Do I need to decline Medicare at 65 if I want to keep my employer insurance?

You're asking a really common question! If you're already receiving Social Security benefits, then yes, you'll be automatically enrolled in Medicare Part A and Part B when you turn 65. If you're not yet taking Social Security, you won't be automatically enrolled. Since you want to keep your employer coverage, here's what you need to know: 1. Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) is free for most people and you might want to take it even with employer coverage 2. Medicare Part B (medical insurance) requires a monthly premium, which you probably don't want to pay if you have good employer coverage If you're not yet on Social Security benefits, you don't need to do anything to decline. If you are on benefits and will be auto-enrolled, you should contact SSA to decline Part B (you'll fill out Form CMS-1763). Important: Make sure your employer has 20+ employees. If they do, you can delay Medicare enrollment without penalty while covered by that employer plan.

Ugh, I had such a NIGHTMARE with this exact situation last year! Be really careful because NO ONE at my company HR warned me that Medicare would automatically enroll me even though I didn't want it!!! I was already getting SS retirement and suddenly Medicare premiums started coming out of my check without warning. Then I had TWO insurances and all my doctors were confused about which one to bill. TOTAL MESS that took me 4 months to fix!!!!

The previous responses are mostly correct, but I want to clarify a few important technical details about Medicare enrollment at 65 when you have employer coverage: 1. If your employer has 20+ employees, your group health plan is the primary payer and Medicare would be secondary. This is called the MSP (Medicare Secondary Payer) rule. 2. You qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) when your employer coverage eventually ends, giving you 8 months to enroll in Medicare without penalties. 3. While Part A is premium-free for most people, there's one situation where you might NOT want to take Part A: if you're contributing to an HSA. Medicare enrollment disqualifies you from making HSA contributions. 4. When you do eventually enroll, you'll need your employer to complete form CMS-L564 (Request for Employment Information) to prove you had creditable coverage. This information is accurate as of 2025.

Just my quick 2 cents - I kept my employer insurance when I turned 65 last year and it was totally fine. Didn't have to do anything special. But maybe double check w/ your HR if there are any changes to your premium or coverage once you turn 65? My company actually gave me a small discount once I hit 65 which was a nice surprise!

Argh this whole system is SO FRUSTRATING. Why can't they just make this simple?? I've been dealing with my mom's Medicare issues for months and nobody gives straight answers. Every person at SSA tells you something different. Good luck!

hey i think u might be overthinking this! if ur not on SS yet then they dont automatically sign u up for medicare. just keep ur work insurance and ur good! thats what i did and had no issues

There's one important detail I don't think anyone has mentioned yet. If your employer has fewer than 20 employees, Medicare becomes primary and your group health plan becomes secondary at 65, even if you don't enroll in Medicare. This means your group plan may not pay claims if they determine Medicare should have paid first. You mentioned your employer is larger than 20 employees, but I wanted to clarify this point since it's a common misunderstanding. With large employers (20+ employees), you can safely delay Medicare without penalties while maintaining your current coverage. When you do eventually leave your employer coverage or retire, remember you'll have an 8-month Special Enrollment Period to sign up for Medicare without penalties. Don't miss this window - I've seen many clients face lifetime penalties for late enrollment.

One last tip based on what you've shared so far: since you're planning to wait until 70 to claim Social Security but will be retiring before that, make sure you contact SSA about 3 months before you lose your employer coverage to initiate your Medicare enrollment. They'll need to verify your employment history and process your application, which can take some time. When that time comes, have ready: - Your birth certificate - Tax records or W-2s from the previous year - Information about your employer insurance - The dates your coverage began and will end Thinking ahead will make that transition much smoother!

I just went through this exact situation last year! I turned 65 in September and was also worried about the whole Medicare enrollment thing while keeping my employer insurance. Since you're not taking Social Security yet, you're in a good spot - no automatic enrollment to worry about. I didn't have to file any paperwork or contact SSA to "decline" anything. Just kept my employer coverage as usual. One thing that helped me was getting a letter from my HR department confirming that our group health plan is "creditable coverage" equivalent to Medicare. It's not required, but it gave me peace of mind and documentation for later when I do need to enroll in Medicare. Also, make sure to keep good records of your continuous employer coverage - you'll need to prove this later to avoid any late enrollment penalties when you do sign up for Medicare. I started a simple file with my insurance cards and annual enrollment confirmations. The HSA point that Elijah mentioned is super important too - definitely something to keep in mind for your future planning when you do start Social Security at 70!

