Louisiana Turning 65
Turning 65 and Medicare in Louisiana: A Calm, Step-by-Step Checklist
Turning 65 soon? A step-by-step Medicare checklist covering when to sign up, working past 65, health savings accounts, and choosing your plans for people in Louisiana.
Turning 65 doesn't have to be stressful
Turning 65 is a big birthday, and a big deadline. A little planning, starting a few months ahead, makes Medicare a lot easier.
Here is a calm, step-by-step look at what to do and when, for people in Louisiana.
Turning 65 and Medicare in Louisiana
We help people across Louisiana, including New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Shreveport. Medicare's enrollment rules are federal and the same in every state, but the plans sold, and what they cost, depend on where you live, and a licensed agent can talk through what is available to you in Louisiana today.
Free, unbiased Medicare counseling is also available in Louisiana through LaSHIP (Louisiana Senior Health Insurance Information Program), at 1-800-259-5300. That is a separate resource from GetFastRates.com, and it is worth a call whether or not you ever talk to us.
Questions or complaints about an insurance company or agent in Louisiana can go to Louisiana Department of Insurance (LDI) (www.ldi.la.gov).
A simple timeline
- About six months before: find out whether you are already getting or about to get Social Security, and ask your employer's benefits office how your coverage works with Medicare
- Three months before your birthday month: your seven-month Initial Enrollment Period opens. You can sign up for Part A and Part B and choose your other coverage
- The month you turn 65: if you haven't signed up yet, don't wait, because starting here can delay your coverage by a month
- Up to three months after: the last of your Initial Enrollment Period. Signing up late can mean waiting and, for Part B, a penalty
If you are still working at 65
- If you are covered by an employer plan, many people can delay Part B without a penalty, but the rules depend on your employer's size and the type of coverage. In general, if your employer has 20 or more employees, the job-based plan pays first. Ask your benefits office
- If you are covered by a health savings account (HSA) plan, you generally have to stop contributing to the HSA before you enroll in Medicare. Coverage can be backdated, so many people stop six months ahead. A tax professional can confirm your situation
- COBRA and retiree coverage generally don't count as job-based coverage that protects you from a Part B penalty
- Keep a letter from your employer showing the dates you were covered. You may need it later
The choices to make
Premiums, deductibles and copays change from year to year and depend on the plan, where you live and, for some costs, your income. We won't quote a figure before we know your details, and we'll put the costs in front of you in writing before you decide.
- Part A and Part B: most people take both when first eligible, though some delay Part B if they have qualifying job-based coverage
- Original Medicare with Medigap and a Part D plan, or a Medicare Advantage plan. See our Medicare Advantage vs. Medigap guide
- Whether your doctors and prescriptions are covered by the plans you are considering
- Your Medigap open enrollment period, which starts the month you are 65 or older and enrolled in Part B and lasts six months
What to have ready
Please don't send Medicare numbers, Social Security numbers or other sensitive details through our website forms. Share them only when you speak with a licensed agent and are ready.
- Your Social Security number and your birth date
- A list of your doctors and your prescriptions
- Details about any employer, union or retiree coverage you have now
- Your questions, which we are glad to answer
How we can help
- Work out your enrollment dates
- Explain how your job-based coverage fits with Medicare
- Help you choose plans for your first year
- Tell you honestly if waiting is a good idea or if it will cost you
Before you rely on this page
This page is educational. It is not a recommendation of any plan, and it does not promise eligibility, enrollment, pricing or availability.
GetFastRates.com is not connected with or endorsed by the U.S. government or the federal Medicare program. Calling connects you with licensed insurance help. Plan availability, costs, benefits, and enrollment rules can vary by state, carrier, and individual situation.
We do not offer every plan available in your area. We represent a limited number of organizations, which offer a limited number of products in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), or your local State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options.
Want to talk through your Louisiana Medicare options?
Leave your number and a licensed agent will call to talk through where you are and what fits in Louisiana. It's free, and there's no pressure. Please don't put your Medicare or Social Security number in the form.
More Medicare help in Louisiana
Common questions
When should I sign up for Medicare?
Your Initial Enrollment Period starts three months before the month you turn 65, includes your birthday month and runs three months after. Signing up before your birthday month lets coverage begin on time.
Do I have to sign up if I'm still working?
Not always. Many people with job-based coverage can delay Part B without a penalty, but it depends on your employer's size and your plan. Check with your benefits office and a licensed agent first.
What happens if I get Social Security before 65?
If you are receiving Social Security benefits when you turn 65, you are generally signed up for Part A and Part B automatically, and your Medicare card is mailed to you.
Does Medicare start the day I turn 65?
Often it starts the first day of your birthday month if you sign up before then. If you sign up in your birthday month or later, coverage generally starts the first of the following month.
Is turning 65 different in Louisiana?
The Medicare rules are federal and the same in every state. The plans you can choose depend on where you live, and Louisiana also has its own free counseling program for questions along the way.
Does it cost anything to talk to an agent?
Talking through your options with us is free and comes with no obligation. Any plan you choose has its own premium, set by the plan and its insurance company.
You don't have to figure this out alone.
Call to talk with a licensed agent who helps people in Louisiana who will be honest about what fits and what doesn't.
- Licensed insurance help
- No guaranteed eligibility, pricing, or availability
- Educational starting point
GetFastRates.com is not connected with or endorsed by the U.S. government or the federal Medicare program. Calling connects you with licensed insurance help. Plan availability, costs, benefits, and enrollment rules can vary by state, carrier, and individual situation.