Knowing when to sign up for Medicare is very important. If you miss certain enrollment periods, you may have to pay more for coverage and your start date can be delayed. We’re here to help if you need trusted advice about Medicare enrollment.
If you are already receiving benefits from Social Security or the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB), you will automatically get Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) starting the first day of the month you turn 65. But if you are age 65 or older and are not already receiving benefits from Social Security or the RRB, you will not get Original Medicare automatically – you must sign up for coverage during an enrollment period.
Initial Enrollment Period
You can sign up for Original Medicare (Part A and/or Part B) during your initial enrollment period. Your initial enrollment period is seven months long. It begins three months before you turn age 65, includes the month you turn 65, and ends three months after the month you turn 65.
If you sign up for Part A or Part B during the first three months of your initial enrollment period, your coverage starts on the first day of your birthday month. If your birthday is the first day of the month, your coverage starts the first day of the prior month.
You may also enroll in a Medicare Advantage Plan or a Medicare prescription drug plan at this time.
General Enrollment Period
If you do not sign up for Part A or Part B when you are first eligible, you can enroll during the general enrollment period. This period runs from January 1 through March 31 each year. If you enroll during the general enrollment period, your coverage will begin July 1, and you will pay a higher premium because you enrolled late.
Special Enrollment Period
If you do not sign up for Original Medicare (Part A and/or Part B) during your initial enrollment period because you are working and have group coverage through your job, you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP). If you qualify, you can sign up anytime that you or your spouse are working (or family member, if you’re disabled) and you’re covered by a group health plan because of that work.
You may also sign up during the eight-month period that begins after the employment ends or your group health plan coverage ends, whichever happens first.
Open Enrollment Period
Each year, Medicare gives you a chance to make changes to your Medicare coverage. You can:
- Switch from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage Plan – or vice versa.
- Change from one Medicare Advantage Plan to another.
- Join a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan, switch to another one, or drop your Medicare prescription drug coverage altogether.
Medicare open enrollment occurs at the same time each year – it begins on October 15 and ends on December 7. Coverage changes become effective on January 1 the following year.
Annual Disenrollment Period
There is an annual disenrollment period for Medicare Advantage Plans (Part C) that begins on January 1 and ends on February 14. During this period, you can switch from a Medicare Advantage Plan (Part C) to Original Medicare. If you make the switch back to Original Medicare during this period, you have until February 14 to purchase a Part D plan to help cover your prescription drug expenses. If you do, your coverage will begin the first day of the month after the plan receives your enrollment form.
Part C and Part D Special Enrollment Periods
You can make changes to your Medicare Advantage and Medicare prescription drug coverage when certain events happen in your life, like moving or losing other insurance coverage. When this happens, you qualify for a special enrollment period. Rules about when you can make changes and the type of changes you can make are different for each event – check your plan materials for more details.
Medigap Policy Enrollment
You have a six-month open enrollment period to buy a Medigap policy. This period starts the first month you’re age 65 and enrolled in Part B. During this period, you can buy any Medigap policy sold in your state, regardless of your current health status. Once this period starts, it cannot be delayed or replaced.
During 2013, if you do not purchase a Medigap policy during this open enrollment period, an insurance company can deny your request for coverage due to your health status or they can refuse to cover certain pre-existing conditions for up to six months.
Help is Available
Let us clear up the confusion and help you stay on track with your Medicare coverage. Our licensed benefits advisors can help you find a plan that best suits your needs, and they can even help you enroll in it while you’re on the phone. Just give us a call toll-free at 1-877-470-3108, TTY 711, or visit our Find Coverage page to get started.
Medicare has neither reviewed nor endorsed this information.
