When Should I Sign Up for Medicare?
You should sign up for Medicare during your Initial Enrollment Period, which begins 3 months before you turn 65, includes your birthday month, and ends 3 months after—making a 7‑month window. This timing avoids gaps in coverage and late‑enrollment penalties.
What If I Miss the Deadline for Enrollment?
It’s important to sign up for Medicare coverage during your Initial Enrollment Period, unless you have other coverage that’s similar in value to Medicare (like from an employer). If you don’t, you may have to pay an extra amount, called a late enrollment penalty.
Late enrollment penalties:
Are added to your monthly premium.
Are not a one-time late fee.
Are usually charged for as long as you have that type of coverage (for most people, that’s a lifetime penalty). The Part A penalty is different.
Go up the longer you wait to sign up – they’re based on how long you go without coverage similar to Medicare. Find out when you should sign up to avoid penalties.
Open Enrollment
Open Enrollment happens from October 15 – December 7 and is the time each year when you can make changes to your coverage. The changes you make during Open Enrollment are effective January 1 of next year (the plan must get your enrollment request by December 7).
During this time, you can join, drop, or switch to another Medicare Advantage Plan with or without drug coverage (or join, switch or drop drug coverage).
If you do not do anything, your current plan will automatically renew.