A Few Tips For Preparing From Our Team
Perhaps you’ve already planned to work past age 65, knowing that full Social Security benefits don’t kick in unless you work until age 66. But have you thought about how that will affect your Medicare enrollment?
While you might be working until age 66 – or beyond – you are still eligible to enroll in Medicare. In fact, many people do choose to enroll in Medicare Part A for hospital coverage. Others choose to stay entirely on their employer’s plan.
Factors to Think About
If you’re looking ahead, there are several factors you need to consider as you decide whether to enroll in Medicare at 65, or wait. Among the things to think about are:
- Is Medicare more cost-effective than staying on employer-sponsored health coverage?
- If you’re on an individual health plan, could you save money by enrolling in original Medicare and a Medicare health plan?
- Is my employer coverage even credible?
- How am I timing my enrollment?
For the first two items, we would be happy to walk you through the details and compare plans for you. This is not a road anyone needs to go down alone – it can get overwhelming very quickly, and we are here to help you.
For the third item, the consideration of timing, it is important to understand how the rules change for open enrollment after 65. If you work past 65, you will only have 60 days from your Medicare Part B effective date to apply for a Part C Medicare Advantage Plan or Part D prescription drug plan. You may also incur a penalty if you are eligible for Medicare Part D, but not enrolled in it.
It’s important to be prepared in advance of age 65 so that you know what your options are when it comes time to enroll in Medicare. Fully understanding your options and their impact takes some time, but it is well worth it.
Let Us Help You
When it comes to planning for retirement, there is certainly a lot to think about. At Southern Maine Retirement Services, we’re here to make at least one aspect of your planning easier. If you have questions about enrolling in Medicare if you’re retiring after 65 – or questions about any other aspect of Medicare – please give us a call (207) 647-2900 at and we can talk about your unique situation and the options available to you.
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