Turning 65 in Broward or Palm Beach: your Medicare timeline
You have a 7-month window to sign up for Medicare. It starts 3 months before the month you turn 65 and ends 3 months after it. Here's who's eligible, what to do and when, how Medicare works if you're still working, what late penalties really cost in dollars, and the one decision at 65 that's hard to undo.
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Are you eligible for Medicare?
- At 65: U.S. citizens, and permanent residents who have lived in the U.S. for 5 continuous years.
- Under 65: after 24 months of Social Security Disability benefits, right away with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease), or with End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD).
Will Part A be free?
Part A is premium-free if you or your spouse worked and paid Medicare taxes for at least 40 quarters (about 10 years). If not, you can buy Part A: in 2026 it costs $311 a month with 30–39 quarters, or $565 with fewer than 30. Part B has a monthly premium for everyone ($202.90 standard in 2026).
Source: CMS 2026 fact sheet.
Automatic or do you need to apply?
Automatic: if you already get Social Security or Railroad Retirement Board benefits, you're enrolled in Parts A and B automatically. Your red, white and blue Medicare card arrives about 3 months before your 65th birthday.
You apply: if you're not collecting Social Security yet, sign up yourself at ssa.gov, by calling Social Security at 1-800-772-1213, or at a local Social Security office.
Either way, Medicare Supplement, Advantage and Part D plans are separate choices you make yourself. That's where we help.
Your 7-month Initial Enrollment Period
| When you sign up | When coverage starts | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1–3 months before your birthday month | The first day of your birthday month | The best time: no gap in coverage |
| Your birthday month | The first day of the next month | Still on time |
| 1–3 months after your birthday month | The first day of the month after you sign up | Last chance before late penalties can apply, unless you qualify to delay |
If your birthday is on the first of the month, your window and coverage start a month earlier.
Your month-by-month checklist
- 6 months before 65: list your doctors, prescriptions, pharmacy and any planned surgeries. If you're working, ask HR how the company plan works with Medicare. If you have an HSA, plan when to stop contributions.
- 4 months before: talk with us to compare Supplement plus Part D against Medicare Advantage for your situation.
- 3 months before: sign up for Parts A and B at ssa.gov, unless you're enrolled automatically or delaying Part B because of work coverage.
- 1–2 months before: enroll in your Supplement and Part D plan, or your Advantage plan, so it starts the same day as Part B.
- Your birthday month: your new cards arrive. Cancel any coverage you no longer need, but not before your Medicare coverage starts.
- First 12 months: book your free "Welcome to Medicare" preventive visit, then a yearly wellness visit after that.
Which parts do you need?
- Part A (hospital): almost everyone takes it at 65, since it's usually free.
- Part B (medical): needed at 65 unless you have large-employer coverage through current work.
- Then choose one path: Original Medicare plus a Medicare Supplement and a Part D plan, or a Medicare Advantage plan that usually includes drug coverage.
Still working at 65?
- Employer with 20 or more employees: the employer plan pays first, and you can usually delay Part B without a penalty while you're covered through current work (yours or your spouse's).
- Employer with fewer than 20: Medicare usually pays first, so you normally need Parts A and B at 65 or your employer plan may not pay claims.
- When work coverage ends: you have 8 months to sign up for Part B without a penalty. Social Security will ask for forms CMS-40B and CMS-L564, which your employer completes.
- COBRA and retiree plans don't count as current work coverage for delaying Part B. Sign up when active employment ends, not when COBRA ends.
If you have a Health Savings Account (HSA)
Once you're enrolled in any part of Medicare, you can't contribute to an HSA, though you can keep spending what's in it. If you sign up for Part A after 65, it's backdated up to 6 months, so stop HSA contributions 6 months before you enroll to avoid a 6% excise tax on excess contributions.
If your spouse is younger
Medicare covers individuals, not families. If you retire and your spouse is under 65, they'll need their own coverage, such as COBRA or an ACA Marketplace plan, until they're eligible for Medicare.
Late penalties, in real dollars
Part B: 10% added to your premium for each full 12 months you could have had Part B but didn't, for as long as you have Part B. Two years late means paying 20% more: with the 2026 premium of $202.90, that's about $40.58 extra every month, for life.
