If your Initial Enrollment Window has closed and you still need to get on Medicare, you’ll typically have to wait for a Special Enrollment Term (SEP) or the General Enrollment Phase (GEP) to sign up.
Special Enrollment Term
– Should you have health coverage from your place of employment, Medicare sign-up is possible without incurring a late fee for a duration of eight months once you lose that coverage or cease employment (including your spouse).
– A SEP also extends to individuals below the age of 65 who qualify for Medicare due to a disability and are under an employer-sponsored plan via a relative’s current employment in a firm with at least 100 employees.
– It’s important to compare coverage options offered through employer-sponsored plans if you’re eligible for Medicare because of age or a disability.
General Enrollment Phase
– The GEP runs from January 1 to March 31 every year, during which you can register for Medicare Part B.
– If you join within the GEP, your coverage begins on the first of July. You won’t have Medicare protection until such time.
– Those who sign up for Medicare in the GEP may face a Part B premium surcharge.
