Your 65th birthday opens a once-in-a-lifetime window to enroll in Medicare — and missing it can mean lifelong penalties. The good news: with a little planning, the process is far simpler than it looks.
Start with your Initial Enrollment Period
Your Initial Enrollment Period is a seven-month window: it begins three months before the month you turn 65, includes your birthday month, and ends three months after. Enrolling early helps you avoid gaps and the late-enrollment penalties that follow you for life.
Know the four parts of Medicare
Before choosing a plan, understand what each part does — Part A (hospital), Part B (medical), Part C (Advantage), and Part D (drugs).
“Mark the start of your enrollment window, not the end — that’s the mistake we see most.”
Decide between Advantage and Supplement
Advantage plans bundle coverage with low premiums but use networks; Supplement plans cost more but offer broad freedom. An independent advisor can compare both across carriers in one conversation — at no cost to you.