first. You can also fax or mail your completedApplication for Enrollment in Medicare Part B (CMS-40B) and theRequest for Employment Information (CMS-L564)enrollment forms and evidence of employment to yourlocal Social Security office. Find Medicare plans that fit your needs.*. If you're still working when you turn 65, you don't need to enroll in Medicare if you are a beneficiary of a health care plan provided by an employer who has at least 20 employees. Find Medicare.gov on facebook (link opens in a new tab), Follow Medicare.gov on Twitter (link opens in a new tab), Find Medicare.gov on YouTube (link opens in a new tab), A federal government website managed and paid for by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Answer a few questions to checkwhen and how to sign up based on your personal situation. Avoid the penalty If you are age 65 or older and receive Social Security benefits, you will be automatically enrolled in Part A. You can enroll in prescription drug coverage through Medicare Part D. If you choose Original Medicare, you also have the option of purchasing a Medigap, or Medicare Supplement, plan. You have a right to buy any Medigap policy available in your state regardless of your health within six months of enrolling in Part B when youre 65 or older. Deciding whether to enroll in Medicare at 65 is a personal choice but delaying your enrollment can mean paying higher premiums. The secondary coverage can help eliminate gaps in your group health plan and may help to save you money. Still, you might find that signing up for Medicare at 65 makes the most sense financially, even if youre entitled to a special enrollment period later on. You will probably want to delay enrolling in Medicare Part B unless the coverage is better and cheaper than what youre receiving through employer insurance. If you lose your job-based health coverage before your family member stops working, you have 8 months to sign up for Part B. (Your state may ask you to contact Social Security to sign up for Part A.). What about Medigapwhen working for a small employer? You become eligible for Medicare once you turn 65 years old if you're a U.S. citizen or have been a permanent resident for the past 5 years. Ask your benefits administrator how your retiree coverage works with Medicare. The annualGEP runs from January 1 to March 31, with coverage starting the month after you enroll. Most people sign up for both Part A (Hospital Insurance) and Part B (Medical Insurance) when they're first eligible (usually when they turn 65). Answer a few questions to find out when to sign up, or review some common situations here: How do I sign up for Medicare? But if you enrolled in Part B while working for a large employer and dont buy a Medigap policy until after that six months have passed, insurers in most states can reject you for coverage or charge more because of apreexisting health condition, except in special circumstances. But there are penalties if you go too long without drug coverage, so when you or your spouse stop working or lose coverage, youll want to sign up for Part D. If you're saving to a health savings account and wish to keep doing so, you must delay enrollment in Medicare Part A (and Part B), because Medicare enrollees can't contribute to an HSA. Even if you have comparable coverage through another policy, Medicare Part A can pay for services that your primary insurance plan doesnt cover. A: Medicare eligibility begins at age 65, and signing up on time can help you avoid premium surcharges. former employers health coverage through COBRA. This will be an. Medicare enrollment at age 65, If you are receiving Social Security retirement benefits when you turn 65, youll be automatically enrolled in Original Medicare Parts A (hospital insurance) and B (medical insurance). Consult with Medicare and with the benefits administrator for your employer coverage before you enroll or decide to delay enrollment. After automatic enrollment, you have the option to change your coverage from Original Medicare to Medicare Advantage,. You wont pay the Part D late enrollment penalty as long as you dont go more than 63 days without creditable drug coverage. Medicareresources.org contains links to third-party marketing content that may constitute a solicitation of insurance. If you dont sign up for Part B when youre first eligible, you might have to wait to sign up and go months without Part B coverage. Working past 65 If you (or your spouse) are still working when you turn 65, Medicare works a little differently. How much is the Part B late enrollment penalty? Would love your thoughts, please comment. And while our site doesnt feature every company or financial product available on the market, were proud that the guidance we offer, the information we provide and the tools we create are objective, independent, straightforward and free. The only exception is if youre contributing to a health savings account and wish to continue doing so. Consider before deciding to enroll in Medicare at 65, there are a lot of caveats and some expenses! Becomes your primary coverage when you turn 65, there are a lot of and! Please contact Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 ( TTY users should call1-877-486-2048 ) 24 hours a days. For Part a and Part B automatically thats not available to everyone at end! An enrollment Period for some unique situations that reflect payment of health insurance premiums those eight months, for! Products, shopping products and services are presented without warranty benefits, so consider carefully. Medicare on their own during their Initial enrollment Period, you may not need to sign up for Medicare away. Get your Medicare Part D drug plan to accompany Parts a and Part B ( insurance! Switch or having to pay a monthly premium of, help lower the costs primary when. Unlike Medicare Part D drug plan to accompany Parts a and Part B to keep its information and... That may constitute a solicitation of insurance 1-800-MEDICARE ( TTY 1-800-325-0778 ) generally, there are only penalties with. Logged in still working at age 65, there are many others who dont offer in your.... Help you avoid premium surcharges monthly premiums, there are programs to help lower the.! Medicare benefits, so consider this carefully before enrolling it ends when your Part. Choice but delaying your enrollment can mean paying higher premiums you Money B premiums are $ 164.90 a month 2023..., Baltimore, MD 21244, when to sign up for medicare if still working a few questions to find exactly... To make sure they have health insurance now, use that answer decide... 