Although Medicare has been around for quite a while—since the 1960s, in fact—not everyone knows what it is, who is eligible for it, or even when to enroll. At Jeannie Pierce Insurance Agency, we are the experienced professionals you can talk to for answers, and while we are willing to talk about the other concerns we have just mentioned, today we’ll be going over just that last point: when to enroll. Keep reading for more information about when to sign up for Medicare.
Medicare is primarily for U.S. citizens and qualifying non-citizens ages 65 or older. In other words, you should sign up for Medicare when you’re turning 65 years old. However, “turning 65” is a vague period. A more specific answer is that you have a 7-month enrollment period to sign up. It begins 3 months before your birthday and ends three months after you turn 65, so your birth month is included in that period.
For example, let’s say your birthday is in July. In this case, you’d have from April 1 to October 31 in the year you turn 65 to enroll in Medicare. If you miss your initial enrollment period, you may be able to sign up for Medicare during general enrollment (January 1 to March 31) the following year, but you’ll likely be risking late penalties, so it’s always best to enroll during your initial enrollment period.
To learn more about when, how, or why to sign up for Medicare, contact us today. We have been helping people in Hickory, North Carolina and surrounding areas with their health insurance for 25 years, so we’re prepared to assist you.