Turning 65? How to Get Ready for Medicare

A 65th birthday is a big milestone, and for most people it also means a first introduction to Medicare. We talk with new-to-Medicare folks every week, and the ones who feel most at ease are the ones who started planning a little early. Here is a simple way to get ready.

Start the conversation about six months ahead

Your first chance to sign up for Medicare is a seven-month window built around your birthday month. It opens three months before the month you turn 65 and closes three months after. Reaching out to us around six months before your birthday gives us room to answer your questions and look at your options without any rush.

If you already receive Social Security benefits, you may be enrolled in parts of Medicare automatically, and your red, white and blue card will arrive in the mail. Even then, there are still choices to make, so it helps to talk it through.

Gather a few things

• Your Social Security information and any letters you have received about Medicare

• A list of your doctors and specialists

• Your current prescriptions with dosages

• Details on any coverage you have now, whether through work, a spouse's job, or the Marketplace

• A rough idea of your monthly budget for health care

Questions worth bringing to your appointment

Write down anything that is on your mind. A few we hear often:

• I am still working. How does my employer coverage fit in?

• Can I keep seeing the doctors I trust?

• My spouse is younger than me. What happens to their coverage?

• I travel or spend part of the year up north. Does that matter?

• What should I be watching for in the mail?

The right answers depend on your situation, and that is exactly what we are here to help with.

Keep your paperwork in one place

Once you are enrolled, you will receive cards, welcome packets and notices. Pick one folder or drawer for all of it. Keep your Medicare card somewhere safe, and carry a copy rather than the original when you can. If something arrives that you are unsure about, set it aside and give us a call.

You do not have to figure it out alone

Medicare has a reputation for being confusing, and some of that reputation is earned. The good news is that a short conversation clears up most of it. We will walk you through the basics in plain language and help you choose what fits your life and your budget.

Turning 65 soon? Call or text Maryellen at (727) 647-4448, or reach the office at (941) 999-1350. We would love to help you start this chapter feeling confident.

We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options. Secure Insurance Agency LLC is a licensed insurance agency, NPN 17217331. Not connected with or endorsed by the United States government or the federal Medicare program.