What the insurance industry hopes you never read.
Three things Medicare doesn’t explain
The 7-Month Window
The Fine Print
The COBRA Trap
Medicare’s position is clear. You were responsible for knowing the enrollment rules — regardless of what your HR department told you. The fact that nobody explained this… is, apparently, beside the point.
What we found in the documents
Medicare Explained: What Nobody Tells You Before You Turn 65
The Part B Penalty: The Mistake That Costs 10% Per Year — Permanently
Medicare Advantage vs. Original Medicare: What the TV Ad Won’t Show
The Medicare Enrollment Checklist
- Know your exact enrollment window dates. Your IEP opens 3 months before the month you turn 65. Verify at Medicare.gov.
- Confirm whether you’ll be auto-enrolled. Only if you’re already receiving Social Security benefits. Otherwise, apply yourself at SSA.gov.
- If still working: verify your employer plan qualifies. Must have 20+ employees. Must be confirmed in writing as “creditable coverage.”
- Get the creditable coverage letter from your employer. Required to avoid the Part D penalty. Request it now — not when you’re about to retire.
- If you’re on COBRA — enroll in Part B anyway. COBRA does not protect you from the late enrollment penalty. You can have both.
- Compare plans with YOUR doctors and drugs. Use medicare.gov/plan-compare with your specific zip code, medications, and physicians.
- Mark the Open Enrollment deadline. October 15 – December 7. Put it in your calendar now.
Medicare Enrollment Checklist
Mr. Fine Print exists because Medicare isn’t written to be understood.
All content sourced from: CMS.gov · Medicare.gov · KFF.org · HHS OIG · SSA.gov
Educational content only. Not financial, legal, or insurance advice.
Medicare rules change annually. Verify all information at Medicare.gov.