Getting started
Turning 65 in Tucson, AZ
Your 65th birthday starts a clock. Medicare hands you a seven-month Initial Enrollment Period, the three months before your birthday month, the birthday month itself, and the three months after, to get Part A and Part B set up.
Sign up in the three months before your birthday and coverage starts on the first of your birthday month. Wait until afterward, and your start date gets pushed back. That's why we tell Tucson clients to start this conversation at 64 and a half.
- A seven-month Initial Enrollment Period
- Different rules apply if you're still working
- Your one guaranteed Medigap window
- Free, local, no-pressure guidance
Your dates
Turning 65 enrollment calculator
Find your Medicare sign-up window
Enter your date of birth and get your Initial Enrollment Period, the month to apply, when coverage could start, and what to check if you're still on the job, then a licensed Tucson agent can walk the timeline with you.
Timeline
What to handle, and when to handle it
- 1
3-6 months before your birthday
Decide whether to take Part B now or hold off because of active employer coverage. Start pulling together your doctor and prescription lists.
- 2
3 months before
Apply for Part A and Part B through Social Security if you're not already collecting benefits. If you are, your card shows up automatically.
- 3
2 months before
Pick your route: Original Medicare with Medigap and Part D, or a Medicare Advantage plan. Double-check networks and drug tiers first.
- 4
1 month before
Get the application in so ID cards land before your effective date. Confirm your prior coverage doesn't lapse in between.
- 5
After your birthday
Your six-month Medigap open enrollment window starts the day Part B begins. Use it, since it's your only shot where health won't matter.
Still working?
Employer coverage changes the math
If you or your spouse are still on the job and the employer plan covers 20 or more employees, you can generally delay Part B penalty-free and stay on your work coverage. Most people still sign up for Part A, since it's usually premium-free, unless you're contributing to an HSA, in which case enrolling in any part of Medicare stops those contributions.
Once employment ends, an eight-month Special Enrollment Period opens for Part B. COBRA and retiree coverage don't extend that window. Guessing wrong here is the priciest mistake we see, and you can estimate the damage with our Part B penalty calculator.
Small employers work differently
Under 20 employees, and Medicare usually becomes primary at 65, meaning delaying Part B can leave you underinsured. Check with your HR department before you decide.
Choosing
Two paths from here
- Original Medicare + Medigap + Part D: any doctor who accepts Medicare, a higher premium, very predictable costs
- Medicare Advantage: a lower premium, a defined network, copays as you go, extras like dental and vision
- Both paths still require your monthly Part B premium
- Compare both at no cost with an independent local agent before you commit
Read more on Medigap and Medicare Advantage, or work through the Medicare checklist first.
Have someone check your enrollment timeline
Tucson Senior Insurance will confirm your dates, tell you plainly whether your employer coverage lets you delay Part B safely, and lay out both coverage paths. No cost, no obligation to enroll.
Tucson Senior Insurance
Independent Medicare agency serving Tucson and Pima County · Tucson, AZ
License, background and carriers →- Independent Medicare agency serving Tucson and Pima County
- Licensed since 2011
- AHIP Medicare certified agents, recertified every year
- Our help costs you nothing
- Meets in person, by phone, or at your home across Pima County
Written and reviewed by Tucson Senior Insurance, Independent Medicare agency serving Tucson and Pima County. Last reviewed: July 2026.
Turning 65 this year?
We'll map your dates, check your doctors, and lay out both paths, free and with no obligation to enroll.