Can I delay Medicare at 65 if I am still working?

If you are turning 65 and still working with insurance from that job, you may not have to enroll in Medicare Part B yet; the same may apply if your coverage comes from a spouse who is still working.

The key words are current employment, because COBRA, retiree insurance and some other coverage do not protect you from Part B penalties in the same way.

Employer size matters too: if the employer has fewer than 20 employees, Medicare is generally the primary payer at 65, so delaying Part B can create unpaid bills or other problems.

When qualifying current-employment coverage ends, you generally have an eight-month Special Enrollment Period and can use form CMS-L564 to document the employer coverage while applying for Part B online or through Social Security.

Confirm the rules before delaying anything; then, when the time comes, you can tell Social Security, ‘I am ready for Part B,’ and the person on the other side can say, ‘Okey-dokey—what day?’

Source: Medicare.gov: Working past 65

This general educational information is not individual plan advice. Plan availability and benefits vary by location and contract year.