ArcaMax

Toni,

I’m turning 65 on May 12, 2027, and I need your help! Why am I receiving so much mail and so many emails and phone calls when my Medicare does not begin until May? What should I be doing during this Medicare season? Insurance companies and agencies all claim their plan is the best. They all offer the same thing, with dental, vision, gym membership included, and say they can put money back into your Social Security check. I am not receiving a Social Security check. How can I get the money?

My sister says that if I do not enroll in Medicare at the right time, I will get a penalty that will last the rest of my life. How does someone know what is the right decision for their situation? Looking forward to your answer.

Thanks.

—Ronald from Lexington, Ky.

Ronald,

The answer to your question is you need to do NOTHING!!! NADA!!! during Medicare’s Open Enrollment Period (OEP), because you are not 65 and have not yet enrolled in Medicare. Next year’s Medicare OEP from Oct. 15- Dec. 7 is when you can make a change to your Part D plan and change or enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan with or without a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan.

A Medicare beneficiary MUST have already turned 65 or be under 65 and enrolled in Medicare to enroll in or change either a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan or Medicare Advantage plan during Medicare’s OEP.

Ronald, you are turning 65 in May, which is when you will be in your Medicare Initial Enrollment Period, a 7-month period that in your case begins 3 months prior to May, runs through the month of May and continues for 3 months after May. February, 3 months prior to May, is a good time for you to begin enrolling in Medicare and exploring which Medicare option best fits your specific medical and prescription drug needs.

When my office does a Toni Says Medicare consultation, my team always emphasizes that you should talk with your medical providers to discover what type of Medicare plan is right for your health situation and the prescriptions you are taking, whether that’s Medicare Advantage with prescription drug plan included or Original/Traditional Medicare with a Medicare Supplement and a stand-alone Medicare Part D plan.

What I always tell my clients during a consultation or when I am doing a radio interview is that Medicare is not a cookie-cutter or one-size plan that fits everyone. Medicare insurance companies market their specific Medicare plans and want you to believe that theirs is perfect for you. But it is up to you and your medical provider to find which Medicare plan best fits your medical and financial needs.

While ads from Medicare Advantage plans on TV commercials or the internet promise cash returns on your Social Security check such as the Medicare Advantage cash giveback, these are based on your income and not automatically approved. As I said earlier in this article, it is important to discuss your healthcare coverage with your medical providers, especially when you are planning to make a major Medicare insurance change, or guess what? That medical provider may not be in your insurance plan’s provider network!

Toni Says Alert: Medicare’s Open Enrollment Period (OEP) is for those who are already 65 or under 65 and enrolled in Medicare. You do not have to make a change during the OEP if you are pleased with your current plan such as Medicare Advantage plan, Medicare Part D Prescription drug plan or Medicare Supplement, but with the major changes to the 2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D plans, I am advising America to take time to verify that your healthcare providers and prescription drugs are in the current Medicare Advantage and Part D plan you are verifying or selecting during Medicare’s OEP.

Remember … with Medicare, what you don’t know WILL hurt you!

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Toni King is an author and columnist on Medicare, Social Security and long-term care issues. She has spent nearly 30 years as a top sales leader in the field. If you have a Medicare question, email info@tonisays.com or call 832-519-8664. Sign up for the Toni Says newsletter at www.tonisays.com to keep up to date on Medicare changes.

©2026 Toni King. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Copyright 2026 Toni King, Distributed by Counterpoint Media