What you'll learn
- Your Initial Enrollment Period runs 7 months, starting 3 months before your 65th birthday month.
- Skipping Part B or Part D without other qualifying coverage can mean a penalty for as long as you have that coverage.
- Your 6-month Medigap open enrollment period starts when you're 65 and enrolled in Part B.
- Texas HICAP offers free Medicare counseling at 1-800-252-9240.
Turning 65 starts the clock on some of the most important Medicare decisions you'll make. Get the timing right and you avoid penalties and keep the most options open. Here's a simple checklist for Texans.
3 to 6 months before your 65th birthday
- Mark your Initial Enrollment Period. It's seven months long: the 3 months before your birthday month, the month itself, and the 3 months after.
- Check whether you'll be enrolled automatically. If you started Social Security or Railroad Retirement benefits at least four months before 65, you'll usually get Parts A and B automatically. Watch your mail for your welcome package and red, white, and blue card.
- Talk to your employer if you or your spouse are still working. Ask whether your coverage lets you delay Part B without a penalty, and whether your drug coverage is creditable.
- Make a list of your doctors, hospitals, and prescriptions. If you live in a rural county and drive to Lubbock, Amarillo, or the Medical Center in Houston for a specialist, write that down too. It matters when you compare networks.
- Veterans and military retirees: check how your benefits work with Medicare. TRICARE For Life requires Part A and Part B. See our guide to Medicare and TRICARE For Life in Texas.
1 to 3 months before your birthday
- Sign up for Parts A and B if you're not enrolled automatically. Apply online at ssa.gov or call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778). Signing up before your birthday month lets Part B start the month you turn 65. Our step-by-step sign-up guide has the details.
- Choose your path: Original Medicare plus a Medigap policy and Part D, or a Medicare Advantage plan. Our comparison of Medicare Advantage vs. Original Medicare in Texas can help.
Your birthday month and right after
- Enroll in the coverage you chose. If you want a Medigap policy, your six-month Medigap open enrollment period starts the first day of the month you're 65 or older and enrolled in Part B. During that window, you can buy any Medigap policy sold in Texas regardless of your health history.
- Don't skip drug coverage. If you go 63 days or more without creditable drug coverage after you're first eligible, a Part D penalty may be added for as long as you have Medicare drug coverage.
- Get set up. Choose a primary care doctor if your plan requires one, confirm your pharmacy, and keep your new card somewhere safe.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Missing the Part B window without other employer coverage. The penalty is an extra 10% of the standard premium for each full 12-month period you went without it, usually for life.
- Choosing a plan by premium alone without checking doctors, drug costs, and the yearly out-of-pocket limit
- Waiting too long for Medigap and losing guaranteed acceptance
- Skipping the yearly review. Plans can change costs, networks, and drug lists every January.
Planning ahead for Texas weather
If you live on the Gulf Coast, add your Medicare card, plan card, and an up-to-date medication list to your hurricane go-kit. When a disaster or emergency is declared and care is disrupted, Medicare Advantage plans must let you get care at out-of-network, Medicare-certified facilities at in-network rates. Call your plan to confirm any temporary rules.
If you have a limited income
You may qualify for a Medicare Savings Program through Texas Health and Human Services. These programs can help pay your Part B premium, and some also help with deductibles and coinsurance. You apply with Form H1200. Income limits change every year, so ask HICAP or Texas HHS for current figures. You may also qualify for Extra Help with prescription costs through Social Security. Learn more in our guide to Part B premium help in Texas.
Get free help
For free, unbiased counseling, call the Texas Health Information, Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP) at 1-800-252-9240, or 1-800-MEDICARE. Spanish speakers can ask for an interpreter on 1-800-MEDICARE and ask HICAP for a Spanish-speaking counselor.
Common questions
Is there a penalty for signing up for Medicare late?
Often, yes. If you don't sign up for Part B or Part D when first eligible and don't have other qualifying coverage, a late enrollment penalty may be added to your premium for as long as you have that coverage.
Do I have to sign up for Medicare if I'm still working at 65?
Not always. If you or your spouse have health coverage through a current employer, you may be able to delay Part B without a penalty. The rules depend on the employer, so check with your benefits administrator before deciding.
How do I sign up for Medicare in Texas?
Apply for Parts A and B online at ssa.gov, or call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213. After that, you can choose a Medicare Advantage plan, or a Medigap policy and Part D plan.
Sources
- Medicare.gov: When does Medicare coverage start?
- Medicare.gov: How do I sign up for Medicare?
- Social Security: How do I sign up for Medicare?
- Medicare.gov: Avoid late enrollment penalties
- Medicare.gov: When can I buy a Medigap policy?
- Medicare.gov: Medicare Savings Programs
- Social Security: What is Extra Help and how can I apply?
- Texas HHS: Form H1200, Application for Assistance
- Texas HHS: Medicare (Health Information, Counseling and Advocacy Program)
