I’m about to turn 65. What do I need to do about signing up for Medicare?

When you turn 65, it’s a milestone in many ways. Perhaps you will retire from your job or start taking Social Security — but the biggest benefit may be that you will finally, finally be eligible for Medicare.

If you are already collecting Social Security benefits, you will automatically be enrolled in Medicare. If not, you must take action. There are specific times you can enroll, and if you delay, you may have to pay penalties.

“Be aware of the time frames for doing things, because the delay can be costly,” said Edith Gooden-Thompson, Broward area volunteer coordinator for Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders, known as SHINE, a federally funded, volunteer-based program to help Medicare beneficiaries understand and compare coverage.

Initial enrollment period

Mark your calendar. The seven-month period that starts three months before your 65th birthday and ends three months after your birthday month is called the Initial Enrollment Period. The earlier you enroll the better, because your enrollment date determines when your coverage will start, said Kathleen Sarmiento, a SHINE liaison in Miami-Dade.

“Three months before your 65th birthday you need to contact the Social Security Administration to enroll in Medicare Part A and Part B. Social Security handles the initial enrollment,” Sarmiento said.

Go to Social Security’s website, www.ssa.gov, and look for a link that says “Medicare.” You can also call SSA at 800-772-1213.

Types of Medicare

When you sign up, you are automatically enrolled in Medicare Part A and B, also known as Original Medicare. Original Medicare helps cover hospitalization and doctor visits, but not prescription drugs. During your Initial Enrollment Period you can buy a Part D plan to cover prescription drugs or enroll in a Medicare Advantage Plan.

Medicare Advantage Plans are typically HMOs and PPOs that cover hospitalization, doctor visits and prescription drugs, but they often restrict the doctors, hospitals, rehab centers and nursing homes to those that are on their plans.

Comparing plans

Go to Medicare.gov and use its Plan Finder tool to compare your options, call 1-800-Medicare, contact a local insurance company or call SHINE for free assistance, Sarmiento said.

“At SHINE we can do an insurance comparison, so that they know which one to enroll in,” she said. “We have 49 Medicare Advantage plans in Miami alone.”

Wait until you are eligible to start comparing plans, Gooden-Thompson said. “It can change every year,” she said.

Medicare start date

The start date of your Medicare coverage depends on when you enroll. “If you enroll in the three months before your 65th birthday month, your Medicare starts the first day of your birthday month,” Sarmiento said. “But if you wait and enroll in your birthday month, then your Medicare starts the month after.”

The delay of coverage will continue the longer you wait to enroll.

Enroll two months after your birthday month, and you will wait two months for your benefits to start, Gooden-Thompson said. Wait three months after your birthday month to enroll and you will wait three months for coverage to start.

The bottom line is the earlier you enroll, the sooner you get coverage, Gooden-Thompson said.

If I miss my Initial Enrollment Period

If you miss your Initial Enrollment Period, you can enroll during the General Enrollment Period, Jan. 1 - March 31. Your coverage will start in July of that year and you will pay a penalty for late enrollment, depending on how long you waited to sign up.

Gooden-Thompson said the penalty will kick in if someone lets 12 months after their 65th birthday go by without signing up for Part B. They will pay an extra 10 percent for each 12-month period.

“That penalty is added on to what you normally would pay,” Sarmiento said.

What if I’m working?

If you plan to work past age 65, you may be able to delay enrolling in Medicare. If you have what’s known as “creditable” health coverage from your employer or are covered under a spouse’s employer plan, you may qualify for a Special Enrollment Period and be able to delay enrolling without penalty.

“Creditable insurance means it is as good or better than Medicare,” Sarmiento said. Ask your company’s Human Resources department or your insurance company if it falls in that category, she said.

In some situations, you may still be required to take full Medicare benefits at age 65 even if you plan to keep working. One example is if your employer has fewer than 20 employees.

And when I stop working?

When you leave your job, are not going to have insurance from your employer anymore and want your Medicare benefits to start, call Social Security to let them know, Sarmiento said.

“One thing to keep in mind is if you take COBRA insurance after you leave your job, that COBRA is not considered creditable coverage,” she said. You should still sign up for Medicare to avoid penalties and coverage delays.

Another thing to remember is that if you’re signing up for Medicare after your Initial Enrollment Period, you can’t do that on Social Security’s website.

“You have to call them and they’re going to ask you for a form from your employer showing that you’ve had insurance from the time that you turned 65,” Sarmiento said.

You have eight months from the time you leave your job and lose your employer’s coverage to sign up for Medicare Part A and B without penalty. But you only have 63 days to sign up for Part D without penalty, Gooden-Thompson said.

Is there Medicare for immigrants?

Immigrants age 65 who have been legal permanent residents for at least five continuous years can purchase Medicare coverage, Sarmiento said.

If you call a SHINE counselor for help, “due to COVID restrictions most, if not all, the counselors are working from home,” Gooden-Thompson said. “They can still call and leave a message and we will return their call.”

Questions? Whom to call

▪ Medicare — www.medicare.gov/find-a-plan allows you to compare costs and coverage, or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), for help in multiple languages.

▪ Social Security — www.ssa.gov or call 1-800-772-1213 to find out Medicare eligibility, how to enroll, apply for Extra Help with Medicare prescription drug costs and ask questions about premiums.

▪ SHINE — Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders, www.floridashine.org, is a federally funded, volunteer-based program to help Medicare beneficiaries understand and compare coverage. You can make an appointment at a free counseling site, email questions or call 1-800-96ELDER (1-800-963-5337).

The direct number for Miami-Dade and Monroe counties is 305-671-6356. The Broward County number is 954-745-9779. Leave a message and a counselor will return your call.