Your turning-65 timeline
- Three months before your 65th birthday: sign up for Medicare. If you don't get Social Security yet, apply for Part A and Part B at ssa.gov/medicare/sign-up or by calling 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778). EGID says applying early avoids a delay in your coverage start date.
- Two months before: open EGID's packet. EGID mails information about its Medicare plans with two applications, one for a HealthChoice Medicare supplement with drug coverage and one for a Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug (MAPD) plan.
- Choose your plan. The HealthChoice supplements require Part A and pay as if you had Part B. The MAPD plans require Parts A and B, and the two HMOs require you to live in their service areas.
- Before your birth month: return the application. Include your Medicare number exactly as it appears on your Medicare card. Dependents with Medicare need their own application.
- Watch your mail. EGID sends a new ID card; keep your old cards until it arrives. Check your confirmation and call EGID at once if anything is wrong.
Keep Part B
Retiree coverage isn't coverage from current employment, so it doesn't protect you from Medicare's Part B late penalty, 10% for each full 12 months you go without Part B after you first qualify. The 2026 standard Part B premium is $202.90 a month, usually deducted from Social Security; the 2027 amount isn't published yet. Higher-income retirees pay more for Part B and Part D (IRMAA). EGID's 2027 guide warns that if a HealthChoice member doesn't pay the Part D IRMAA, HealthChoice must move them to a plan without Part D.
Mistakes to avoid
- Joining a separate Part D plan, which ends your EGID Part D coverage.
- Dropping your EGID health plan without a plan B: EGID says you can't regain it later, and you'd lose your retirement system's contribution.
- Missing the 30-day window: when you first leave active employment, EGID's rules give you 30 days to continue coverage, and there can't be a break.
Related questions
Do I need Part B with the HealthChoice supplement?
What happens without it.
What Medicare options do state retirees have?
EGID's 2027 choices.
Do OTRS retirees need Part B?
For retired educators.
See also turning 65 in Oklahoma and state and teacher retirees and Medicare. EGID Member Services: 405-717-8780 or 800-752-9475 (TTY 711).
Sources
- EGID — Planning for Your Insurance Needs as a Former Employee, 2026 (turning 65, deadlines)
- OHCA Employees Group Insurance Division — 2027 Medicare Options Benefit Guide (Part D, IRMAA)
- EGID — Retirement insurance checklist and forms
- Social Security — Sign up for Medicare
- Medicare.gov — Enrolling in Medicare Part A & Part B
More questions in this guide
- Do I need Medicare Part B with the HealthChoice Medicare supplement?
- Do Oklahoma Teachers' Retirement (OTRS) retirees need Medicare Part B?
- Does the OTRS health insurance supplement pay toward any Medicare plan?
- What Medicare options do Oklahoma state and education retirees have?
Part of the guide: Oklahoma State and Teacher Retirees: HealthChoice and Medicare · All questions
Frequently asked questions
Will I be enrolled in Medicare automatically?
If you already get Social Security benefits, you should be enrolled in Parts A and B automatically when you become eligible. If you don't, you must apply with Social Security online at ssa.gov or at 1-800-772-1213.
What if I go on Medicare before 65 because of a disability?
EGID's 2026 guide says to notify EGID and give your Medicare number as it appears on your card. Your Medicare supplement coverage starts on your Medicare eligibility date or the first of the month after you notify EGID, whichever is later.
My spouse is under 65. What happens to their coverage?
Everyone on your account must be with the same plan company. If you choose a Medicare Advantage plan, your spouse under 65 enrolls in that plan's pre-Medicare HMO option.
What if I'm still working for the state at 65?
Your active coverage stays primary, and EGID says you can contact Social Security to delay Part B without a penalty. When you leave, have your employer complete form CMS-L564 so you can sign up for Part B.
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