Life event
Turning 65 and Medicare
Your Initial Enrollment Period is a seven-month window centered on your 65th birthday month. Acting inside that window avoids lifelong Part B and Part D penalties.
The seven-month window
Three months before your birthday month, the birthday month itself, and three months after. Coverage timing depends on when in that window you enroll.
If you have employer coverage
If you or your spouse are still actively working and covered by employer group insurance, you may be able to delay Part B without penalty. The rules depend on employer size.
What we suggest
Start looking about six months before your birthday month. Compare your options, understand how your prescriptions and doctors line up with plan networks, and enroll before the window closes.
Prefer to talk it through? Talk to a licensed agent.