Question on signing up for Medicare - 3 months before age 65

[tominboise]

I will turn 65 in late March, 2025. I know I have to sign up 3 months prior. Does that mean December of 2024 or January 2025? Is it three full months ahead?

 

[MissMolly]

You don't "have" to sign up 3 months prior to...you "can" sign up 3 months prior to. So either month is just fine. The actual period is 7 months long. Three months before your birth month. Your birth month. Three months after your birth month. So for you, anytime Dec 2024 through June 2025.

 

[Jimmie]

You don't "have" to sign up 3 months prior to...you "can" sign up 3 months prior to. So either month is just fine. The actual period is 7 months long. Three months before your birth month. Your birth month. Three months after your birth month. So for you, anytime Dec 2024 through June 2025.

This is true with one caveat. If you enroll in Jan or Feb, your medicare start date will be Mar 1st. If you enroll Mar thru Jun, your medicare start date will the the 1st of the following month (e.g. enroll in Mar, medicare start date is Apr 1).