Most people are first eligible to sign up for
Medicare when they turn 65, and many choose to enroll during this time. For
individuals who are covered by a spouse’s employer health care plan, it may not
be necessary, or ideal, to enroll in Medicare immediately upon turning 65.
If you are covered by your spouse’s employer
plan and eligible for Medicare, you may have a few options when it comes to
getting Medicare. You can:
·
Enroll in Medicare
when you turn 65
·
Enroll in only
Medicare Part A when you turn 65
·
Delay Medicare until
you lose your coverage
Watch this video for a quick overview of your
Medicare choices when you have health care coverage from your spouse’s
employer.
Before making any decision though, you should
always talk with the employer’s health care benefits department to understand
how Medicare may or may not work with your current coverage. Now let’s explore
each of the options above.
Enrolling in Medicare
at 65
If you want to enroll when you are turning 65,
you can enroll in Medicare Parts A & B, Part D prescription drug coverage
or a Medicare Advantage (Part C) plan. You can also look at adding a Medicare
supplement insurance plan to Original Medicare (Parts A & B) to help with
the out-of-pocket costs of Medicare. You will be able to enroll as early
as three months before the month in which you turn 65. This is the start
of your Initial
Enrollment Period, which also includes the month of your 65th
birthday and the next three months after.
You can get some great information and tips
for enrolling in Medicare at 65 here.
Enrolling in Medicare
Part A at 65
Many people who are covered by a spouse’s
employer plan choose to either wait to enroll until they lose their spouse’s
employer coverage or choose to only enroll in Part A since Part A usually has
no premium. You can enroll in Medicare Part A only and choose to delay Part B
and Part D, but you’ll need to ensure you have creditable coverage to avoid
paying late premium penalties for Part B and/or Part D.
Delaying Medicare
Enrollment
Just because you are turning 65, doesn’t
necessarily mean you have to get Medicare right now. If you decide that waiting
to enroll in Medicare is the best option both financially and in terms of
healthcare coverage for you, just follow Medicare’s rules, and you’ll avoid
enrollment penalties when you do enroll.
How to avoid late
enrollment penalties for Part B or Part D
1.
Make sure you have
creditable coverage and can delay enrollment.
2.
Make sure your current
prescription drug coverage is considered creditable by Medicare (it’s as good
as or better than Medicare Part D).
3.
Get written proof of
your creditable prescription drug coverage.
When Would I Enroll If
I Delay or Only Take Part A?
If you are able to delay enrolling in either
all or part of Medicare, you will have a Special Enrollment Period of eight
months that begins when the employer coverage is lost when your spouse retires.
During this time, you’ll be able to enroll in Medicare Parts A & B. You can
also enroll in a Part D prescription drug plan. And, after you enroll in Part
B, you’ll be able to enroll in a Medicare supplement plan or a Medicare
Advantage (Part C) plan.
Learn more about your options for Medicare
when working past 65 or when covered by a spouse’s employer coverage here.
For more information about Medicare,
explore MedicareMadeClear.com or contact the
Medicare helpline 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 1-800-MEDICARE
(1-800-633-4227), TTY 1-877-486-2048.
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