Medicare Options for Those Working Past 65

Pedestrians walk past the Social Security Administration office in Los Angeles, Calif., on Oct. 1, 2013. Frederic J. Brown/AFP/Getty Images

Many baby boomers are not slowing down. In 2021, 25.8 percent of adults 65 and older worked. That compares to 30.5 percent of teenagers holding a job. Many seniors postpone Social Security when working, but what about Medicare?

The regulations say you must sign up for Medicare when you turn 65. But is this always true? You may not need to sign up if you’re working full-time with private insurance. But this depends on a few factors.

Signing Up for Medicare

If you’re not on Social Security, you have seven months to sign up for Medicare when you reach 65. This encompasses three months before your sixty-fifth birthday, the month of your birthday, and the three months after you turn 65. This is your initial enrollment period (IEP).