Medicare and the Marketplace

Changing from the Marketplace to Medicare

If you have a Marketplace plan, you can keep it until your Medicare coverage starts. Find out how to end your Marketplace plan.
If you like, you can keep your Marketplace plan too. But once your Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) coverage starts, you’ll no longer be eligible for any premium tax credits or other cost savings you may be getting for your Marketplace plan. You'll pay full price for the Marketplace plan.
If you can't afford the monthly premiums for Medicare, there are programs to help lower the costs. Learn about Medicare cost saving programs.
Medicare offers options to help pay your out-of-pocket costs and get more coverage—prescription drug coverage and extra benefits, like vision, hearing, dental, and more.
Discover your Medicare coverage options.

When you can first sign up for Medicare

You’re first eligible to sign up for Medicare 3 months before you turn 65. You may be eligible to get Medicare earlier if you have a disability, End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), or ALS (also called Lou Gehrig’s disease).
Your first chance to sign up is called your Initial Enrollment Period. It lasts for 7 months, starting 3 months before you turn 65, and ending 3 months after the month you turn 65.
Notice:
Avoid the penalty
If you miss your 7-month Initial Enrollment Period, you may have to wait to sign up and pay a monthly late enrollment penalty for as long as you have Part B (Medical Insurance) coverage. The penalty goes up the longer you wait. You may also have to pay a penalty if you have to pay a Part A premium, also called “Premium-Part A.”
Find out when and how to sign up based on your personal situation.

Canceling your Marketplace plan when you're eligible for Medicare

In most cases, if you have a Marketplace plan when you're first eligible for Medicare, you’ll want to end your Marketplace coverage. If there's other people on your Marketplace application, you can end just your coverage (the person getting Medicare).
Notice:
IMPORTANT
Don't end your Marketplace plan until you know when your Medicare coverage starts. Once you end Marketplace coverage, you can’t re-enroll until the next annual Open Enrollment Period (unless you qualify for a 
Special Enrollment Period
).
Your Medicare coverage start date depends on your situation. Get details about when Medicare coverage starts.

Step-by-step instructions: How & when to cancel your Marketplace plan

Discover more about Medicare

More answers: Changing from the Marketplace to Medicare

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