Medicare Must-Dos Before Turning 65

Turning 65 is a big milestone! It’s also the time to get ready for Medicare. If you’re approaching your 65th birthday, now is the time to start planning for coverage. Medicare can be confusing, but with a little preparation, you can make sure you have the coverage you need.

Here is a simple checklist to help you get ready before you turn 65.

✅6 Months Before You Turn 65

Start researching and learning about Medicare. The two best places to start learning about Medicare are Medicare.gov and CMS.gov.

Click to receive our free, no-obligation Simple Guide to Medicare booklet to help you understand the Medicare basics. 

Understand Medicare Parts A, B, C, & D:

There are four main parts to Medicare:

• Part A (Hospital Insurance)
• Part B (Medical Insurance)
• Part C (Medicare Advantage) 
• Part D (Prescription Drug Coverage)

Read more about the four parts of Medicare in our Medicare as Simple as A,B,C & D blog.

Know when you are able to enroll in Original Medicare and Medicare plans. You are able to sign up for Original Medicare three months before your 65th birthday month, your birthday month, and three months after. 

Enrolling on time helps you avoid late penalties and makes sure you have coverage when you need it.

Learn more about the different enrollment periods and When Can You Enroll in a Medicare Advantage Part C plan in our blog. 

✅5 months before you turn 65

Get the help you need. You don’t have to figure it out on your own. Get answers about your specific situation by calling or chatting with someone online for free at:

The Social Security Administration: 1-800-772-1213 or online at ssa.gov. Create your free my Social Security account on ssa.gov to estimate, plan, and manage your benefits online. This will help save you time when you are ready to enroll in Medicare.

Medicare: Phone: 1-800-Medicare (1-800-633-4227) and online at medicare.gov.

State Health Insurance Assistant Program (SHIP): Visit shiphelp.org or talk to someone at your local SHIP office for free Medicare counseling. 

Your Work: If you plan to work past 65, you should talk with your employee benefit administrator about your insurance coverage and how it works with Medicare. Some people can delay enrolling in Medicare Part B without penalty if they have qualifying employer coverage.

Licensed Insurance Agent: You can talk with a local licensed insurance agent, like those with Clover Health. 

✅4 months before you turn 65

You’re getting close to enrollment, so now is the time to decide what you will want for coverage. 

Decide if you want coverage beyond Original Medicare Parts A and B, and what additional benefits you need, such as prescription drugs, dental, hearing, vision, OTC allowance, and fitness benefit.

Start looking at the Medicare plan options available in your area.

You can search Medicare.gov to compare the cost and benefits of all the Medicare Advantage plans in your area and cloverhealth.com to see the plans we have available. 

It’s important to note that if you already receive Social Security benefits, you’ll automatically be enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B. If so, you should start receiving documents from Medicare in the mail around this time. If you do not receive Medicare Parts A and B automatically, you will need to enroll (see 3 months before you turn 65 below).

✅3 months before you turn 65

It’s time to enroll!

You can now enroll in Medicare. You are in your Initial Enrollment Period (IEP): This is the seven month period that begins the three months before your 65th birthday, your birthday month, and ends three months after your birthday month.

Enroll in Original Medicare (Parts A and B) at your local social security office or online at ssa.gov. 

If you receive Social Security benefits and haven’t been notified that you have been automatically enrolled in Original Medicare (Parts A and B), contact your local Social Security office to check your enrollment status. If you’re not enrolled, you will need to do so.

Do You Still Have Questions? 

Looking for more Medicare tips? Explore our latest blogs for practical tips to make healthier choices and get the most from your Medicare benefits.  

See what a Clover Health Medicare Advantage Plan in New Jersey, Georgia, Texas, South Carolina, and Pennsylvania has to offer: Click here to learn more.

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