Preparing for Medicare

Start your Medicare journey with us—we'll guide you along the way if you're new to Medicare and enrolling for the first time.

Most people enroll in Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) and Part B (medical insurance) when first eligible at age 65 to avoid coverage gaps and late penalties.

However, if you have employer group health coverage, you might choose to delay Part B. If you receive Social Security benefits, you’ll be automatically enrolled in Part A.

Your Journey to Medicare—A Step-by-Step Guide

Taking specific steps can help you prepare for the Medicare process. Below are some of the important things you should do when navigating Medicare for the first time:

Learn the basics of Medicare.

Our FREE Medicare Made Simple Guide will introduce you to the many aspects of Medicare, including eligibility, enrollment, plan options, requirements, important dates, and more.

Request Your Copy Here

Additionally, check out our Medicare Glossary to learn common Medicare and insurance terms.

Review your current health coverage.

Consider your current health coverage, as it can make an impact on your Medicare options and enrollment requirements. This is particulary important if you are currently insured through you or your spouse's employment.

Our Working Past 65 Guide can help you find personalized solutions for your specific scenario.

Check your eligibility.

While it is mostly a program for those 65 and older, Medicare also supports certain people under 65 with qualifying disabilities or medical conditions such as end-stage renal disease (ESRD, referring to permanent kidney failure requiring dialysis or a transplant).

For a walkthrough of Medicare eligibility, see our Medicare Eligibility page.

Find your enrollment period.

Medicare has enrollment periods. These are set windows of time when you can sign up for a plan—choosing the right enrollment period will depend on your personal situation.

There are four possible enrollment periods:

Initial Enrollment Period | Special Enrollment Period

General Enrollment Period | Annual Enrollment Period

To learn more about the different enrollment periods, see the Medicare Enrollment Guide.

Does your doctor accept Medicare?

Depending on the Medicare plan you select, your current doctor may or may not be part of the provider network.

Our Provider Search Tool makes it easy to see if your current doctor is within our Medicare Advantage network. If you don't have a primary care provider, you can use this search tool to find an in-network doctor in your local area.

Have questions about Primary Care Providers (PCPs)? Visit our PCP Management page to see common questions and answers about finding and managing PCPs.

Consider your medications.

Prescription drug coverage is one of the most important considerations in choosing a Medicare plan.

Our Formulary Search Tool allows you to look up specific Part D Prescription Drugs for coverage information and associated copay/coinsurance costs.