When does Medicare coverage start? (2024)

Avoid the penalty
If you miss your 7-month Initial Enrollment Period, you may have to wait to sign up and pay a monthly late enrollment penalty for as long as you have Part B coverage. The penalty goes up the longer you wait. You may also have to pay a penalty if you have to pay a Part A premium, also called “Premium-Part A.” Learn more about how to avoid late enrollment penalties.

When your coverage starts

The date your coverage starts depends on which month you sign up during your Initial Enrollment Period. Coverage always starts on the first of the month.

If you qualify for Premium-free Part A: Your Part A coverage starts the month you turn 65. (If your birthday is on the first of the month, coverage starts the month before you turn 65.)

Part B (and Premium-Part A): Coverage starts based on the month you sign up:

If you sign up:Coverage starts:
Before the month you turn 65The month you turn 65
The month you turn 65, or during the 3 months afterThe next month

Signing up for Premium-free Part A later

You can sign up for Part A any time after you turn 65. Your Part A coverage starts 6 months back from when you sign up or when you apply for benefits from Social Security (or the Railroad Retirement Board). Coverage can’t start earlier than the month you turned 65.

I have a Health Savings Account (HSA).

After your Initial Enrollment Period ends, you can only sign up for Part B and Premium-Part A during one of the other enrollment periods.

Between January 1-March 31 each year (General Enrollment Period)

You can sign up between January 1-March 31 each year. This is called the General Enrollment Period. Your coverage starts the month after you sign up. You might pay a monthly late enrollment penalty, if you don’t qualify for a Special Enrollment Period.

Get details about the late enrollment penalties.

Special Situations (Special Enrollment Period)

After your first chance to sign up (Initial Enrollment Period), there are certain situations when you can sign up for Part B (and Premium-Part A) without paying a late enrollment penalty. A Special Enrollment Period is only available for a limited time. If you don’t sign up during your Special Enrollment Period, you’ll have to wait for the next General Enrollment Period and you might have to pay a monthly late enrollment penalty.

Special Enrollment Periods for Part A & Part B

If you:Your Special Enrollment Period:How to sign up:

Lost Medicaid coverage on or after 1/1/2023

Download more information about your Medicare options if you lose Medicaid.

Starts: The day you’re notified that your Medicaid coverage is ending.

Ends: 6 months after your Medicaid coverage ends.

Coverage begins:The month after you sign up, or the date your Medicaid coverage ends, whichever you choose.

Fill out form CMS-10797 and send the completed form to your local Social Security office by fax or mail.

Download Form

Missed a chance to sign up because you were impacted by a natural disaster or an emergency that’s declared or starts on or after 1/1/2023 (or if your authorized representative, legal guardian, or caregiver was impacted by a disaster or emergency)

Starts: The day the Federal, state or local government declares the emergency or disaster, or the date in that declaration (whichever is earlier).

Ends: 6 months after whichever of these happens later:

  • The end date in the original declaration.
  • The last day of any extensions to the declaration.
  • The date the government revokes or announces the end of the declaration.

Coverage begins:The month after you sign up.

Fill out form CMS-10797 and send the completed form to your local Social Security office by fax or mail.

Download Form

Missed a chance to sign up because you got inaccurate or misleading information from your health plan or employer on or after 1/1/2023

Starts: The day you notify the Social Security Administration that your health plan or employer misrepresented or gave you incorrect information.

Ends: 6 months later.

Coverage begins:The month after you sign up.

Fill out form CMS-10797 and send the completed form to your local Social Security office by fax or mail.

Download Form

Were released from incarceration on or after 1/1/2023 (and missed a chance to sign up while you were incarcerated)

Starts: The day you're released from custody.

Ends: The last day of the 12th month after the month you're released.

Coverage begins:The month after you sign up, or you can select retroactive coverage back to your release date (but not a date before your release date). You can only request retroactive coverage up to 6 months in the past. What happens if I choose a coverage start date in the past?

Fill out form CMS-10797 and send the completed form to your local Social Security office by fax or mail.

Download Form

Missed a chance to sign up because you experienced other exceptional conditions

Note: You must contact Social Security to ask for this Special Enrollment Period

Starts: Once you contact Social Security.