Part D: 1% of the national base premium ($41.33 in 2027) for each month without creditable drug coverage. Twenty months late adds about $8.30 a month, for as long as you have Part D. More on Part D.
Missed your window? You can sign up during the General Enrollment Period, January 1 to March 31, with coverage starting the month after you sign up. Penalties may still apply.
The one decision that's hard to undo
At 65 you get six months, starting with Part B, to buy any Medicare Supplement with no health questions. If you choose Medicare Advantage instead and want a Supplement later, outside your first-year trial right you may face health questions and could be declined.
Compare both before you choose. That's the main thing we help South Florida families with.
Common turning-65 mistakes we see
- Assuming Medicare starts on its own. It's only automatic if you already collect Social Security.
- Staying on COBRA instead of Part B. That can mean a lifetime Part B penalty and a coverage gap.
- Picking a plan from a TV ad or a cold call. Plans in Broward and Palm Beach differ by ZIP code, doctor and drug list.
- Letting the six-month Supplement window pass without comparing, then facing health questions later.
- Forgetting Part D because you don't take medications yet.
- Canceling employer coverage too early, before Medicare and your new plan start.
What to have ready
- Your Social Security number and proof of age or citizenship.
- Your Medicare card and number, once it arrives.
- Your current insurance cards and, if working, your employer's coverage details.
- A list of your doctors, specialists and preferred hospital.
- A list of your prescriptions with doses, and your pharmacy.
Already on Medicare because of a disability?
When you turn 65, you get a fresh start: a new Initial Enrollment Period, a new six-month window to buy a Florida Medicare Supplement with no health questions, and any Part B late penalty from before 65 ends.
Moving to South Florida?
Advantage and Part D plans are based on your county. If you move to Broward or Palm Beach, you get a special enrollment period to choose a plan where you now live.
Help paying for Medicare
- Medicare Savings Programs (QMB, SLMB, QI) help pay Part B premiums for people with limited income and savings.
- Extra Help lowers Part D premiums and drug copays.
- Florida Medicaid can cover costs Medicare doesn't, and people with both can join a Dual Special Needs Plan.
- SHINE, Florida's free Medicare counseling program, answers questions at 1-800-963-5337.
We check whether you might qualify for help before recommending any plan.
Does Medicare affect your Social Security?
If you collect Social Security, your Part B premium is usually taken out of your monthly check. If your income from two years earlier was above certain limits, you'll also pay an income-related surcharge (IRMAA) on Part B and Part D. If your income dropped because you retired, you can ask Social Security to lower it using form SSA-44.
Nou ka ede w an Kreyòl
Ou gen 65 an? Nou ka esplike w Medicare an Kreyòl, etap pa etap, san ou pa peye anyen.
Turning 65 questions
When should I sign up for Medicare?
Up to 3 months before the month you turn 65, so coverage starts on time. Your window lasts 7 months in total.
Am I enrolled in Medicare automatically at 65?
Only if you already get Social Security or Railroad Retirement benefits. Otherwise you need to apply through Social Security.
Do I have to sign up for Part B if I'm still working?
If your employer has 20 or more employees and you're covered through current work, you can usually delay Part B without a penalty. With fewer than 20, you usually need it at 65.
Does COBRA count as coverage for delaying Medicare?
No. COBRA doesn't count as current work coverage, so you should sign up for Part B when your job ends to avoid a penalty.
What happens to my HSA when I get Medicare?
You can keep using the money, but you can't add to it once you're on Medicare. Stop contributions 6 months before you enroll if you sign up after 65.
Can I get Medicare at 65 if I'm not collecting Social Security yet?
Yes. You can sign up for Medicare at 65 and start Social Security later. You'll pay your Part B premium directly until your benefits begin.
Does my spouse have to sign up at the same time?
No. Each person enrolls based on their own 65th birthday. A younger spouse needs other coverage until they turn 65.
What happens if I miss my enrollment window?
You may have to wait for the General Enrollment Period (January 1 to March 31), and you could pay a lifetime late penalty.
Is Medicare free at 65?
Part A is premium-free for most people who worked about 10 years. Part B has a monthly premium ($202.90 standard in 2026), and most people add a Supplement and Part D or an Advantage plan.
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