I'm still working at 65 — do I need to sign up now?
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.
What matters most
You may be able to wait
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. It might be to your advantage to delay Part B enrollment while you still have health coverage based on your or your spouse's current employment.
An 8-month window when the job ends
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 by the group health plan. You can also sign up during the 8-month period that begins the month after the employment ends or the coverage ends, whichever happens first.
COBRA and retiree coverage don't count
COBRA coverage isn't considered coverage based on current employment, and it doesn't count to make you eligible for this Special Enrollment Period. The same is true for retiree health plans and VA coverage. You generally aren't eligible for a Special Enrollment Period to sign up for Medicare when COBRA coverage ends.
Want the detail? How it works, a worked example and common mix-ups are in .
Words on this page
Special Enrollment Period
a chance to sign up for Medicare outside the usual periods, like the 8 months after job-based coverage ends
COBRA
a way to keep your job's health plan for a while after the job ends; it isn't coverage based on current employment
Premium-free Part A
Part A with no monthly premium, which most people get because they or a spouse paid Medicare taxes while working
Creditable drug coverage
drug coverage that's expected to pay, on average, at least as much as Medicare drug coverage
Who can answer for your situation
Your employer's benefits administrator can explain how your job coverage works with Medicare. For questions about signing up for Part A and Part B, visit SSA.gov or call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213. You can also call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).
It might be to your advantage to delay Part B enrollment while you still have health coverage based on your or your spouse's current employment. 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 by the group health plan. You can also sign up during the 8-month period that begins the month after the employment ends or the coverage ends, whichever happens first. Usually, you won't have to pay a late enrollment penalty if you sign up during a Special Enrollment Period.
If your employer coverage is ending, check when your current coverage ends and sign up for Medicare about a month earlier. Signing up for Medicare before your current coverage ends can help you avoid a gap in coverage.
What about Part A?
You usually don't pay a monthly premium for Part A if you or your spouse paid Medicare taxes while working for a certain amount of time. This is sometimes called premium-free Part A. If you didn't get premium-free Part A automatically, for example because you're still working and aren't getting Social Security or RRB benefits, but you qualify for it, you can sign up for it any time after you're first eligible for Medicare.
If you have a Health Savings Account (HSA), you aren't eligible to make contributions to an HSA after you have Medicare. You and your employer should stop contributing to your HSA 6 months before you retire or apply for benefits from Social Security (or the Railroad Retirement Board).
Check with your employer
If you or your spouse are working and have employer coverage through work, contact your employer to find out how your coverage works with Medicare. If the company has less than 20 employees, your job-based coverage might not pay for health services if you don't have both Part A and Part B.
Ask about your drug coverage too. Creditable prescription drug coverage is coverage that's expected to pay, on average, at least as much as Medicare drug coverage. If you aren't sure your current drug plan is considered creditable, ask your plan. They have to tell you. You won't pay the Part D late enrollment penalty as long as you don't go more than 63 days without creditable drug coverage.
An example
Say you turn 65 and keep working, with group health plan coverage from your job, and you don't sign up for Part B. Two years later, you retire. After coverage based on current employment ends, you have 8 months to sign up for Part B without a penalty, whether or not you choose COBRA. The 8-month period begins the month after the employment ends or the coverage ends, whichever happens first.
Common mix-ups
These are the pairs people most often mix up.
COBRA doesn't give you more time
After coverage based on current employment ends, you have 8 months to sign up for Part B without a penalty, whether or not you choose COBRA. Don't wait until your COBRA coverage ends to sign up for Part B. COBRA coverage doesn't extend your limited time to sign up for Medicare.
A small employer changes things
If the company has less than 20 employees, your job-based coverage might not pay for health services if you don't have both Part A and Part B. Contact your employer to find out how your coverage works with Medicare.
If you miss the window
If you missed your Initial Enrollment Period and don't qualify for a Special Enrollment Period, you can sign up for Part B during the General Enrollment Period, January 1 to March 31 each year. If you don't sign up for Part B when you're first eligible, you may have to pay a late enrollment penalty for as long as you have Part B.
1 What the source says · If you (or your spouse) have health insurance from a job
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.
Checked October 1, 2026
7 What the source says · If you have COBRA coverage
Don't wait until your COBRA coverage ends to sign up for Part B — COBRA coverage doesn't extend your limited time to sign up for Medicare.
Checked October 1, 2026
13 What the source says · How do I sign up for Medicare when I'm ready?, Before you sign up
If you have a Health Savings Account (HSA), you and your employer should stop contributing to your HSA 6 months before you retire or apply for benefits from Social Security (or the Railroad Retirement Board).
