Medicare Enrollment When You Have Employer Coverage
Even if you have optional coverage through your employed spouse or a former employer, you still may need to make some important Medicare enrollment decisions. Most people should enroll in Medicare Part A when they're first eligible, but certain people may choose to delay Medicare Part B. In most cases, it depends on the type of health coverage you may have.
Consider the following:
Type of coverage offered through your spouse or a former employer
Does it require you to have Medicare Parts A and B?
Does it pay its portion of your medical bills prior to Medicare doing so?
Are dental and vision benefits incorporated into the plan?
Is a Health Savings Account (HSA) an option?
Are additional life or long-term care benefits available?
Cost of employer coverage
Many premiums for group health plans are higher than paying for both Medicare Part B and other Medicare plans.
Whether you want to delay enrollment in Medicare Part B
Part B has an additional monthly premium. So delaying your enrollment could save you money if the health coverage offered through your spouse (or a former employer) doesn’t require enrollment in Part B.
If your spouse is currently working, you can enroll in Part B without any penalty when his or her employment ends.
Any time without employer coverage or Part B requires you to pay a late enrollment penalty (LEP) when you gain coverage. You pay this penalty for as long as you have Part B.
We recommend you contact your spouse’s employer (or your former employer) and request information as to whether your coverage changes once you enroll in Medicare.