Ends: At least 6 months later.

Coverage begins: The month after your sign up.

Fill out form CMS-10797 and send the completed form to your local Social Security office by fax or mail.

Download Form

Have or had health insurance through your job, your spouse’s job (or a family member’s job if you’re disabled*)

* If you have a disability, and your coverage is based on your (non-spouse) family member’s current employment, their employer must be in a large group health plan for youto be eligible.

Starts: The first month after your Initial Enrollment Period ends.

Ends: 8 months after the group health plan coverage or the employment ends, whichever happens first.

Coverage begins: Generally the month after you sign up. In some situations you can choose to have your coverage start on the first day of any of the 3 following months.

COBRA isn't considered group health plan coverage.
Getting COBRA doesn’t change when this Special Enrollment Period ends.

If you already have Part A, go to SSA.gov to sign up for Part B.

Apply Online

You can also send completed forms to your local Social Security office by fax or mail.

Download forms:

Volunteer and serve in a foreign country

Starts: The first day of the month any of these happen:

  • You’re no longer a volunteer outside the United States.
  • The organization you’re volunteering with no longer has tax-exempt status.
  • You no longer have health insurance that provides coverage outside of the United States.

Ends: 6 months later.

Coverage begins: The month after you sign up.

Go to SSA.gov to apply for Medicare online.

Apply Online

If you already have Part A, fill out form CMS 40B to sign up for Part B.

Send the completed form to your local Social Security office by fax or mail.

Have TRICARE

Starts: When Social Security notifies you.

Ends: 12 months later.

Coverage begins: The month after you sign up, or, you may decide for coverage to begin after the end of your Initial Enrollment Period.

Get more information about how TRICARE works with Medicare.

Check my specific situation to find out when to sign up.

Situations that don’t qualify for a Special Enrollment Period:

  • Your COBRA coverage or retiree coverage ends.
  • You missed your 8-month window to sign up when you stopped working or lost job-based coverage.
  • You have or lose your Marketplace coverage.
  • You have End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). Learn more about Medicare coverage for ESRD.

Joining a plan

Once you sign up for Medicare, you can join a health or drug plan at certain times. To join a Medicare Advantage Plan (Part C), you need both Part A and Part B. To join a Medicare drug plan (Part D), you only need Part A or Part B. Find out when you can join a plan.

What do you want to do next?

When does Medicare coverage start? (2024)

FAQs

When does Medicare coverage start? ›

You can sign up for Part A any time after you turn 65. Your Part A coverage starts 6 months back from when you sign up or when you apply for benefits from Social Security (or the Railroad Retirement Board). Coverage can't start earlier than the month you turned 65. I have a Health Savings Account (HSA).

How soon can you be covered by Medicare? ›

Generally, you're first eligible to sign up for Part A and Part B starting 3 months before you turn 65 and ending 3 months after the month you turn 65. If you don't sign up when you're first eligible, you'll have to wait to sign up and go months without coverage.

Is the Medicare age changing to 67? ›

The progressive changes are nearing their conclusion: Beginning in 2022, the standard age for full benefits became 67 for anyone born after 1960. Besides the Medicare eligibility age of 65, what remains unchanged is that you can opt to begin drawing partial Social Security benefits as early as age 62.

Does Medicare automatically start? ›

You automatically get Medicare when you turn 65

You get Part A automatically. If you want Part B, you need to sign up for it.

Can you get on Medicare at age 62? ›

You can't get Medicare at age 62 unless you have a qualifying disability or medical condition. Most people will qualify for Medicare at age 65. If you're looking to retire at age 62 and need insurance until Medicare begins, you have other options like an individual health plan, Medicaid or short-term medical insurance.

Is there a 2 year waiting period for Medicare? ›

Eligibility for Medicare due to a disability

You may qualify for Medicare due to a disability if you have been receiving SSDI checks for more than 24 months, also known as the two-year waiting period. The two-year waiting period begins the first month you receive an SSDI check.

Does Medicare start the first day of your birthday month? ›

When your coverage starts. The date your coverage starts depends on which month you sign up during your Initial Enrollment Period. Coverage always starts on the first of the month. If you qualify for Premium-free Part A: Your Part A coverage starts the month you turn 65.

