How to get Medicare when you quit your job

Who is eligible for Medicare after quitting their job?

Everyone 65 or older can get Medicare, even if they are still working. Medicare helps you get different types of medical care, from wellness visits to hospital stays.

If you’re still working when you turn 65, you might be able to wait to sign up for Medicare without paying a late fee.

Medicare Part A usually doesn’t cost anything, so you can sign up for it anytime. If you have health insurance through your job, you usually lose it when you quit. That’s when you should sign up for Medicare Part B. You won’t have to pay a late fee if you sign up within eight months of losing your work insurance.¹

If you quit your job because of health problems or a disability, you can still get Medicare if you are 65 or older, or if you have been getting disability payments for 24 months.² Some specific health issues, like end-stage kidney disease, also qualify you for Medicare.³

If you have health insurance that continues after you retire, you still need to sign up for Medicare to avoid a penalty.¹ Your retiree plan might require you to have both Medicare Part A and Part B to cover your health needs.

When do you sign up for Medicare after you quit working?

When you lose your work health insurance and you qualify for Medicare, you have eight months to sign up. This is called a special enrollment period.¹

You need to sign up for Medicare even if you have COBRA or other health coverage that isn’t from your employer.

You can choose either Original Medicare (Parts A and B) or a Medicare Advantage plan. During this special enrollment period, you don’t need to worry about when you stop working.

If you don’t sign up during the special enrollment period, you’ll have to wait until the next general enrollment period, which is from January 1 to March 31 each year.⁵ You’ll also have to pay a late enrollment penalty, which will be added to your monthly premium as long as you have Medicare.⁶

What types of Medicare plans are available when you stop working?

There are two ways to access Medicare. You can choose Original Medicare or a Medicare Advantage plan. Both options have advantages and disadvantages.

Original Medicare

Original Medicare has two parts: Part A and Part B. Part A covers hospital stays and is free for most people.⁷ Part B covers other medical care and has a monthly fee.⁷

For both Part A and Part B, you’ll have to pay some costs yourself. There is an annual deductible to meet, along with coinsurance. The coinsurance is generally 20% of the Medicare-approved cost for each service.⁷

With Original Medicare, you can add a Part D plan to cover prescription drugs. You can also buy Medigap, which helps pay for some of your out-of-pocket costs.⁴

With Original Medicare, you can visit any doctor in the country who accepts Medicare.

Medicare Advantage

A Medicare Advantage plan, or Part C, works like a regular health plan. Private insurance companies provide these plans, and they might include extra benefits like vision and dental coverage that Original Medicare doesn’t offer.⁴

One limitation of Medicare Advantage plans is that you need to use doctors and pharmacies in the plan’s network to get coverage. If your doctors are in the network and you don’t travel much, this might not be a problem. But if the network is small or you travel often, Original Medicare might be a better choice.

Medicare Advantage plans have a monthly fee, yearly deductibles, and either coinsurance or set copay amounts for medical services.⁷ Remember, the plan’s fee is on top of your Part B premium.⁷ If a plan says it has a $0 premium, it means you won’t pay more than your regular Part B premium. If the plan costs $50, you’ll pay your Part B premium plus $50.

How do you enroll in Medicare after you quit your job?

How you sign up for Medicare depends on whether you want Original Medicare (Parts A and B) or a Medicare Advantage plan. In both cases, you have eight months after losing your job-related health insurance to sign up without a penalty. Your coverage starts on the first day of the month after you enroll.

Enrolling in Original Medicare

Medicare coverage, both Part A and Part B, will start automatically the month you turn 65 as long as you’ve filed for Social Security or Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) benefits at least four months before your 65th birthday.³

If you are still working, you can refuse Part B and cancel the coverage.³ Later, when you lose your job-based health insurance, you can sign up again. When this happens, you or your former employer will fill out form CMS-L564.⁸

If you don’t file for Social Security or RRB benefits, you’ll need to contact the Social Security Administration to file an application for Medicare Part A and/or Part B.³

If you don’t have enough quarters where you’ve paid FICA taxes, you may have to pay a premium for Medicare Part A.³ In this case, coverage will not start automatically. You’ll need to contact the Social Security Administration to apply for Medicare and enroll in Parts A and B at the same time.

Enrolling in Medicare Advantage

If you want to start a Medicare Advantage plan after your work-based insurance ends, you’ll need to look at the plans available in your area and sign up for one.

You can find plans by looking on Medicare.gov or by calling 1-800-MEDICARE. You can also contact the insurer directly to enroll in coverage.

Things to keep in mind as you look at Medicare Advantage plans:

• Are your doctors and pharmacies in the provider network?
• How much are you paying each month in addition to your Part B premium?
• How high is the annual deductible?
• How expensive are the copayments or coinsurance for health services you commonly receive?

