Do I have to sign up for Medicare if I’m covered through my spouse’s employer?

Should I enroll in Medicare Part B?

People who work for large employers often delay signing up for Medicare Part B so they don’t have to pay premiums for both Medicare and the employer’s coverage. In 2024, Part B costs $174.70 a month for most people and more for high earners.

When your spouse retires, gets laid off or otherwise stops working for this employer, you’ll be entitled to a special enrollment period (SEP) to sign up for Medicare. You can enroll in Part B anytime while your spouse is working or up to eight months afterward without incurring a late enrollment penalty.

If your spouse’s company has fewer than 20 employees, and Medicare becomes the primary payer when you turn 65, you’ll need to sign up during your seven-month initial enrollment period, which begins three months before the month you turn 65 and ends three months after your birthday month. In rare cases, some small businesses continue to provide primary coverage after age 65.

Check whether your spouse’s employer plan requires you, as a covered dependent, to enroll in Medicare when you turn 65. If the employer says that you don’t have to enroll in Medicare, get the response in writing.

Do I enroll in Medicare if my spouse has retiree coverage?

Yes. You can delay signing up for Medicare only if you or your spouse has coverage from a current employer. Even if you’re covered by your spouse’s retiree health insurance, you need to enroll in Medicare no later than eight months after your spouse stops working or you may have to pay a lifetime late enrollment penalty when you eventually enroll in Part B. Federal retirees have special rules.

That’s also the case if your spouse continues their employer’s coverage through the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, known as COBRA, which is a federal law that requires companies with 20 or more employees to offer health insurance for up to 18 months, 36 in some cases, after workers leave their job. COBRA doesn’t count as active employment, so you must enroll in Medicare during your initial enrollment period to avoid late enrollment penalties. 

Should I get Part D if I have drug coverage through my spouse?

Not necessarily. The rules are different for Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage. As long as you continue to receive “creditable” prescription drug coverage under the employer plan — whether your spouse is still working or retired — you don’t need to sign up for a Part D plan.

Creditable coverage means that Medicare considers it to be as good as Part D. This can include coverage from a current employer, former employer or other source, such as a union or military Tricare coverage. You should receive a notice from the plan provider every September letting you know whether Medicare considers the coverage creditable.

If you lose this coverage, you’ll be eligible for a special enrollment period of two months to purchase a Part D plan without incurring a late enrollment penalty.

Keep in mind

You’ll have to consider your own coverage if your spouse with employer health coverage turns 65 first. If your spouse is older and enrolls in Medicare instead of keeping the employer’s insurance, you as the younger spouse may lose private health insurance coverage. If that happens, you may need to find other sources of coverage before turning 65 and becoming eligible for Medicare.

One option if your spouse enrolls in Medicare is to continue the employer’s coverage through COBRA, which can last up to 36 months. Other options are to buy a private plan through the Affordable Care Act federal insurance marketplace or through a state that has its own exchange.

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