Question 1

How do I get started with Original Medicare?

Accepted Answer

If you already receive Social Security benefits, you’re enrolled in Parts A and B automatically when you turn 65. Otherwise you sign up through the Social Security Administration — online at ssa.gov, by phone at 1-800-772-1213, or at your local office.

Because Part B carries a premium, you can decline it — but unless you have other creditable coverage, delaying usually isn’t worth it (see the penalty question below).

Question 2

When can I enroll?

Accepted Answer

Your Initial Enrollment Period is 7 months: the 3 months before your 65th-birthday month, that month, and the 3 months after. Join before your birthday month and coverage starts the first of that month; join during or after it and coverage starts the first of the month after you sign up. Missed it? The General Enrollment Period runs January 1 – March 31, with coverage starting the first of the month after you enroll. Kept working past 65 with employer coverage? An 8-month Special Enrollment Period begins when that employment or coverage ends — no penalty.

Question 3

What happens if I enroll late?

Accepted Answer

Delaying Part B without other creditable coverage adds 10% to your premium for every 12 months you could have had it — and that increase lasts for as long as you have Part B. Part D has its own smaller late penalty. This is the single most expensive Medicare mistake we see, and the easiest to avoid with a five-minute conversation.

Question 4

Do I need a Part D drug plan with Original Medicare?

Accepted Answer

Usually, yes. Original Medicare covers very few outpatient prescriptions. If you don’t have other creditable drug coverage, adding a stand-alone Part D plan when you first enroll avoids the late penalty — and since 2025, Part D caps your yearly out-of-pocket drug costs. Read the Part D guide →

It's all about the A's and B's.

What does Original Medicare cover?

Part A — Hospital Insurance

Part B — Medical Insurance

What does it cost in 2026?

Enroll once, correctly — penalties avoided.

Getting in, on time