You have a seven (7) month window to enroll in Medicare Part A, Part B, Part C, and/or Part D.

Since you will be 65 in February, your "Initial Enrollment Period" (IEP) starts on November 1st and continues through May 31st (3 months before your birthday month, the month of your birthday and three months after your birthday).

Please note that some people will be automatically enrolled in Medicare Part A and Part B (for instance, if you already receive Social Security Benefits or benefits from the Railroad Retirement Board).

If you are not automatically enrolled into Medicare and you want your Medicare coverage to start on the month when you turn 65, then you must apply for Medicare (Part A and/or Medicare Part B) during the three-month period before you turn 65.  If you wait until after the initial 3-month period, the start of your Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B coverage could be delayed.

As mentioned, you also have a 7-month window to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan (Medicare Part C) or a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan.  Again, since you will be 65 in February, your "Initial Enrollment Period" runs from November through May.  So you can enroll in Medicare Part C or Part D plan at any time during this Initial Enrollment Period window, but your coverage cannot start any sooner than the first day of your birthday month (unless your birthday is on the first of the month, then your coverage would start the first day of the month before your birthday).

If you enroll in a Medicare Part D plan between February and May, your coverage will begin on the first day of the month following your enrollment.  Again, if you enroll in Medicare Part A and/or Medicare Part B during your birthday month or later, your Medicare Part A and / or Medicare Part B coverage may be delayed.

To summarize: If you want to have Medicare coverage starting on the first day of your birthday month (February), you should sign up for Medicare no later than the end of January.

The dates below are the last possible date that you can enroll during your Initial Enrollment Period:

• Sign up for Medicare Part A (Hospitalization) by the end of May - but Part A coverage could be delayed if you do not sign up by the end of January
  
  
• Sign up for Medicare Part B (Doctor Visits) by the end of May - but Part B coverage could be delayed if you do not sign up by the end of January (NOTE: you must already have Medicare Part B to enroll in a Part C Medicare Advantage plan (Hospitalization, Doctors Visits and sometimes Drug Coverage).
  
  
• Sign up for a Medicare Advantage plan (with or without drug coverage) by the end of May (Remember: you cannot add separate Medicare Part D coverage to a Medicare Advantage plan HMO or PPO that does not include prescription drug coverage)
  
  
• Sign up for Medicare Part D (Drug Coverage) by the end of May

Important: If you miss your Medicare Part D Initial Enrollment Period, and then later join a Medicare Part D plan, you may be subject to a permanent late-enrollment premium penalty. Please read our FAQ: "I did not enroll in a Medicare Part D plan when I was first eligible, how will I calculate my Medicare Part D late-enrollment premium penalty?"

(Please also see:  "What is the Medicare Part B late-enrollment penalty?")


A Note on  the Medicare Supplement Open Enrollment Period:

Unlike the other Initial Enrollment Periods, the open enrollment period for Medicare Supplements or Medigap policies begins when you first have both Medicare Part A (have turned 65) and Medicare Part B coverage.  The enrollment period continues for 6 months after you have enrolled in Medicare Part B.

During this 6-month enrollment period, a Medicare Supplement provider cannot subject you to medical underwriting or deny you coverage because of health problems or make you wait for Medicare Supplement coverage because of your health (with the except of pre-existing conditions) or charge you a higher premium for a Medigap policy because of your health.

(Depending on your state, some Medicare Supplements may be available for people under 65 with both Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B).

So if you enrolled in Medicare Part A when you first turn 65, but your Medicare Part B enrollment is delayed, for example, because you have an employer health policy, you will have an open enrollment period for a Medicare Supplement that will continue for 6 months after you first enroll in Medicare Part B.