Getting started
Turning 65 in Waco, TX
Your 65th birthday starts a clock. Medicare gives you a seven-month Initial Enrollment Period — the three months before your birthday month, the month itself, and the three months after — to get Part A and Part B in place.
Enroll in the three months before your birthday and coverage starts the first day of your birthday month. Wait until after, and coverage is delayed. That's the whole reason we tell Waco clients to start the conversation at 64½.
- A 7-month Initial Enrollment Period
- Different rules if you're still working
- Your one guaranteed Medigap window
- Free, local, no-pressure guidance
Your dates
Turning 65 enrollment calculator
Find your Medicare enrollment period
Enter your date of birth. You'll get your Initial Enrollment Period, the month to apply, when coverage could begin, and what to check if you're still working — then Dale can review the timeline with you.
Timeline
What to do, and when
- 1
3–6 months before your birthday
Decide whether you'll take Part B now or delay because of active employer coverage. Start gathering your doctor and prescription lists.
- 2
3 months before
Enroll in Part A and Part B through Social Security if you're not already receiving benefits. If you are, your card arrives automatically.
- 3
2 months before
Choose your path: Original Medicare with a Medigap plan and Part D, or a Medicare Advantage plan. Verify networks and drug tiers.
- 4
1 month before
Submit the application so ID cards arrive before your effective date. Confirm nothing lapses from your prior coverage.
- 5
After your birthday
Your six-month Medigap open enrollment window runs from the start of Part B. Use it — it's the only time health won't matter.
Still working?
Employer coverage changes the math
If you or your spouse still work and the employer plan covers 20 or more employees, you can usually delay Part B without penalty and keep working coverage. Most people still take Part A, since it's typically premium-free — unless you contribute to an HSA, in which case enrolling in any part of Medicare stops HSA contributions.
When employment ends, an eight-month Special Enrollment Period opens for Part B. COBRA and retiree plans do not extend it. Guessing wrong here is the single most expensive mistake people make — you can estimate the damage with our Part B penalty calculator.
Small employers are the exception
Under 20 employees, Medicare usually becomes primary at 65 and delaying Part B can leave you underinsured. Confirm with your HR department before deciding.
Choosing
Two roads from here
- Original Medicare + Medigap + Part D: any doctor who takes Medicare, higher premium, very predictable costs
- Medicare Advantage: lower premium, a network, copays as you go, extras like dental and vision
- Both require you to keep paying your monthly Part B premium
- You can compare both at no cost with an independent local agent
Read more about Medigap and Medicare Advantage, or work through the Medicare checklist first.
Have your enrollment timeline reviewed
Dale Whitaker will confirm your dates, tell you whether your employer coverage lets you delay Part B safely, and lay out both coverage paths. No cost, and no obligation to enroll.
- Licensed Texas insurance agent
- Licensed since 2011
- AHIP Medicare certified, renewed annually
- No cost for our help
- In-person, phone and home appointments
Written and reviewed by Dale Whitaker, Licensed Texas insurance agent. Last reviewed: July 2026.
Turning 65 this year?
We'll map your dates, check your doctors and lay out both paths — free, and with no obligation to enroll.