Turning 65 with Medicare enrollment questions

Dear Toni: I have a few questions about enrolling in Medicare since I am turning 65 in January:

■ Will my Medicare start automatically in January since I am still working?

■ If I retire when I’m 67, do I stay on COBRA or enroll in a Medicare plan?

■ What happens if I get another job?

Friends and co-workers tell me one thing about Medicare, and the massive number of telemarketing calls I am receiving are telling me something else.

Can you please explain what I should do? — Sherry, Tampa, Florida

Dear Sherry: You’re smart to ask these questions now. Enrolling in Medicare the right way will help you avoid late-enrollment penalties.

Here are the answers to a few common Medicare questions:

Is the Medicare enrollment process automatic?

Medicare enrollment is automatic only if you are receiving your Social Security benefits before turning 65. If you are not, you will not be enrolled in Medicare and will need to apply online at ssa.gov, if you are not working full time with employer benefits or working full time and want Medicare as your health benefits.

Not signing up at the right time is costly, especially when leaving an employer benefits program after age 65.

In that scenario, your employer must fill out Medicare form CMS-L564 (Request for Employment Information) and you need to fill out CMS-40B (Application for Enrollment in Medicare Part B), stating when you want your Medicare Part B to begin. Write “special enrollment period” across the top to specify that you are enrolling after turning 65. Take both forms to your local Social Security office.

Should I enroll in Medicare even if offered COBRA health insurance when I leave my job?

Yes, enroll in Medicare. Although you might need COBRA to cover a spouse or dependent child, Medicare should be your primary insurance coverage once you are 65 or older and not working full time with company benefits. You will want to enroll in Medicare Parts A and B. Explore which option is best for your situation: a Medicare supplement that works with original Medicare and a stand-alone Medicare Part D plan or a Medicare Advantage plan with Part D prescription drug coverage included.

Many COBRA health plans will allow the COBRA retiree, enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B, to opt out of the plan while the family stays on COBRA.

What if I become unemployed or retire, enroll in Medicare and then go back into a full-time job?

If your new employer provides health insurance, you can disenroll from Medicare Part B by contacting Medicare at 800-633-4227. Request the form to delay your Part B because you now have medical benefits provided by your or your spouse’s new employer.

You can re-enroll when you finally retire without paying late enrollment penalties by submitting the aforementioned forms CMS-L564 and CMS-40B to Social Security.

Toni King is an author and columnist on Medicare and health insurance issues. If you have a Medicare question, email info@tonisays.com or call 832-519-8664.