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If you or your spouse are still working, you may be able to wait to sign up for Medicare without paying a late enrollment penalty. If you didn't sign up for Part B because you have group health plan coverage based on current employment, you can sign up any time you're still covered, or during the 8-month period that begins the month after employment or coverage ends, whichever happens first.
Most people pay $0 a month for Part A (hospital insurance) because they or a spouse paid Medicare taxes long enough while working. If you're admitted to the hospital in 2026, you pay a $1,736 deductible.
In 2026, most people pay $202.90 a month for Part B (medical insurance: doctor visits and outpatient care). You also pay a $283 yearly deductible, then usually 20% of the cost for each covered service.
If you sign up for Part B late and didn't qualify for a Special Enrollment Period, or go without Part D or other creditable drug coverage, you could owe a penalty. It's added to your monthly premium. It's not a one-time fee, and you usually keep it for as long as you have that coverage.
Most people can first sign up during their Initial Enrollment Period, a 7-month window. It starts 3 months before the month you turn 65 and ends 3 months after.
It depends. Some people get Part A and Part B automatically, and some have to sign up. If you're already getting benefits from Social Security or the Railroad Retirement Board, you'll automatically get Part A and Part B starting the first day of the month you turn 65. If you're close to 65 but aren't getting those benefits, you'll need to sign up for Medicare.
General education, not individualized advice. For your own situation, you can call 1-800-MEDICARE or your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP).
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