Initial Enrollment Period (IEP)
The 7-month Medicare enrollment window around age 65 - three months before, the birthday month, and three months after - avoiding late-enrollment penalties.
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Practice This Concept
A person continues working past age 65 and remains covered by the employer's group health plan. To enroll in Medicare Part B without a late penalty, the person may use the Special Enrollment Period (SEP), which lasts:
8 months, beginning when the employer group coverage ends or employment stops — The Part B Special Enrollment Period is an 8-month window that begins when the employer's group health coverage ends or when the person stops working — whichever comes first — and permits enrollment without a late penalty for those who delayed Part B while covered by active group coverage based on current employment. This SEP is separate from the 7-month Initial Enrollment Period around the 65th birthday and from the annual General Enrollment Period. The working-beneficiary SEP is the relief valve that keeps employees from paying penalties while they stay on employer coverage past 65.
National insurance concept
The Medicare Part B General Enrollment Period (GEP) runs...
January 1 through March 31 each year. — Beneficiaries who miss their initial enrollment period — and their special enrollment period, if any — can enroll in Part B during the General Enrollment Period, which runs January 1 through March 31 each year, with coverage beginning the following July. Because GEP enrollment occurs after the ideal window, a late-enrollment penalty applies for each 12-month period of delay. The GEP is easily confused with the Medicare Advantage and Part D Annual Election Period of October 15 through December 7 and with the seven-month initial enrollment period around the 65th birthday; distinguishing the three windows is a standard Part B question in the senior products outline.
National insurance concept
- Medical ExpenseA person continues working past age 65 and remains covered by the employer's group heal…
- Medical ExpenseThe Medicare Part B General Enrollment Period (GEP) runs...
- Medical ExpenseAn employee who delays enrolling in Medicare Part B while covered by employer group hea…
- Medical ExpenseA beneficiary who missed the initial enrollment period for Medicare Part B and has no o…
- Medical ExpenseAn individual was covered by an employer group health plan when he first became eligibl…
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