Enrolling in Medicare Parts A and B
When you're first eligible for Medicare, you have a seven-month Initial Enrollment Period (IEP) to sign up for Part A and/or Part B.
If you're eligible for Medicare when you turn 65, you can sign up during the seven-month period that:
Begins three months before the month you turn 65
Includes the month you turn 65
Ends three months after the month you turn 65
For example, if you were born May 16, your IEP would last from February through August.
During this time frame, you can also enroll in a Medicare plan. You need to be enrolled in Part A and Part B to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan or a Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) policy.
Most people are automatically eligible for Part A. However, you must elect to enroll in Part B, and there's a premium associated with it. If you don't enroll in Part B during your IEP, you must wait to enroll until the General Enrollment Period (GEP).
The GEP is January 1 through March 31 each year. When you enroll during this time frame, your Part B becomes effective July 1 of the same year. The GEP is available to you when you didn't sign up during your IEP, and you aren't eligible for a Special Enrollment Period. Read the Special Enrollment Periods section of this article to learn more.