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When to sign up for Medicare

 

Medicare gives you a 7-month window to enroll when you are aging into Medicare, turning 65. Three (3) months before your birth month, your birth month, and three (3) months after your birth month. Use the following chart to see your window.

 

3 Months Before Birth Month 3 Months After
October, November, December

January

February, March, April

November, December, January

February

March, April, May

December, January, February March April, May, June
January, February, March April May, June, July
February, March, April May June, July, August

March, April, May

June July, August, September
April, May, June July August, September, October
May, June, July August September, October, November
June, July, August September October, November, December
July, August, September October

November, December, January

August, September, October November December, January, February
September, October, November December January, February, March

 

The following chart shows when your Medicare becomes effective:

If you enroll in this month of your initial enrollment period  Then your Part B Medicare coverage starts

One to three months before you reach age 65

The month you reach age 65 

The month you reach age 65 

One month after the month you reach age 65 

One month after you reach age 65  Two months after the month of enrollment
Two or three months after you reach age 65  Three months after the month of enrollment 

 

So if your birthday is in December and you wait until February or March to enroll, your Medicare effective date won’t be until June 1st.