Start with Parts A and B
For many people, Medicare eligibility begins around age 65. Some people are enrolled automatically and others need to sign up. Your situation can depend on Social Security status, current employer coverage and other factors.
Timing matters. Your Initial Enrollment Period generally spans seven months: the three months before the month you turn 65, your birthday month, and the three months after.
Then choose how you want to receive coverage
After Original Medicare begins, people commonly evaluate two broad paths:
- Original Medicare, often paired with a Medicare Supplement policy and separate Part D drug plan.
- Medicare Advantage, a private Medicare-approved plan that provides Part A and Part B benefits and often includes Part D.
Your checklist
- Confirm when Part A and Part B should begin.
- Understand how any employer or retiree coverage coordinates with Medicare.
- List your doctors, prescriptions and preferred pharmacies.
- Think about travel and how important broad provider access is to you.
- Compare expected premiums and out-of-pocket costs—not premium alone.
Official resources
Use Medicare.gov and Social Security for official enrollment information.