Checked October 1, 2026
14 What the source says · How do I sign up for Medicare when I'm ready?, Before you sign up
If your employer coverage is ending, check when your current coverage ends and sign up for Medicare about a month earlier. Signing up for Medicare before your current coverage ends can help you avoid a gap in coverage.
Checked October 1, 2026
15 What the source says · What do I need to know about drug coverage?
If you aren't sure your current drug plan is considered creditable, ask your plan – they have to tell you.
Checked October 1, 2026
16 What the source says · What do I need to know about drug coverage?
You won't pay the Part D late enrollment penalty as long as you don't go more than 63 days without creditable drug coverage.
Checked October 1, 2026
17 What the source says · Definition: Creditable prescription drug coverage
Prescription drug coverage that's expected to pay, on average, at least as much as Medicare drug coverage.
2 What the source says · Section 1: How Medicare works, I have other health coverage. Should I get Part B?, Employer or union coverage (p. 19)
It might be to your advantage to delay Part B enrollment while you still have health coverage based on your or your spouse's current employment.
Checked October 1, 2026
3 What the source says · Section 1: How Medicare works, Special Enrollment Period (p. 17)
For example, if you didn't sign up for Part B (or Part A if you have to buy it) when you were first eligible because you have group health plan coverage based on current employment (your own, a spouse's, or a family member's if you have a disability), you can sign up for Part A and/or Part B: • Any time you're still covered by the group health plan • During the 8-month period that begins the month after the employment ends or the coverage ends, whichever happens first
Checked October 1, 2026
4 What the source says · Section 1: How Medicare works, Special Enrollment Period (p. 17)
Usually, you won't have to pay a late enrollment penalty if you sign up during a Special Enrollment Period.
Checked October 1, 2026
5 What the source says · Section 1: How Medicare works, Special Enrollment Period, Important! (p. 18)
COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act) coverage isn't considered coverage based on current employment and doesn't count as current employer coverage to make you eligible for this Special Enrollment Period. This means you generally aren't eligible for a Special Enrollment Period to sign up for Medicare when COBRA coverage ends. The same is true for retiree health plans and VA coverage.
Checked October 1, 2026
6 What the source says · Section 1: How Medicare works, Special Enrollment Period, Important! (p. 18)
After coverage based on current employment ends, you have 8 months to sign up for Part B without a penalty, whether or not you choose COBRA.
Checked October 1, 2026
9 What the source says · Section 1: How Medicare works, How does my other insurance work with Medicare? (p. 21)
If you or your spouse are working and have employer coverage through work, contact your employer to find out how your coverage works with Medicare.
Checked October 1, 2026
10 What the source says · Section 1: How Medicare works, Do I have to pay for Part A? (p. 22)
You usually don't pay a monthly premium for Part A coverage if you or your spouse paid Medicare taxes while working for a certain amount of time. This is sometimes called premium-free Part A.
Checked October 1, 2026
11 What the source says · Section 1: How Medicare works, If I didn't get Part A and Part B automatically, when can I sign up? (p. 16)
If you didn't get premium-free Part A automatically (for example, because you're still working and aren't getting Social Security or RRB benefits) but you qualify for it, you can sign up for it any time after you're first eligible for Medicare (page 22).
Checked October 1, 2026
12 What the source says · Section 1: How Medicare works, Health Savings Account (HSA) (p. 20)
You aren't eligible to make contributions to an HSA after you have Medicare.
Checked October 1, 2026
18 What the source says · Section 1: How Medicare works, General Enrollment Period (p. 18)
You can sign up for Part B during the General Enrollment Period (January 1–March 31 each year) if you missed your Initial Enrollment Period and don't qualify for a Special Enrollment Period.
Checked October 1, 2026
19 What the source says · Section 1: How Medicare works, What's the Part B late enrollment penalty? (p. 23)
If you don't sign up for Part B when you're first eligible, you may have to pay a late enrollment penalty for as long as you have Part B.
8 What the source says · Your answer (employer with fewer than 20 employees): Check with the employer that provides your health insurance about signing up when you're first eligible
Because the company has less than 20 employees, your job-based coverage might not pay for health services if you don't have both Part A and Part B.
Checked October 1, 2026
Something look wrong?
If something here doesn’t match what you’ve been told, please check with 1-800-MEDICARE, and let us know through our Contact page.
General education, not individualized advice. For your own situation, you can call 1-800-MEDICARE or your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP).
