01New to Medicare
Initial Enrollment Period, 7 months
The three months before the month you turn 65, your birthday month, and the three months after. Signing up in the first three months usually means coverage starts the month you turn 65.
Enrollment
Find your window, then do it in the right order.
Medicare enrollment is mostly a calendar problem. Once you know which window you are in, the steps are short and the order matters more than the paperwork.
Two dates to rememberOctober 15 through December 7 is the Annual Enrollment Period, and the changes you make there start January 1. January 1 through March 31 is Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment, which gives Advantage members one additional change.
The windows
Four ways in, and only one of them repeats every fall.
02Every fall
Annual Enrollment, October 15 to December 7
Anyone with Medicare can join, switch, or drop a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan. Whatever you choose takes effect on January 1.
03Every winter
Advantage Open Enrollment, January 1 to March 31
If you are already in a Medicare Advantage plan, you get one change: switch to a different Advantage plan, or go back to Original Medicare and add a drug plan.
04Life events
Special Enrollment Periods
Moving out of your plan service area, losing employer or union coverage, qualifying for Extra Help, or a plan leaving your area can each open a window outside the usual dates.
The steps
Enrolling, in order.
Doing these out of order is the most common way people end up with a penalty or a gap in coverage.
- Decide whether you are enrolling in Part A only, or Part A and Part B. If you are still working with employer coverage, check with the benefits administrator first, because that answer changes the timing and the penalties.
- Enroll in Original Medicare through the Social Security Administration, online, by phone, or at an office. Many people who already receive Social Security benefits are enrolled automatically and simply receive a card.
- Choose your path: Original Medicare with a Medigap policy and a standalone Part D plan, or a single Medicare Advantage plan that usually includes drug coverage.
- If you want a Medigap policy, apply during your 6-month Medigap open enrollment window, which starts the first month you are 65 or older and enrolled in Part B. No health questions apply inside that window.
- Compare drug coverage against your actual prescription list and your pharmacy, not against premiums alone.
- Enroll in the plan you picked, then confirm your doctors and pharmacies with their offices once your member ID arrives.
Before you start
What to have in front of you.
Gathering these six things first turns a frustrating afternoon into a twenty-minute task, because every meaningful comparison depends on your own doctors, drugs, and county rather than on averages.
- Your Medicare number and the dates your Part A and Part B coverage start, which are printed on your Medicare card
- A complete list of your prescriptions with dose and quantity
- The names of your doctors, specialists, and preferred hospital
- Your preferred pharmacy, including whether you use mail order
- Your ZIP code and county, since plan availability is set at the county level
- Any letter from an employer or union describing whether your current drug coverage is creditable
At a glance
The Medicare calendar.
- Initial Enrollment Period around your 65th birthday
- 7 months
- Annual Enrollment Period, effective January 1
- Oct 15 to Dec 7
- Advantage Open Enrollment, and General Enrollment
- Jan 1 to Mar 31
- Medigap open enrollment, with no health questions
- 6 months
Good to know
Questions people ask about enrolling.
Am I enrolled in Medicare automatically?
If you are already receiving Social Security or Railroad Retirement benefits before you turn 65, you are generally enrolled in Part A and Part B automatically and your card arrives in the mail. If you are not receiving those benefits yet, you need to sign up yourself through the Social Security Administration.
I am still working at 65. Should I delay Part B?
It depends on the employer. If you have active coverage through an employer with 20 or more employees, you may be able to delay Part B without a penalty and take a Special Enrollment Period later when that coverage ends. With a smaller employer, Medicare usually needs to be primary and delaying can leave you with gaps. Confirm with your benefits administrator before you decide, and get the answer in writing if you can.
What happens if I miss my Initial Enrollment Period?
You can sign up during the General Enrollment Period from January 1 through March 31, and coverage begins the first day of the month after you enroll. Late enrollment can also mean a permanent premium penalty for Part B and a separate penalty for Part D, unless you had other qualifying coverage during the gap.
Do I have to re-enroll every year?
No. Medicare Advantage and Part D plans generally renew automatically if the plan is still offered. What changes is the plan itself, so read the Annual Notice of Change each fall and compare before you let it renew.
Does it cost more to enroll through an agent?
No. Plan premiums are the same whether you enroll directly, through Medicare, or with a licensed agent. Agents are paid by the insurers, which is also why it is fair to ask any agent which carriers they represent.
Get started
See what you can enroll in right now.
Enter your ZIP code to compare the Medicare plans available in your county, with a licensed agent available if you want help.