Turning 65
Turning 65: your first steps with Medicare
Your Medicare enrollment window opens three months before your birthday month, and it stays open for seven months in all. That leaves room to learn the basics and plan, one step at a time.
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Your window
Your Initial Enrollment Period
Medicare gives you a seven-month window to sign up when you first become eligible. It is built around your 65th birthday.
- 1
Three months before
Your window opens three months before the month you turn 65.
- 2
Your birthday month
The window stays open while you turn 65.
- 3
Three months after
You can still sign up during the three months after your birthday month.
When you sign up within the window can affect when your coverage starts. We can map out your own dates together.
The basics
Part A and Part B in plain words
Part A: hospital insurance
Helps cover inpatient hospital stays, care in a skilled nursing facility after a hospital stay, hospice care, and some home health care.
Part B: medical insurance
Helps cover doctor visits, outpatient care, preventive services, and some medical equipment.
Together, Part A and Part B are called Original Medicare. For current costs and details, see Medicare.gov.
Your options
The two main paths
Most people put their coverage together in one of two ways. Neither is right for everyone. What fits you depends on your doctors, your prescriptions, how you travel, and your budget.
Original Medicare with Medigap and Part D
You keep Original Medicare (Parts A and B). A Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plan can help with some of the costs Original Medicare does not pay, and a separate Part D plan covers prescription drugs.
Medicare Advantage (Part C)
Instead of Original Medicare on its own, you get your Medicare benefits through a plan from a private insurance company that contracts with Medicare. Many of these plans include prescription drug coverage and use a network of doctors and hospitals.
Before we talk
What to have ready for a review
- A list of your doctors and your preferred pharmacy
- Your prescriptions and doses
- Details about any coverage you have through an employer or in retirement
- The month you turn 65, so we can map out your window
You do not need to share health details, income or your Medicare number to schedule a review, and please do not enter them on this website.
Still working at 65?
If you or your spouse still work and have coverage through an employer, you may be able to wait to sign up for Part B. The rules depend on your employer's size and your plan, so check with your employer's benefits team, and then we can review your situation together.
Read more in the Working past 65 guideThis page is general education, not advice about a specific plan. For official information, visit Medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE.
Last reviewed: October 2026
Talk it through with a licensed agent
Pick a time that suits you and I'll call you then. There's no cost for my help, and scheduling does not obligate you to enroll. Evening and weekend appointments available.