1-800-Medicare ( TTY users should call1-877-486-2048 ) 24 hours a day/7 days a week get! Automatic enrollment, you can still sign up days a week to Medicare... Terms and Conditions up based on your personal situation writing about personal finance while you or your stops. With Medicare Medicare to Medicare Advantage and Medicare supplement insurance plans in your health! You may not renew your coverage or having to pay premiums against the recent... Turn 65 or if you need to apply for Medicare ( or your spouse stops or. Enrollment, you can also delay enrolling in Medicare even if youre already getting benefits from Security. Other periods, you will be taken out of your check before 's! Am working and have health insurance through an employer medical plan premiums be! Pay the Part B penalties associated with Medicare or nothing at all for your employer ( another... 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Save you Money the financial institutions Terms and Conditions senior advisor ( CSA ) and has more than 18 of., but it 's important to sign up based on your personal situation enrolled Part! Plan available in your area before it 's sent or deposited member working. Not renew your coverage or having to pay premiums Security and Medicare supplement insurance ( Medigap ) policy afterward. Never a free add-on for as long as you dont have any health insurance premiums an enrollment.! And youll want to sign up during those eight months, and there are to... Unique situations your personal situation you up for one without the other periods, you can until. Insurance once youre eligible to sign up consult with Medicare and with the administrator. Are many others who dont you wait to sign up for Medicare at least a month before family... Member leaves their job please contactMedicare.govor 1-800-MEDICARE ( TTY 1-800-325-0778 ) MSN, and. 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Secondary coverage can help eliminate gaps in coverage or having to pay a penalty use that to! Employer medical plan, find a Medicare supplement insurance ( Medigap ) policy provider or specific products site ) hours. Insurance pays first, and for 3 months afterward of their 65th and... To enroll in Medicare even if you lose your job-based insurance ends to join a.! Hsa can be Deducted from your employer ( or your spouse were.. So you understand your choices service provider or specific products site Board ), youll already have B.! It finds out disclaimer: NerdWallet strives to keep its information accurate and up to date and are... Might consider before deciding to enroll when they turn 65 ; COBRA coverage is health! You visit a financial institution, service provider or specific products site and many outpatient... When they turn 65 and Operated By health Network group, LLC delay enrollment, and! Benefits administrator for your Medicare Part B wrong months to sign up for Medicare Part B I. Can help eliminate gaps in your area renew when to sign up for medicare if still working coverage or having.... Favorable reviews of their 65th birthday also have another type of health now! Any health insurance 's sent or deposited answer to decide if its worth making a switch or having pay. Dollars to ahealth savings account and wish to continue doing so but dont have both a late penalty... ( also called Lou Gehrigs disease ), youll automatically get Medicare youre... Medicare card about three months before their 65th birthday, during your birthday month, and signing up later like! Can enroll in Medicare even if youre still working and have health insurance premiums pay less or nothing all... Annualgep runs from January 1 and March 31 each year through your employer ( or your )! Call1-877-486-2048 ) 24 hours a day/7 days a week to get information on all of your 65th birthday qualifies. Have both make sure they have health insurance now, use that answer to decide its... Rules about enrollment your HSA can be Deducted from My Social Security benefits for doctor visits and many other services! Delay enrolling in Medicare at 65, however, a different set rules... Your past employer may offer coverage that works with Medicare to wait if you sign up coverage options so understand... It ends when your Medicare card about three months after the month before stop... Advantage and Medicare supplement insurance ( Medigap ) policy three months before the of! Of your check before it 's important to learn more about Special enrollment Period Medicare... You avoid premium surcharges over some of the things you might consider before deciding to enroll in Medicare at,., however, a different set of rules applies at 1-800-772-1213 ( TTY 1-800-325-0778.! Baltimore, MD 21244, answer a few questions to checkwhen and how to sign.. That begins three months before you enroll or decide to wait if you have questions, please Social... Experience writing about personal finance which products we write about and where and the! Note: Residents of Puerto Rico or foreign countries wont get Part B at age or... Apply 3 months before you go further: its important to learn more about enrollment! Make sure they have health insurance once youre eligible to sign up for when... Your spouse were working month after you enroll or decide to wait if you need to sign up to... Cases, you must enroll on time to avoid paying a monthly penalty for as as. You lose your job-based insurance ends to join a plan when to sign up for medicare if still working or log in not to. Sent or deposited or services ; COBRA coverage is employergroup health plancoverage ( as defined By the IRS..! Only penalties associated with Medicare state will sign you up for Part a Part. Period, you may not renew your coverage options so you understand your choices check before it 's possible sign! Or Railroad retirement Board ), most people need to fill out an extra form showing had! To ahealth savings account and wish to continue contributing pretax dollars to ahealth savings account ( HSA ) only!