Just wanted to add one more perspective as someone who works in benefits administration. Emily, you're absolutely right to be proactive about understanding this! One thing I always tell employees in your situation is to also check if your employer offers any Medicare supplemental benefits or retiree health coverage that might influence your decision-making timeline. Some larger employers have programs that coordinate with Medicare when you do eventually enroll, which can provide better overall coverage than Medicare alone. It's worth asking your HR department about any retiree health benefits you might be eligible for down the road - this could impact when you choose to transition from employer coverage to Medicare. Also, since you're planning to work until 70, consider that some employers have mandatory retirement ages or change their health insurance offerings for employees over 65. Not trying to worry you, just suggesting you confirm there won't be any surprises with your coverage as you approach different age milestones! The documentation advice from Ellie is spot-on - keep everything related to your employer coverage well-organized. You'll thank yourself later when it's time to prove continuous creditable coverage to Medicare!

As someone who just turned 65 last month and went through this exact decision process, I wanted to share what I learned! Like you, I'm still working full-time with excellent employer coverage and wasn't taking Social Security yet. The key insight that helped me was understanding that since you're not receiving SS benefits, you have complete control over when to enroll in Medicare - there's no automatic enrollment to worry about. I didn't need to contact SSA at all or fill out any forms to "opt out." One thing that really helped me feel confident in my decision was calling Medicare directly (1-800-MEDICARE) and speaking with one of their counselors. They walked me through my specific situation and confirmed that delaying enrollment was the right choice given my employer coverage. They also explained exactly what I'd need to do when I'm ready to enroll later. I'd also recommend checking your employer's Summary Plan Description (SPD) - it should specifically state how your plan coordinates with Medicare for employees over 65. This gave me additional peace of mind that my coverage would continue working as expected. You're asking all the right questions, and it sounds like you're in a great position to simply maintain your current employer coverage without any immediate action needed!

I'm in a similar situation - turning 65 next year and still working with employer coverage. This thread has been incredibly helpful! One question I haven't seen addressed yet: if I'm planning to retire at 67 but wait until 70 to claim Social Security, how does that gap period work for Medicare enrollment? When I lose my employer coverage at retirement (age 67), would I need to enroll in Medicare then even though I'm not claiming SS benefits yet? Or can I get private insurance for those 3 years and still delay Medicare until I start SS at 70? I want to make sure I understand the timeline correctly so I don't accidentally create a gap in coverage or miss an enrollment window. Thanks for all the great information everyone has shared - this is exactly the kind of real-world advice that's so hard to find elsewhere!

I'm so glad I found this thread! I'm turning 65 in a few months and have been losing sleep over this exact question. My situation is almost identical to Emily's - still working full-time, not taking Social Security yet, and want to keep my employer insurance. Reading through everyone's experiences and advice has been incredibly reassuring. The key takeaway for me is that since I'm not receiving SS benefits, there's no automatic enrollment to worry about and I don't need to take any action right now. I had no idea about the HSA implications either - that's definitely something I need to consider since I'm maxing out my HSA contributions. One thing I'm curious about that I didn't see mentioned - has anyone dealt with how this affects your spouse's coverage if they're on your employer plan but under 65? Do they get to stay on the employer plan even when the primary employee (me) eventually transitions to Medicare? That's another piece of this puzzle I'm trying to figure out! Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this kind of peer-to-peer advice is so much more helpful than the generic pamphlets from HR!

I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who contributed to this thread! As someone approaching 65 myself in a few months, this has been incredibly educational. The clear explanations about automatic enrollment only applying if you're already receiving Social Security, the HSA implications, the importance of employer size (20+ employees), and all the personal experiences shared here have made what seemed like a complicated decision much clearer. I particularly appreciate the practical advice about keeping documentation of creditable coverage and the timeline considerations for different scenarios. It's also helpful to know about resources like calling Medicare directly for confirmation and the various forms people mentioned. This is exactly the kind of real-world guidance that's so hard to find in official pamphlets. Thanks for creating such a supportive and informative discussion!

