The period October-November gets all the publicity when it comes to planning for Medicare for the following year. Fuggettaboutit.
As I pointed out on this recent blogpost, January to March are really the important months if you do not already have Medicare. All most Medicare beneficiaries can do in October-November is sign up for or change a Medicare health plan but that is not the same as enrolling in Medicare.
And if you get your supplemental coverage from a former employer or a spouse's former employer, your chance to change your options for 2015
- may have already come and gone
- may be now
- may occur between now and the end of 2015 but have very different decision dates than someone who does not get supplemental insurance from a former employer
That's about 33% of you nationwide (cream colored slice of pie in lower left).
Bottom line: if you get anything from a former employer, read it right away and act on it right away.
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