Do I qualify for Medicare if I am still working at 65?
The short answer
Yes, you can qualify for Medicare at 65 even if you are still working. Whether you should enroll right away depends on the type of health insurance your employer offers.
The full explanation
Still working at 65 does not disqualify you from Medicare. You become eligible based on age, not employment status. The real question is whether you should enroll now or wait, and the answer depends on your workplace coverage.If you work for a company with 20 or more employees, your employer's group health plan is considered your primary insurance. Medicare would be secondary, meaning it only pays after your employer plan pays. In this situation, many people choose to delay Part B (and the premium that comes with it) until they retire. You will get a Special Enrollment Period to sign up without penalty once your employment or employer coverage ends.If you work for a small employer with fewer than 20 employees, Medicare actually becomes your primary insurance at 65. In that case, delaying enrollment could leave you with gaps in coverage and late enrollment penalties later.Part A is usually free, so many people enroll in that at 65 regardless of employment. However, if you contribute to an HSA (Health Savings Account) through your employer, enrolling in any part of Medicare makes you ineligible to keep making HSA contributions. That is a detail worth sorting out before you decide.When in doubt, talk to your HR department and a Medicare specialist before your 65th birthday.
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