Your Initial Enrollment Period (IEP) is 7 months long. It includes your 65th birthday month plus the 3 months before and the 3 months after. Your IEP begins and ends one month earlier if your birthday is on the first of the month.

If you are receiving Social Security or Railroad Retirement Board benefits when you become eligible, you will be automatically enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B. Medicare will mail your card to you. Otherwise, you will need to enroll yourself directly with Social Security.

During your IEP, you can enroll in Medicare Part A, Part B, Medicare Advantage (Part C), and Part D. Additionally, you will have 6 months to be guaranteed coverage in a Medicare supplement insurance plan (Medigap), starting the first month you are age 65 or older and enrolled in both Medicare Part A and Part B. You may apply at other times, but you could be denied coverage or charged a higher premium based on your health. Some states may have additional Open Enrollment rights under state law.

Your 7-month IEP includes the month you receive your 25th disability check, the 3 months before, and 3 months after.

After you’re enrolled, you have a chance to make changes to your coverage each year during the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (AEP).
• Review coverage choices yearly.
• Medicare and plan benefits or costs may change.
• Consider your health care needs and budget for the coming year.
• Keep your current coverage or change it based on your needs.

You may make coverage changes at other times of the year in certain qualifying situations.

You have Medicare decisions to make at age 65 even if you have coverage through an employer plan (yours or your working spouse’s).

You still have an Initial Enrollment Period (IEP)
• Some employers require you to take full Medicare benefits (Part A and Part B) at age 65
• Depending on the employer coverage you have, you may be able to delay enrolling in Medicare without penalty.
You may be able to delay if:
• The employer has 20 or more employees
• The employer-provided health insurance is considered “creditable”
• The employer doesn’t require covered spouses to enroll in Medicare at age 65 in order to remain on the employer’s plan.
Pay attention to details
• You must stop contributing to a health savings account (HSA) once you enroll in Part A or Part B
• Check with your employer plan benefits administrator before making Medicare decisions
• Make sure you know your IEP dates and whether or not you’ll be automatically enrolled in Parts A and B

Answering the following questions can help you decide which coverage option best fits your health and lifestyle needs:
Your health:
• How often do you go to the doctor?
• Do you have any health conditions?
• What medications do you take regularly?
Your budget:
• What are you able to pay each month in premiums?
• How comfortable are you meeting your deductibles and covering copays or coinsurance for services?
• How willing are you to accept the risk of high out-of-pocket costs?
Your preferences:
• Which doctors, hospitals, and pharmacies do you like to go to?
• How important is it for you to have access to health care while traveling?
• What other coverage do you have, such as an employer or retiree plan?