Should I sign up for Social Security retirement at 65 but delay Medicare Part B?

You can certainly apply for your Social Security retirement benefits now without enrolling in Medicare Part B right away, but you should understand the potential consequences. Medicare Part A is automatic and free at 65 if you're getting Social Security, but Part B has a monthly premium. If you delay Part B, make sure you don't miss your Initial Enrollment Period (IEP) which is 3 months before your birth month, your birth month, and 3 months after. Missing this window can result in permanent late enrollment penalties of 10% for each 12-month period you could have had Part B but didn't.

DONT DELAY MEDICARE PART B!!! I made this mistake last year thinking I could save the $$$ for a couple months and got hit with a penalty that follows me FOREVER. The SS people never explained this to me clearly. Now I pay extra every single month for the rest of my life! Its not worth waiting just to research. You can always change your drug plan during open enrollment but that Part B penalty is PERMANENT.

I was in a similar situation last year. You can definitely apply for Social Security retirement benefits separate from Medicare Part B, but here's what you need to know: 1. When you apply for SS at 65, you'll be automatically enrolled in Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) which is premium-free. 2. You have a 7-month Initial Enrollment Period for Medicare Part B that includes the 3 months before you turn 65, your birth month, and 3 months after. 3. If you don't sign up for Part B during this period, you may face a late enrollment penalty (10% for each 12-month period you delayed) AND you'll have to wait for the General Enrollment Period (Jan-Mar each year) with coverage not starting until July. For prescription drug coverage (Part D), you'll want to enroll during your Initial Enrollment Period as well to avoid late enrollment penalties there too. So while you can separate them by a month or two within your IEP, I wouldn't recommend longer delays.

i waited 2 months after getting my ss to do the medicare stuff and it was fine. dont stress about it as long as your in that 7 month window. the website is confusing but you can call them to check your deadlines.

When I tried calling the Social Security office about my Medicare enrollment last month, I was on hold for over 2 hours and then got disconnected! I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to a real person. They have a service that holds your place in line and calls you when an agent is available. Saved me hours of frustration. You can see how it works in their video: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU As for your actual question - I'd recommend enrolling in both SS and Medicare Parts A/B at the same time. Part D (prescription) has the same enrollment window as Part B, so research quickly and make a choice to avoid penalties there too.

I applied for SS at 65 exactly like you're planning. Went ahead and did Medicare A and B together because my neighbor told me horror stories about penalties. For prescriptions (Part D), I spent about 2 weeks comparing plans on Medicare.gov before picking one. They have this tool where you enter all your medications and it shows which plan is cheapest for YOUR specific drugs. Highly recommend taking the time to use that tool!

One more important point: If you're in California, you might want to look into Medicare Advantage plans as an alternative to Original Medicare (Parts A+B) + Part D + Medigap. Many Advantage plans in California offer good prescription coverage built-in, plus extras like vision and dental. The enrollment periods are the same as for Original Medicare. Whichever path you choose, the most important thing is to make your Part B and Part D decisions within your Initial Enrollment Period to avoid lifelong penalties. You can always change plans during Annual Enrollment Periods, but those initial enrollment deadlines are critical.