Initial Enrollment Period for Medicare

Many new beneficiaries miss their Initial Enrollment Period which results in them getting a late enrollment penalty. Your IEP window is not annual, each IEP is unique to the individual. It will never be the same as another beneficiary IEP.

Your Medicare Initial Enrollment Period begins three months before you turn 65, the month of your 65th birthday, and continues for three months after your birthday month. Totaling seven months in which you can actively sign up for Part A and Part B unless you qualify for automatic enrollment. When Medicare starts depends on your situation.

You can take advantage of your initial enrollment window as early as three months before you turn 65. For those on disability, your Initial Enrollment Period window will begin after receiving Social Security for 24 months, and then again when you turn 65.

This is one of the only scenarios where you will get two chances of an Initial Enrollment Period. The other scenario is if you retire, go back to work and get employer group coverage, and then retire again later. When you retire again, you’ll qualify for a Special Enrollment Period.

If you missed your Initial Enrollment Period 7-month window for one reason or another, you could still enroll in during the General Enrollment Period. Keep in mind, if you enroll during the annual GEP, your Medicare will not start until July 1st. Therefore, you could have a gap in coverage. If you didn’t maintain creditable coverage, you’d be subject to an endless Part B penalty.

You qualify for automatic enrollment if you’re collecting Social Security benefits. You should receive your Medicare card about three months before your 65th birthday. If you’re not collecting Social Security by the time you age into Medicare at 65, you’ll need to actively enroll yourself.

If you have Social Security or Railroad Retirement Board disability for at least 24 months, you qualify for automatic enrollment as well. Your Medicare card is mailed out about three months before the 25th month of collecting disability benefits.

If a beneficiary has Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, that individual will automatically be enrolled in Part A and B starting the month that disability benefits begin. Individuals with the end-stage renal disease don’t need to receive Social Security disability benefits to qualify for Medicare. They can still continue to work. If you have ESRD, you can enroll in Medicare at any time before turning 65.

Your Part D Initial Enrollment Period is the same as your Part A and Part B Initial Enrollment Period. If you didn’t enroll in Part D during your IEP window, you might incur a Part D late enrollment penalty. If you have creditable coverage, then you won’t incur a late penalty.

If you missed your Initial Enrollment Period, the Annual Enrollment Period occurs annually in the fall. During this period, you can enroll in Medicare Advantage or a Part D prescription drug plan. Coverage will begin on July 1st of the following year.

Your IEP for Part C is called your Medicare Advantage Initial Coverage Election Period, or ICEP.