I'm still working at 65. Do I have to sign up?

If you (or your spouse) have creditable group coverage from an employer with 20 or more employees, you can usually delay Part B — and often Part D — without penalty, then enroll later with a Special Enrollment Period when the job or coverage ends. If the employer has fewer than 20 employees, Medicare generally needs to be primary and delaying can be costly. This is the #1 situation where a quick expert check pays off.

What happens if I miss my enrollment window?

Late enrollment penalties are permanent. Part B: 10% added to your premium for every 12 months you were eligible but not enrolled — for life. Part D: 1% of the national base premium for every month without creditable drug coverage — also for life. You may also wait months for a General Enrollment Period, uninsured in the meantime.

Am I enrolled automatically when I turn 65?

Only if you're already receiving Social Security benefits at least 4 months before turning 65 — then Parts A and B start automatically and your card arrives in the mail. Everyone else must actively sign up through ssa.gov, by phone, or at a Social Security office.

What does Medicare cost in 2026?

Most people pay $0 for Part A (if you or your spouse paid Medicare taxes for 10+ years). The standard Part B premium is $202.90/month in 2026 (higher for high earners). Beyond that, your costs depend on the path you choose: a Medicare Advantage plan (often $0–$50/month) or Original Medicare plus a Medigap plan (roughly $90–$250/month in Florida) and a Part D drug plan.

Why does turning 65 in Florida specifically matter for Medigap?

Florida law requires issue-age pricing on Medigap policies — your premium basis is locked to the age you were at purchase. Enrolling at exactly 65, during your 6-month Medigap Open Enrollment (no health questions), locks in both the lowest rate basis of your life and guaranteed acceptance. Waiting costs Floridians more than residents of most other states.

Do I need help enrolling, and does it cost anything?

You can enroll in Parts A and B yourself at ssa.gov — that part is straightforward. Where guidance genuinely helps is choosing between Medicare Advantage and Medigap, picking a drug plan that covers your medications, and hitting every deadline. Our help is free: we're paid by the carrier you eventually choose, and premiums are identical with or without an agent.

Welcome to Medicare

Turning 65 in Florida? Here's Your Medicare Checklist

Medicare gives you a 7-month window, two very different coverage paths, and permanent penalties if you get the timing wrong. This month-by-month checklist walks you through all of it — with a Florida-specific advantage most people never hear about.

Free Enrollment HelpAll Deadlines HandledLocal Florida Agents

Get Your Personal Enrollment Plan

We'll map your exact dates and compare your options — free.

Your 7-Month Window, Visualized

Your Initial Enrollment Period surrounds your 65th birthday month. Enrolling early in the window means coverage the day you're eligible.

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Best time

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Birthday month

Still open

Enroll in the green months (the 3 months before your birthday month) and coverage begins the 1st of your birthday month. Enroll during or after your birthday month and your start date gets pushed back — a gap many people don't expect. Want your exact dates? Try our enrollment timeline tool.

The Month-by-Month Checklist

Everything in order, nothing missed.

6 months before 65

Confirm your Initial Enrollment Period dates (7 months around your birthday month)
If still working: ask HR whether your group coverage is creditable and how it coordinates with Medicare
Start a simple list: your doctors, your medications and doses, your budget

3 months before 65

Enroll in Parts A & B at ssa.gov (unless auto-enrolled via Social Security or properly delaying with employer coverage)
Decide your path: Medicare Advantage vs. Original Medicare + Medigap
Compare plans against your doctor and medication lists — not the TV commercials

1–2 months before 65

Enroll in your chosen Medicare Advantage plan, or your Medigap plan + standalone Part D drug plan
Florida bonus: enrolling in Medigap now locks your issue-age rate basis at 64/65 — the lowest it will ever be
Confirm all effective dates line up with your birthday month

Your birthday month & after

Coverage begins — cards arrive; set up your Medicare.gov account
Schedule your free 'Welcome to Medicare' preventive visit within the first 12 months
Keep our number handy: plan questions, billing surprises, and annual reviews are all part of the free service

The Two Penalties That Never Go Away

Miss your window without creditable coverage, and Medicare adds a surcharge — for life.

Part B Late Penalty

+10% of your premium for every 12 months you were eligible but unenrolled — added permanently. Wait 3 years and you'll pay 30% extra on every Part B premium for the rest of your life.

Calculate your Part B penalty risk

Part D Late Penalty

+1% of the national base premium for every month without creditable drug coverage after your IEP — even if you take no medications today. It compounds quietly and follows you forever.

Calculate your Part D penalty risk

The Big Decision — and Florida's Head Start

Once Parts A and B are set, you'll choose between the two coverage paths: Medicare Advantage (all-in-one plans with networks, often low premiums) or Original Medicare plus a Medigap plan (higher premium, any Medicare doctor, predictable costs). It's the decision that shapes your next decade of healthcare.

Here's the part specific to Florida: state law prices Medigap by issue age — the age you are when you buy sets your rate basis permanently. Combine that with your one-time 6-month Medigap Open Enrollment (guaranteed acceptance, no health questions), and turning 65 is the single cheapest, easiest moment of your life to get a Medigap plan in Florida.

Turning-65 Questions, Answered

What soon-to-be Medicare beneficiaries in Florida ask us most.

Your Initial Enrollment Period (IEP) is 7 months long: the 3 months before your 65th birthday month, your birthday month, and the 3 months after. Enroll in the 3 months before your birthday month and coverage starts the first day of your birthday month. (One quirk: if your birthday falls on the 1st, everything shifts a month earlier.)

Turn 65 With a Plan, Not a Pile of Mail

One free call and we'll map your exact enrollment dates, compare both coverage paths against your doctors and medications, and handle the paperwork. You just show up to your birthday.