Working Past 65 and Medicare Eligibility

You are eligible for Medicare even if you will continue working after age 65. However, you may have the option of delaying Medicare enrollment if your employer-provided health plan meets some requirements.

Should I Keep My Employer Health Plan if I Work Past Age 65?

It is important to understand how Medicare works with your employer-provided insurance so you can make a smart decision about your health care coverage. Here are tips to help you get the information you need.

• Find out if your employer's health plan is considered creditable coverage
  Creditable coverage is health insurance that meets or exceeds the health care coverage offered by Medicare. If your employer-provided coverage is creditable, you may be able to delay enrollment in Medicare. You will receive a Notice of Creditable Coverage from your employer in the mail every September that you should keep on file until you enroll in Medicare.

If your employer-provided plan is not creditable coverage, you will need to enroll in Medicare when you are first eligible to avoid late enrollment penalties.

• Compare health plans  
  If you have the option to keep your employer-provided plan, be sure to compare the coverage to Medicare. Determine which option provides you with the coverage that best meets your needs.

You may be able to enroll in Medicare and stay on your employer-provided health plan. In that case, Medicare will be considered secondary insurance. Primary insurance is the plan that will be billed first for medical services. Secondary insurance pays some or all of the costs that are not covered by primary insurance.

• Talk to your benefits administrator
  There are many factors that impact how your employer-provided health care coverage and Medicare work together. Talk to your company’s benefits administrator to get answers to all of your questions. 

What Should I Do About Medicare if I Go Back to Work?

If your employer-provided health plan is considered creditable coverage, you can disenroll from Medicare and enroll in the other plan. 

When you stop working again, you will be able to re-enroll in Medicare without any penalties – as long as you sign up within your enrollment period.  

Am I Eligible for Medicare if I am Self-Employed?

If you are self-employed and you get your health care benefits through a Marketplace plan, you will need to enroll in Medicare. 

You may have the option to keep your Marketplace plan as secondary coverage. However, having Medicare can impact the tax credits and savings offered by a Marketplace plan. Talk to your accountant to be sure you understand how enrolling in Medicare will impact your finances. 

How do I Become Eligible for Medicare When I Retire?

If you have delayed Medicare enrollment, there are some important things to do to prepare for your Medicare Enrollment once you are ready to retire.

Have Questions? Learn More from Banner Health. 

Learn more about Banner Health’s Medicare Advantage plans.

Learn about Banner Health’s Medicare Part D plan.

Contact Banner Medicare so we can answer any questions you may have and even help you enroll. 

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