Getting Ready for Your 65th Birthday

A Year Before

• Start thinking about your move to Medicare.
• Make sure you understand the difference between Medicare plan options.
• Start looking into what options are available in your area.
• Make sure you're eligible for Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans.
• See if you'll be enrolled in Original Medicare automatically. If you won't be, contact Social Security to learn more about eligibility and enrollment.

Six Months Before

• Look at our plans online or request more information to look at specific benefits and costs.
• Talk with your employer about available group coverage.

Five Months Before

• Narrow down your plan options by deciding what kind of Medicare plan you want and what type of plan you need. 
• Make sure your doctor and pharmacy are in network.
• Compare out-of-pocket costs between plans.

Three Months Before

Congratulations! If you were enrolled in Original Medicare automatically, you should get your Medicare card in the mail.

• If you have to apply for Original Medicare benefits through Social Security, you can enroll now.
• Start applying for other coverage, like Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement and Medicare Part D plans now.

Two Months Before

• Talk to your employer about your decisions to make a smooth switch from group coverage to Medicare.
• If your spouse or any dependents were covered under your employer’s group plan, make arrangements for them to be covered with your employer or on an individual plan after you've switched to Medicare.

Happy 65th Birthday!

If you've already enrolled:

• Make sure you have your Medicare card and ID cards for any other coverage you enrolled in.
• Tell your doctors and pharmacy about your new coverage.
• Learn more about using your new coverage.

If you haven't enrolled yet:

• Enroll now. You still have your birth month and the 3 months after that to sign up for a Medicare plan.

Make sure you don't miss your enrollment periods because you might have to pay a higher premium for late enrollment in Parts A and B or a penalty to add prescription drug coverage later.