What if my spouse is younger and still on employer insurance when I turn 65?
The short answer
If your spouse is still covered by an employer plan when you turn 65, you can delay some parts of Medicare without penalty, but the rules depend on the employer's plan and your situation.
The full explanation
This is one of the most common situations people face when one spouse is older, and it trips people up because the rules are a bit nuanced.When you turn 65, you become eligible for Medicare. But if you're covered under your spouse's active employer plan, and that employer has 20 or more employees, you may be able to delay enrolling in Medicare Part B without facing a late penalty. The employer plan is considered primary coverage in that case, meaning it pays first. Medicare would be secondary.However, if your spouse works for a small employer, meaning fewer than 20 employees, Medicare is usually required to be primary. In that situation, delaying Part B could leave you with real coverage gaps and lead to penalties later.Part A is different. Most people get Part A at no premium cost when they turn 65, and enrolling usually makes sense since it doesn't interfere with most employer coverage. But if you or your spouse are contributing to a Health Savings Account (HSA), enrolling in Part A ends your ability to make new HSA contributions. That's a tradeoff worth thinking about.When your spouse eventually leaves their employer or the employer coverage ends, you'll qualify for a Special Enrollment Period to sign up for Part B without penalty, as long as you enroll within eight months.The details really do matter here. Verify how your spouse's employer plan coordinates with Medicare before making any decisions.
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