How much do you lose if you retire at 65 instead of 66? ›

File at 65 and you lose 13.33 percent. If your full retirement benefit is $1,800 a month, over 20 years that 13.33 percent penalty adds up to a little over $57,585. AARP's Social Security Calculator can give you a sense of the financial impact of claiming benefits at various ages.

Does everyone over 65 automatically get Medicare? ›

Some people get Medicare automatically, others have to actively sign up -- it depends if you start getting retirement or disability benefits from Social Security before you turn 65.

Is Medicare free when you retire at 65? ›

Medicare Part A is free if you: Have at least 40 calendar quarters of work in any job where you paid Social Security taxes in the U.S. Are eligible for Railroad Retirement benefits. Or, have a spouse that qualifies for premium-free Part A.

What are the three requirements for Medicare? ›

Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance)
  • Be age 65 or older;
  • Be a U.S. resident; AND.
  • Be either a U.S. citizen, OR.
  • Be an alien who has been lawfully admitted for permanent residence and has been residing in the United States for 5 continuous years prior to the month of filing an application for Medicare.
Sep 6, 2023

Why are you forced to get Medicare at 65? ›

It's likely that you can delay Medicare enrollment, but some employers require that people 65 and older must enroll in Medicare to receive company health insurance benefits. For these smaller companies with less employees, Medicare pays first, and work-based insurance pays second.

How much is taken out of your Social Security check for Medicare? ›

Medicare Part B Premium and Deductible

Each year, the Medicare Part B premium, deductible, and coinsurance rates are determined according to provisions of the Social Security Act. The standard monthly premium for Medicare Part B enrollees will be $174.70 for 2024, an increase of $9.80 from $164.90 in 2023.

How do I get the $16728 Social Security bonus? ›

Have you heard about the Social Security $16,728 yearly bonus? There's really no “bonus” that retirees can collect. The Social Security Administration (SSA) uses a specific formula based on your lifetime earnings to determine your benefit amount.

At what age do you get 100 of your Social Security benefits? ›

The full retirement age is 66 if you were born from 1943 to 1954. The full retirement age increases gradually if you were born from 1955 to 1960 until it reaches 67. For anyone born 1960 or later, full retirement benefits are payable at age 67.

Can I drop my employer health insurance and go on Medicare Part B? ›

You should start your Part B coverage as soon as you stop working or lose your current employer coverage (even if you sign up for COBRA or retiree health coverage from your employer). You have 8 months to enroll in Medicare once you stop working OR your employer coverage ends (whichever happens first).

Why do you have to wait 24 months for Medicare? ›

When instituted in 1972 the waiting period was intended to limit Medicare costs. However, providing health insurance to those in the waiting period may reduce Medicare spending on these individuals over the long term.

What is the 60 day rule for Medicare? ›

Medicare covers

A benefit period begins when you are admitted to the hospital and ends when you have been out of the hospital for 60 days, or have not received Medicare-covered care in a skilled nursing facility (SNF) or hospital for 60 consecutive days from your day of discharge.

What is the 2 day rule for Medicare? ›

According to the rule: Inpatient services are considered appropriate if the physician expects the patient to require medically necessary hospital care spanning at least 2 midnights. Inpatient services are also appropriate if the physician is providing a service listed as "inpatient only" by Medicare.

Does Medicare cover 100% of hospital bills? ›

Medicare doesn't typically cover 100% of your medical costs. Like most health insurance, Medicare generally comes with out-of-pocket costs including copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles. As you'll learn in this article, Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) costs can really add up.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Tuan Roob DDS

Last Updated:

Views: 6109

Rating: 4.1 / 5 (42 voted)

Reviews: 89% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Tuan Roob DDS

Birthday: 1999-11-20

Address: Suite 592 642 Pfannerstill Island, South Keila, LA 74970-3076

Phone: +9617721773649

Job: Marketing Producer

Hobby: Skydiving, Flag Football, Knitting, Running, Lego building, Hunting, Juggling

Introduction: My name is Tuan Roob DDS, I am a friendly, good, energetic, faithful, fantastic, gentle, enchanting person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.