• people age 65 or older
• people under age 65 with certain disabilities
• people of all ages with End-Stage Renal Disease (permanent kidney failure requiring dialysis or a kidney transplant)

Close to age 65, you can find out how to apply for Medicare. You may need to sign up for Medicare close to your 65th birthday, even if you will not be retired by that time.

• Some health insurance plans change automatically at age 65
• If you are getting Social Security benefits when you turn 65, your Medicare Hospital Benefits (Part A) will start automatically

Part A Hospital Insurance- Most people don't pay a premium for Part A because they or a spouse already paid for it through their payroll taxes while working. Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) helps cover inpatient care in hospitals, including critical access hospitals, and skilled nursing facilities (not custodial or long-term care). It also helps cover hospice care and some home health care. Beneficiaries must meet certain conditions to get these benefits. 

Part B Medical Insurance- Most people pay a monthly premium for Part B. Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) helps cover doctors' services and outpatient care. It also covers some other medical services that Part A doesn't cover, such as some of the services of physical and occupational therapists, and some home health care. Part B helps pay for these covered services and supplies when they are medically necessary. 

Prescription Drug Coverage (Part D)- Most people will pay a monthly premium for this coverage. On January 1, 2006, Medicare prescription drug coverage became available to everyone with Medicare. This coverage is to help you lower prescription drug costs and help protect against higher costs in the future. Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage is insurance. Private companies provide the coverage. Beneficiaries choose the drug plan and pay a monthly premium. If a beneficiary decides not to enroll in a drug plan when they are first eligible, they may pay a penalty if they choose to join later. 

Medicare Advantage Plans (Part C)- Medicare Advantage Plans, sometimes called Medicare Part C, are health plan options that are part of the Medicare program. If you join one of these plans, you generally get all your Medicare-covered health care through the Medicare Advantage Plan. This coverage can include prescription drug coverage. Medicare Advantage Plans include:

• Medicare Health Maintenance Organization (HMOs)
• Preferred Provider Organizations (PPO)
• Private Fee-for-Service Plans
• Medicare Special Needs Plans

When you join a Medicare Advantage Plan, you use the health insurance card that you get from the plan for your health care. In most of these plans, there generally are extra benefits and lower co-payments than in the Original Medicare Plan*. Most Medicare Advantage Plans are managed care plans, usually a health maintenance organization (HMO) or a preferred provider organization (PPO) and you may have to see doctors that belong to the plan or go to certain hospitals to get services.

To join a Medicare Advantage Plan, you must have Medicare Part A and Part B. You will have to pay your monthly Medicare Part B premium to Medicare. In addition, you may have to pay a monthly premium to your Medicare Advantage Plan for the extra benefits that they offer. In 2025, the standard Part B premium amount is $185.00 (or higher depending on your income). However, some people who get Social Security benefits pay less than this amount.

Keep in mind that Medicare limits when you can join, switch, or drop a Medicare Advantage Plan. There are 4 distinct times you are eligible to enroll:

1. Initial Enrollment-begins 3 months before the month you turn 65 and ends three months after the month you turn 65. For example, if you turn 65 on May 5, your eligibility period starts on February 1 and ends on August 31.
2. Enrollment for a Disability-if you are disabled and have Social Security Disability Insurance, you can join an advantage plan three months before to three months after month 25 of your disability.
3. Annual Enrollment Period (AEP)-You can switch or drop your Medicare Advantage between October 15 and December 7 of each year.
4. Open Enrollment Period (OEP)-From January 1-March 31 people already enrolled in a Medicare Advantage Plan can make a one time change (switch to another Advantage Plan, return to Original Medicare, or join a separate drug plan).

This information obtained from www.medicare.gov