When Do I Enroll?

If you are nearing 65, you can enroll in Medicare during the seven months of the initial enrollment period. The initial enrollment period includes the three months before your 65th birthday, the month of your 65th birthday and the three months after the month of your 65th birthday.

Medicare Part A: Hospital Insurance

•	If you are getting benefits from Social Security, you automatically get Part A benefits starting the first day of the month that you turn 65.
•	You will receive a package of information from Medicare at the beginning of your initial Medicare enrollment period.
•	The package will contain your Medicare card and information about your benefits.
•	For most people, Medicare Part A is free.

Medicare Part B: Medical

•	There are three opportunities to sign up for Part B: the initial Medicare enrollment period, the special Medicare enrollment period and the general Medicare enrollment period.
•	If you or your spouse are still working and are enrolled in a group health plan, you may decide to delay enrolling in Part B until you retire. This is because you may have "Creditable Coverage"; check with your employer benefits administrator to see if this applies to you. Then you may be eligible for the "Special Enrollment Period" once you retire.

There are three enrollment periods for Medicare.

	Initial Enrollment Period	General Enrollment Period	Special Enrollment Period
Who is eligible?	People turning 65 or have been receiving Social Security Disability benefits for 24 months	People who missed the Initial Enrollment Period or declined or canceled Medicare Part B coverage and did not have any other coverage	People who have employer or union medical benefits or dropped prior Part B coverage to return to work. COBRA and retiree health plan participants are not eligible for a Special Enrollment Period.
When is the enrollment period?	Seven months that include: 3 months before your 65th birthday month Your 65th birthday month 3 months after your 65th birthday month	January 1 to March 31 each year During this time, you may enroll in Part B, but your benefits will not go into effect until July 1 of the same calendar year.	anytime that you or your spouse (or family member if you’re disabled) are working, and you’re covered by a group health plan through the employer or union based on that work, or the 8-month period that begins the month after the employment ends or the group health plan coverage ends, whichever happens first
What is the late enrollment penalty?	The monthly premium goes up 10 percent for each 12-month period that you could have had Medicare, but didn’t take it. The penalty increases as Medicare premiums increase.		No penalty if you enroll within the 8-month window

Who is eligible?
Initial Enrollment Period	People turning 65 or have been receiving Social Security Disability benefits for 24 months
General Enrollment Period	People who missed the Initial Enrollment Period or declined or canceled Medicare Part B coverage and did not have any other coverage
Special Enrollment Period	People who have employer or union medical benefits or dropped prior Part B coverage to return to work. COBRA and retiree health plan participants are not eligible for a Special Enrollment Period.
When is the enrollment period?
Initial Enrollment Period	Seven months that include: 3 months before your 65th birthday month Your 65th birthday month 3 months after your 65th birthday month
General Enrollment Period	January 1 to March 31 each year During this time, you may enroll in Part B, but your benefits will not go into effect until July 1 of the same calendar year.
Special Enrollment Period	anytime that you or your spouse (or family member if you’re disabled) are working, and you’re covered by a group health plan through the employer or union based on that work, or the 8-month period that begins the month after the employment ends or the group health plan coverage ends, whichever happens first
What is the late enrollment penalty?
Initial Enrollment Period & General Enrollment Period	The monthly premium goes up 10 percent for each 12-month period that you could have had Medicare, but didn’t take it. The penalty increases as Medicare premiums increase.
Special Enrollment Period	No penalty if you enroll within the 8-month window

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