Retiring soon? It’s time to start planning for Medicare.
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It’s a good idea to start your retirement plans a year or more before your planned retirement. Why? Because early decisions about your finances and healthcare coverage can help you transition into retirement smoothly.
It’s time to start planning for retirement and Medicare.
If you’re working past 65, now is still the right time to start planning for your retirement.
One of the most important decisions during your retirement planning is determining the best time to claim your Social Security benefits. Depending on your income, you can become eligible for Social Security benefits as early as age 62 — even if you’re still working. But the longer you wait to start drawing Social Security, the higher the monthly installments will be. And you may also qualify for Delayed Retirement Credits by waiting to file past your full retirement age.
If you’re enrolled in Social Security benefits, Social Security will automatically enroll you in Medicare parts A and B when you retire. But if you aren’t receiving Social Security benefits, you’ll need to contact Social Security in order to sign up and receive Medicare parts A and B.
How to sign up for Medicare after retiring
Once you do retire, you’ll have either 8 months (known as a Special Enrollment Period) from when you leave your job or the last day that your Employer Group Health Plan (EGHP) coverage ends (whichever comes first) to sign up for Medicare and avoid a late enrollment penalty fee.
If you’re working past 65 and have EGHP coverage:
- You may not be required to sign up for Medicare Parts A & B
- You need to decide the best time to apply for Social Security benefits
- You might want to enroll in Part B & Geisinger Gold when group coverage ends
However, if you’re working past 65 and don’t have EGHP coverage:
- You should contact Social Security to sign up for Medicare Parts A & B
- You need to decide the best time to apply for Social Security benefits
- You might want to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan such as Geisinger Gold
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Get the most of your Medicare coverage
You’ve been paying into Medicare for years — now it’s time to enjoy it. Geisinger Gold Medicare Advantage plans give you the benefits you need to enjoy the life you want, such as:
- Plans as low as $0/month
- Medical, hospital and prescription drug benefits
- $0 medical and prescription drug deductible
- Freedom to see specialists without a referral
- $0 dental exams and X-rays
- Convenient home delivery of medications through our mail-order pharmacy
- $0 preventive care and $0 vaccines (including flu, shingles & more)
- Worldwide medical emergency and urgently needed services, covered up to $100,000
An added bonus? Geisinger Gold members can join Geisinger 65 Forward, a new kind of healthcare focused on primary care and wellness for people 65+.

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Geisinger Gold Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and HMO SNP plans are offered by Geisinger Health Plan/Geisinger Indemnity Insurance Company, health plans with a Medicare contract. Continued enrollment in Geisinger Gold depends on annual contract renewal.
Y0032_21104_2_M Accepted 4/18/21
Last updated 4/14/2021