Medicare 2026

Coordinating Medicare with Job Health Plans in Kentwood

In Kentwood, plenty of workers reach 65 and keep clocking in. That's more common every year — and it raises a fair question: do you have to sign up for Medicare right now, or can you stay on your job's health plan?

The short answer is that it depends on the size of your employer, the kind of coverage you have, and a few deadlines you don't want to miss. Here's how to think it through.

Start with your Initial Enrollment Period

Your Initial Enrollment Period (IEP) is a 7-month window around your 65th birthday: the 3 months before, your birthday month, and the 3 months after. This is when most people first become eligible for Part A (hospital) and Part B (doctor visits and outpatient care).

Part A is premium-free for most people who have worked and paid Medicare taxes long enough, so many workers sign up for Part A at 65 even if they keep their job's plan. Part B has a monthly premium, and that's the piece most workers weigh carefully.

Big employer or small employer? The rule that changes everything

Medicare uses employer size to decide which coverage pays first.

• 20 or more employees: Your group health plan is generally the primary payer, and Medicare is secondary. You can usually delay Part B while you're actively working and covered, then enroll later without a late penalty.
• Fewer than 20 employees: Medicare is generally the primary payer once you turn 65. If you don't enroll in Part B, your job's plan may pay very little — leaving you with big bills. In most small-employer situations, signing up for Part B at 65 is the safer move.

If you're not sure which category your employer falls into, ask your HR or benefits office in writing. This is the single most important question to answer before you decide to delay.

Kentwood is in Kent County — check your local options too

Kentwood is in Kent County, where a range of Medicare Advantage and stand-alone Part D drug plans are offered each year. For 2027, Kent County has 79 Medicare Advantage plans from 15 carriers, including Devoted Health and Zing Health, which are new to the county. You don't need to shop plans while you're still on solid employer coverage, but it helps to know the landscape exists for when you do transition. You can compare what's available in Kent County any time at medicare.gov using the Plan Finder tool.

Watch out for HSAs and high-deductible plans

If you contribute to a Health Savings Account (HSA) through work, there's a wrinkle. Once you enroll in any part of Medicare — including premium-free Part A — you can no longer contribute new money to an HSA. You can still spend what's already in the account.

Some workers near 65 choose to delay both Part A and Part B so they can keep contributing to an HSA. If that's you, talk with your benefits team and, if possible, a tax advisor before your birthday month.

The 8-month Special Enrollment Period after work ends

When you (or your spouse, if you're covered through their job) stop working or lose the employer plan, Medicare gives you an 8-month Special Enrollment Period (SEP) to sign up for Part B without a late-enrollment penalty. For Part D drug coverage, the window is shorter — generally 2 months after job coverage ends.

Two big cautions:

• COBRA doesn't count. Once your active employment ends, the SEP clock starts even if you're still on COBRA. Waiting until COBRA runs out can trigger a lifelong Part B late penalty.
• Retiree coverage doesn't count either. Same rule — enroll in Part B when active work ends.

A quick note on 2027 numbers

Some Medicare figures reset every year. For 2026, the Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,100, and the Part D maximum deductible is $615. The old "donut hole" coverage gap was eliminated in 2025, so Part D now has three phases instead of four. Higher-income enrollees pay IRMAA surcharges on Part B and Part D premiums; for a single filer in 2026, those begin above $109,000 in income.

None of that changes the timing rules above, but it's useful context as you plan.