These questions can help ensure you choose the right plan for your needs. Getting the health care services you need is essential for maintaining your quality of life as you age.

When can you enroll in Medicare or make changes to your plan?

There are different times when you can sign up for Medicare. Knowing these dates is important to make sure you sign up on time and don’t get any penalties.

The enrollment periods for Medicare are:

• Initial enrollment period. This starts three months before the month you turn 65, includes your birthday month and lasts three months afterward.⁸ You may be automatically enrolled in Original Medicare during this time, but you can reject and cancel Part B if you’re still working.
• Special enrollment period. If certain things happen, you can sign up for Medicare at any time. For example, if you lose your job’s health insurance, you have eight months to sign up for Medicare.⁹
• General enrollment period. This is from January 1 to March 31 of each year.⁹ You can sign up for Medicare during this time if you missed your initial enrollment period and don’t have a special enrollment period.
• Open enrollment period. From October 15 to December 7 every year, people who already have Medicare can change their plans or switch between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage.⁵
• Medicare Advantage open enrollment. If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, you can switch to a different Advantage plan or go back to Original Medicare between January 1 and March 31 of each year.⁵

Outside of these enrollment periods, you aren’t able to enroll in Medicare or make changes to your coverage.

How much does Medicare cost?

There are different costs with Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans. These include monthly premiums, annual deductibles, and copayments or coinsurance.⁷

Monthly premiums

A premium is the amount you pay each month to access the plan. In Original Medicare, Part A is generally free, and Part B costs $185 per month for most people in 2025.

If you don’t sign up during your initial enrollment period, which is when you turn 65 or leave your job, you’ll have to pay a late enrollment penalty. This penalty is added to your Part B premium each month and continues as long as you have Medicare.⁶

A Medicare Advantage plan requires you to pay the same $185 per month you would for Part B, and they may have additional costs as well. If an Advantage plan says it costs $15 per month, that’s $185 + $15 for a total of $200 per month.⁷

How does a Medicare deductible work?

A deductible is the amount you pay before your health insurance starts covering your medical costs. Some deductibles are paid once a year, while others are paid each time you get care.

If you use Medicare Part A for hospital coverage, you’ll pay a deductible of $1,676 each time you go to the hospital or a skilled nursing facility, as long as it’s been at least 60 days since your last visit.⁷

Medicare Part B has a yearly deductible of $257. After you pay this, Medicare starts covering your outpatient care, like doctor’s visits.

Each Medicare Advantage plan has its own deductible. You should check your policy or call the insurer to learn more.

Coinsurance and copayments

Once your deductible is paid, Medicare will pay for most of the cost of care, and you’ll pay the rest.

For Medicare Part A, the copayment amount is based on the number of days you’re in the hospital. The first 60 days are $0, and after that, you pay a certain amount per day.⁷

Medicare Part B pays 80% of the approved Medicare cost, and you pay the other 20%.⁷

Most Medicare Advantage plans have copayments, but some have coinsurance. Check your plan documents or call the company for more details.

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Disclaimer

Add disclaimer before references, For full information, visit www.medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048), 24 hours a day/7 days a week.

References:

• Medicare.gov. “Working past 65.” Accessed June 19, 2025. https://www.medicare.gov/basics/get-started-with-medicare/medicare-basics/working-past-65.
• Social Security Administration. “Medicare information.” Accessed June 19, 2025.https://www.ssa.gov/disabilityresearch/wi/medicare.htm#:~:text=Everyone%20eligible%20for
  %20Social%20Security,waiting%20period%20for%20Medicare%20coverage.
• Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. “Original Medicare (Part A and B) eligibility and enrollment.” January 8, 2025. Accessed June 19, 2025. https://www.cms.gov/medicare/enrollment-renewal/original-part-a-b.
• Medicare.gov. “Your coverage options.” Accessed June 19, 2025. https://www.medicare.gov/basics/get-started-with-medicare/get-more-coverage/your-coverage-options.
• Medicare.gov. “Joining a plan.” Accessed June 19, 2025. https://www.medicare.gov/basics/get-started-with-medicare/get-more-coverage/joining-a-plan.
• Medicare.gov. “Avoiding late enrollment penalties.” Accessed June 19, 2025. https://www.medicare.gov/basics/costs/medicare-costs/avoid-penalties.
• Medicare.gov. “What does Medicare cost?” Accessed June 19, 2025. https://www.medicare.gov/basics/get-started-with-medicare/medicare-basics/what-does-medicare-cost.
• Medicare.gov. “Ready to sign up for Part A and Part B.” Accessed June 19, 2025. https://www.medicare.gov/basics/get-started-with-medicare/sign-up/ready-to-sign-up-for-part-a-part-b.
• Medicare.gov. “When does Medicare coverage start?” Accessed June 19, 2025. https://www.medicare.gov/basics/get-started-with-medicare/sign-up/when-does-medicare-coverage-start.