Turning 65 in Texas? Your Medicare Enrollment Checklist
A month-by-month guide so you enroll on time, pick the right plan, and never pay a late-enrollment penalty. Free help from licensed Texas Medicare agents.
Turning 65 in the next 6 months? Book your free Medicare planning call today.
We're independent, licensed Texas Medicare agents. Your premium is the same whether you enroll directly or through us — but we'll help you avoid the lifetime late-enrollment penalty and pick the right plan the first time.
Your 7-Month Initial Enrollment Period (IEP)
Centered on the month you turn 65. Enroll early — the first 3 months are the smoothest.
Green = enroll here, coverage starts the 1st of your birthday month. Amber = coverage effective date is delayed.
Month-by-Month Turning-65 Medicare Checklist
Prefer to work through it on paper? Print the full turning-65 enrollment checklist →
- 16 months before 65
Create your my Social Security account at ssa.gov. Confirm your work-credit history (40 quarters = premium-free Part A). Gather names of your doctors, hospitals, and current prescriptions.
- 23 months before 65
Your Initial Enrollment Period opens. Enroll in Part A (and Part B unless delaying) at ssa.gov. Book a free planning call with a licensed Texas agent to compare Medicare Supplement vs Medicare Advantage.
- 32 months before 65
Lock in your Medigap Plan G, N, or high-deductible G — OR select your Medicare Advantage plan. Add a stand-alone Part D drug plan if you chose Medigap.
- 41 month before 65
Confirm your Medicare card has arrived. Verify your effective date. Notify your employer if dropping group coverage. Set up automatic premium payments.
- 5Your birthday month
Coverage begins the 1st of your birthday month if you enrolled early. Present your Medicare card and any supplement/advantage ID at appointments.
- 6Up to 3 months after 65
Your IEP is still open — but delaying past your birthday month pushes back your effective date. Use your one-time 6-month Medigap Open Enrollment (starts when Part B begins) for guaranteed acceptance on any Medigap plan.
Medicare Supplement (Medigap)
Best if…
- You want to see any doctor nationwide that accepts Medicare — no networks.
- You travel often or split time between states.
- You want predictable out-of-pocket costs.
- You'll add a stand-alone Part D drug plan.
Once-in-a-lifetime benefit: Your 6-month Medigap Open Enrollment (starts when Part B begins) is guaranteed-issue — no medical questions. Miss it and future underwriting can deny you.
Medicare Advantage (Part C)
Best if…
- You want a low or $0 monthly premium.
- Your doctors are in-network locally in Texas.
- You want dental, vision, and drug coverage bundled.
- You're comfortable with copays and an annual out-of-pocket max.
Federally certified: TXInsurance.com is federally certified for Medicare Advantage and represents every major Texas carrier — we shop for you, not for one company.
Turning-65 Mistakes That Cost Real Money
The short list is below. See the 10 costliest turning-65 mistakes (with dollar amounts) →
- Missing your IEP. Part B late penalty = 10% for every 12 months you were eligible and didn't enroll — for life.
- Skipping Part D. 1%/month penalty if you go without creditable drug coverage — for life.
- Waiting past your Medigap Open Enrollment. After 6 months, carriers can medically underwrite and deny you.
- Dropping HSA contributions too late. Once you enroll in Part A, HSA contributions must stop (even if Part A is retroactive).
- Picking a plan without checking your prescriptions. Wrong formulary = surprise costs. We check every drug before you enroll.
Official federal references
Frequently asked questions
Turning 65 in the next 6 months? Book your free Medicare planning call today.
We're independent, licensed Texas Medicare agents. Your premium is the same whether you enroll directly or through us — but we'll help you avoid the lifetime late-enrollment penalty and pick the right plan the first time.