The United States Medicare Rules Are All Different Than What You Read in the Newspaper If You Are Just Now Turning 65

One last time before the annual open enrollment nonsense really begins:  If this is the year you turn 65, particularly if you turn 65 during October-December this year, the timing of Medicare enrollment is different. You have from three months before you turn 65 through the month you turn 65 until three months after the month in which you turn 65.  In other words, you have a seven month window.

During that window you will need to make all the decisions that most seniors face during annual Part C and Part D enrollment:

• If I am not getting a supplement from a former employer or if I am not still working and getting insurance from that employer, do I want a private Medigap supplement or a public Part C health plan?
• If I want a public Part C plan, does my doctor accept it and/or do I like his or her network? (With private Medigap you don't need to worry about networks and almost all doctors accept it. But typically it costs more--see NOTE.)
• No matter what I choose, do I need a Part D drug plan (or -- for example -- does a former employer provide a creditable plan? Or can I get better coverage from the Veterans' administration?
• If I choose a public Part C plan, I have to use the drug plan built into it.
• If I don't chose a Part D drug plan now, I might pay a penalty to join later (but that still might make sense financially)
• If I need a Part D plan, what drugs do I take? (That -- along with favored pharmacies -- pretty much but not totally determines which Part D plan you should choose.)
• Do I qualify for any state or federal financial assistance?

By the way, if you turn 65 during the next three months and go through this process you still want to repeat the process a second time for 2015. If you wait until late in your seven-month window, you might be without some coverage temporarily.

There are some special rules that apply if you are still working and/or not yet collecting Social Security.  Talk to your HR department if you are still working.  Talk to Social Security if you are not yet collecting.

NOTE: Private Medigap plans and rules are different in every state.