Medicare 2026

Turning 65 in Columbus? Don't Miss Your 7-Month Window

COLUMBUS, Miss. — If you're approaching your 65th birthday, the most important Medicare date on your calendar isn't in the fall. It's the seven-month stretch built around the month you turn 65 — your Initial Enrollment Period, or IEP. Miss it, and you could face gaps in coverage and lifelong late penalties that are easy to avoid with a little planning.

Aging into Medicare: the enrollment window you don't want to miss

Here's a plain-language guide to what the IEP is, how it works in Columbus and Lowndes County, and what to do first.

What the Initial Enrollment Period actually is

Your IEP is a seven-month window: the three months before the month you turn 65, your birthday month itself, and the three months after. For most people, this is the first chance to sign up for Medicare Part A (hospital) and Part B (medical), and to add a Part D drug plan or a Medicare Advantage plan if you want one.

A tip worth knowing: if you enroll in the three months before your birthday month, your coverage starts the first day of your birthday month. Wait until your birthday month or later, and coverage can be delayed. (Source: Medicare.gov — Initial Enrollment Period.)

The first steps to take right now

You don't need to wait for a letter. Here's a simple checklist:

1. Decide about Part B. If you (or your spouse) are still working and have employer coverage, you may be able to delay Part B without a penalty. If not, plan to enroll during your IEP. 2. Check whether you'll be enrolled automatically. If you're already getting Social Security benefits, Medicare Parts A and B usually start automatically at 65. If you're not, you'll need to sign up yourself at ssa.gov or by calling Social Security. 3. Think about drug coverage. Even if you don't take medications today, signing up for Part D (or a Medicare Advantage plan that includes drug coverage) during your IEP protects you from a late-enrollment penalty later. 4. Choose your path: Original Medicare or Medicare Advantage. Original Medicare (Parts A and B, often paired with a standalone Part D plan and sometimes a Medigap policy) works differently from Medicare Advantage (Part C), which bundles coverage through a private plan.

What's available around Columbus

Columbus is in Lowndes County, where Medicare beneficiaries have a range of choices from multiple carriers offering Medicare Advantage and standalone Part D drug plans. Plan availability is set at the county level, so two neighbors on the same street will see the same menu of options. You can compare them, side by side, using the Plan Finder at medicare.gov or by calling 1-800-MEDICARE.

Because this article is educational, we won't name or rank specific plans. Your local State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) counselor can walk you through the differences one-on-one, at no cost.

New for 2026: what's changed on the drug side

If you take prescriptions — or think you might someday — a few program updates are worth knowing before you pick a plan:

• Part D out-of-pocket cap: $2,100. Once your covered drug costs hit that ceiling in 2026, you pay $0 for the rest of the calendar year.
• Part D deductible: up to $615. Plans can charge less, but not more.
• The "donut hole" is gone. As of 2025, Part D has three simpler phases instead of four.
• Medicare Prescription Payment Plan. This optional program lets you spread your drug costs across the year in monthly installments, rather than paying big amounts at the pharmacy counter.
• IRMAA. Higher-income enrollees pay extra for Parts B and D. In 2026, the surcharge starts above $109,000 in income for a single filer.

Deadlines to remember after your IEP

Your IEP is your first shot, but it isn't your only one:

• Annual Enrollment Period: October 15 – December 7. Change your Medicare Advantage or Part D plan for the following year.
• Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment: January 1 – March 31. If you're already in a Medicare Advantage plan, you can switch to another one or drop back to Original Medicare.
• Special Enrollment Periods. Life changes — moving, losing employer coverage — can open extra windows.

The cost of waiting

If you skip Part B when you're first eligible and don't have qualifying coverage from a job, you can face a 10% premium penalty for each full 12-month period you delayed — for as long as you have Part B. Part D has its own late penalty. These aren't one-time fees; they follow you.

That's why the IEP matters so much. Even a few phone calls before your 65th birthday can save you from a mistake that's hard to undo.