### What is Medicare and are you eligible for it?

**Medicare is a federal health insurance program for people 65 and over.**

There are some situations where you may be eligible even if you’re younger If you are under 65, you may be eligible to get Medicare earlier if you have:

- A disability,
- End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), or
- ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease).

#### Medicare is divided into four parts:

1. Medicare Part A is insurance for hospitalization, home or skilled nursing, and hospice.
2. Medicare Part B is medical insurance.
3. Medicare Part C (Medicare Advantage Plans) is a private insurance option that covers hospital and medical costs.
4. Medicare Part D covers prescription medications.

#### Medicare has an Initial Enrollment Period.

This period is 7 months around your 65th birthday. You need to enroll in Medicare during the 3 months before or within the 3 months after your 65th birthday month.

For example, say your 65th birthday is in November:

- 3 months before November starts August 1st. That means you can enroll starting August 1st.
- Because you turn 65 in November, you also have the whole month of November to enroll.
- 3 months after November is February. You need to enroll by the end of February.

#### What if you don’t enroll before your Initial Enrollment Period ends?

You may have to pay a penalty.

#### There are different ways to sign up for Medicare. 

**Retired early and are already receiving Social Security?** If you retire between ages 62 and up to 4 months before your 65th birthday and are receiving Social Security retirement benefits, you’ll automatically be enrolled in Medicare Part A and Part B once you turn 65.

**Retiring at 65 and applying for Social Security?** If you apply to receive Social Security retirement benefits 3 months before your 65th birthday or any time after, you can enroll in Medicare at the same time.

**Not retiring at 65?** If you are not ready to receive Social Security benefits at 65 because you are still working, you can apply online for Medicare only. [Learn more about how Medicare works if you are employed past age 65.](https://www.medicare.gov/basics/get-started-with-medicare/medicare-basics/working-past-65)

**Remember: you have a 7-month time period around your 65th birthday. So, if you wait longer than 3 months after your 65th birthday to apply for Medicare, you may have to pay a penalty.**