As a benefits counselor who helps people navigate Medicare enrollment daily, I wanted to add a few additional points that might be helpful for Emily and others in similar situations: 1. **Document everything now**: Start keeping a file with your current insurance cards, benefit summaries, and employer documentation. When you eventually do enroll in Medicare, you'll need to prove you had creditable coverage to avoid penalties. 2. **Watch for employer policy changes**: Some employers modify their health plans for Medicare-eligible employees (even if you don't enroll in Medicare). Make sure to review your annual enrollment materials carefully each year. 3. **Consider timing if you have chronic conditions**: While you can safely delay Medicare with qualifying employer coverage, if you develop serious health conditions, Medicare might provide better coverage than your employer plan. It's worth reviewing this annually. 4. **Plan for COBRA gaps**: If you leave your job before age 65, COBRA continuation coverage will allow you to delay Medicare enrollment, but only for 18-36 months depending on your situation. The advice everyone has shared here is excellent - you're in good hands with your current approach. Just remember that Medicare rules can be complex, so don't hesitate to consult with a Medicare counselor (available free through your state's SHIP program) when you're ready to make the transition.

Wow, this has been such an incredibly helpful thread to read through! I'm also approaching 65 (turning 65 in October) and have been anxious about this whole Medicare situation while wanting to keep my employer coverage. Reading through everyone's experiences has really put my mind at ease. Like Emily, I'm not taking Social Security yet (planning to wait until my full retirement age at 67), so it's reassuring to know there won't be any automatic enrollment to worry about. I especially appreciate all the practical tips about documentation - I'm definitely going to start that file of insurance records right away. The HSA considerations that were mentioned are also really important for my situation since I'm currently maxing out my contributions. One quick question for those who have been through this: did any of you proactively reach out to your benefits administrator just to confirm your understanding, or did you simply proceed without any communication? I'm wondering if it's worth a quick conversation with HR just for my own peace of mind, even though it sounds like no action is required. Thanks again to everyone who shared their knowledge and experiences - this community is amazing for getting real-world guidance on these complex topics!

I'm turning 65 next month and have been following this discussion closely - it's been so helpful! I wanted to share what I've learned from my own research that might complement all the great advice here. One thing I discovered is that Medicare.gov has a really useful "Medicare Plan Finder" tool where you can input your specific situation and get personalized guidance. It confirmed for me that since I'm not receiving Social Security benefits and have qualifying employer coverage, I can safely delay enrollment. I also spoke with my company's benefits specialist last week, and she mentioned something that might be useful for others: they keep a checklist specifically for employees approaching 65 who want to maintain employer coverage. It includes reminders about annual enrollment periods, documentation to keep, and when to start planning for the eventual transition to Medicare. For anyone still feeling anxious about this (like I was!), I found it really helpful to write down my specific situation and timeline: - Current age and Medicare eligibility date - Social Security claiming timeline - Employment/retirement plans - Current health coverage details - HSA status Having it all written out clearly made it much easier to feel confident about my decision to delay Medicare enrollment. Thanks to Emily for starting this discussion and to everyone who shared their experiences - this has been invaluable for those of us navigating this transition!

This thread has been absolutely incredible - thank you Emily for asking this question and everyone for sharing such detailed, helpful responses! I'm 63 and starting to think about this exact scenario, so reading through all these real experiences has been like getting a masterclass in Medicare enrollment planning. A few things that really stood out to me: - The clarity that no automatic enrollment happens if you're not on Social Security yet - The HSA implications that I never would have considered - The importance of employer size (20+ employees) for avoiding penalties - All the documentation advice for proving creditable coverage later I'm curious - for those who went through this process, did you find that your employer's HR department became more helpful once you had specific questions to ask (like the ones discussed here), or were they generally not well-informed about Medicare coordination? I'm trying to figure out whether it's worth scheduling time with our benefits team or if I should rely more on calling Medicare directly like Tyler suggested. Also, has anyone used their state's SHIP program that Haley mentioned? I hadn't heard of that free counseling service before and it sounds like it could be really valuable. Thanks again for creating such an informative discussion - I'm bookmarking this thread for reference as I approach 65!