Medicare 2026

Does your Bullhead City employer have 20+ workers?

# Still on the job at 65? How to time Medicare in Bullhead…

BULLHEAD CITY, Ariz. — Turning 65 while you're still punching a clock brings a fair question: do you sign up for Medicare now, or wait until you retire? The answer depends on the size of your employer, the kind of coverage you have, and a few deadlines that can be costly to miss.

Here's a plain-language look at how job-based insurance and Medicare fit together for workers in and around Bullhead City.

Start with employer size

Medicare's rules for working people hinge on how many employees your company has.

• 20 or more employees: Your group health plan pays first, and Medicare pays second. Many people in this situation delay Part B (and sometimes Part A if they have an HSA) without a late penalty.
• Fewer than 20 employees: Medicare generally pays first. If you don't enroll in Part A and Part B when you're first eligible, your job's plan may leave big gaps because it assumes Medicare is covering its share.

If you're not sure which category your employer falls into, ask your HR or benefits office in writing.

Part A is usually a simple "yes"

Most people qualify for premium-free Part A (hospital insurance) at 65 because they or a spouse paid Medicare taxes long enough. If that's you, signing up for Part A while still working is often fine.

One important exception: if you contribute to a Health Savings Account (HSA), you cannot keep adding money once you enroll in any part of Medicare, including Part A. Talk to your benefits team before enrolling if the HSA matters to you.

Part B is where timing counts

Part B (doctor and outpatient care) has a monthly premium, and a late enrollment penalty can be added to that premium for life if you sign up late without qualifying coverage.

If you have job-based coverage from a large employer, you generally get a Special Enrollment Period to sign up for Part B:

• Up to 8 months after the job ends or the group coverage ends, whichever happens first.
• No late penalty when you use this window correctly.

Heads up: COBRA and retiree coverage do not count as active employer coverage for this rule. The clock starts when your active job-based plan ends, not when COBRA runs out.

Don't forget Part D

Prescription drug coverage has its own late penalty. As long as your employer's drug coverage is considered "creditable" — meaning at least as good as Medicare's — you can delay Part D without a penalty. Your plan is required to send you a notice each year telling you whether your drug coverage is creditable. Keep those letters.

For 2026, Medicare's Part D program includes a $2,100 annual out-of-pocket cap on covered drugs, a maximum deductible of $615, and the option to spread drug costs across the year through the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan. The old coverage gap, or "donut hole," was eliminated in 2025.

What's available around Bullhead City

Bullhead City is in Mohave County, where Medicare Advantage and stand-alone Part D plans are offered through private insurers approved by Medicare. Availability, networks, and formularies are set at the county level, so two neighbors in the same ZIP code see the same menu of options. You can compare what's offered in Mohave County using the Plan Finder at medicare.gov.

Higher earners should also know about IRMAA, an income-based surcharge on Part B and Part D premiums. In 2026 it starts above $109,000 in income for a single filer.

Mark these dates

• Initial Enrollment Period: the 7 months around your 65th birthday.
• Special Enrollment Period: up to 8 months after job-based coverage ends.
• Annual Enrollment Period: Oct. 15 – Dec. 7 each year.
• Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment: Jan. 1 – March 31.