I'm retiring and losing my employer coverage — how do I move to Medicare?

Losing job-based coverage usually triggers a Special Enrollment Period, which means you can sign up for Medicare without waiting for the annual windows or facing a late penalty. When your active employment-based coverage ends, whether it's yours or your spouse's, you generally get an eight-month Special Enrollment Period to enroll in Part B, starting the month after the employment or the coverage ends, whichever comes first. Acting within that window helps you avoid the lifelong Part B late penalty. A couple of points trip people up. The big one is COBRA. It's generally not treated as active employer coverage for Medicare timing, so choosing COBRA instead of enrolling in Medicare can leave you with gaps and penalties. The safer move is to enroll in Medicare when your active coverage ends. Drug coverage has its own clock as well: you typically have about 63 days of leeway with creditable coverage, and losing it opens a separate window to join a Part D or Medicare Advantage drug plan. It also helps to keep documentation of when your employer coverage ended, since Medicare may ask for it. The exact start dates and paperwork can be specific to your circumstances, so confirm with Social Security at SSA.gov or 1-800-772-1213 and with Medicare.gov, or get free help from your local SHIP. A licensed agent can help you make the transition smoothly and on time, at no cost to you.

— Matt Rolph, Los Angeles, CAVerified