Medicare 2026

Medicare and Your Job in Concord: When to Enroll

If you live in Concord and you're approaching 65 while still on the job, you don't automatically have to sign up for everything Medicare offers right away. But you do need to make some decisions — and the timing matters. Miss a deadline, and you could face lifelong penalties or a gap in coverage.

Concord, N.H. — Still working at 65? Here's how Medicare fits in

Here's a plain-language guide to coordinating Medicare with an employer health plan, plus where to get free, local help.

Part A is usually the easy call

Most people qualify for premium-free Part A (hospital insurance) once they turn 65, as long as they or a spouse paid Medicare taxes for at least 10 years. Because there's no monthly premium, many workers sign up for Part A at 65 even if they keep their employer coverage.

One important exception: if you contribute to a Health Savings Account (HSA), you can't keep adding to it once you enroll in any part of Medicare. If your HSA matters to you, talk with your benefits office before you enroll.

Part B is where the timing gets tricky

Part B (doctor and outpatient care) has a monthly premium, and this is where the "should I enroll or delay" question really lives.

According to Medicare.gov, you can generally delay Part B without penalty if:

• You (or your spouse) are still working, and
• You have health coverage through that current employer, and
• The employer has 20 or more employees.

If your employer has fewer than 20 employees, Medicare usually becomes the primary payer at 65 — meaning you probably need to enroll in Part B on time, even if you keep the job plan. Concord has a mix of large employers (state government, hospitals, insurers) and many smaller businesses, so this rule catches people off guard.

When in doubt, ask your HR or benefits department in writing whether your plan is primary or secondary once you turn 65.

The Special Enrollment Period after you leave work

When your job or your employer coverage ends, you get a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) to sign up for Part B without a late penalty. It generally lasts 8 months after employment or the group coverage ends — whichever comes first.

A couple of common traps:

• COBRA doesn't count as active employer coverage for Medicare purposes. The SEP clock starts when your job ends, not when COBRA ends.
• Retiree coverage also doesn't count as active employer coverage.

If you miss the SEP, you may have to wait for the General Enrollment Period and pay a Part B late-enrollment penalty — often for life.

Don't forget about Part D (drug coverage)

Part D has its own late-enrollment penalty if you go more than 63 days without "creditable" drug coverage after becoming eligible. Your employer should send you a notice each year telling you whether its drug coverage is creditable (as good as or better than Medicare's).

Keep those notices. If your employer drug coverage is creditable, you can delay Part D without penalty. If it isn't, you'll want to enroll in a Part D plan on time.

A few 2026 figures worth knowing:

• Part D out-of-pocket cap: $2,100 for the year.
• Part D maximum deductible: $615.
• The old "donut hole" is gone — Part D now has three phases.
• The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread drug costs across the year in monthly installments if that helps your budget.
• IRMAA surcharges (higher premiums for higher incomes) start above $109,000 for a single filer in 2026.

What's available around Concord

Concord is in Merrimack County, where Medicare beneficiaries have a range of Medicare Advantage and stand-alone Part D options to choose from once they're ready to enroll. Plan availability is set at the county level, so two neighbors in Concord will see the same menu of plans, but someone across the county line may see different choices.

You don't have to pick anything the day you turn 65 if you're keeping employer coverage. When you're ready — usually when you retire or lose the job plan — you can compare options on Medicare.gov's Plan Finder, which lets you enter your ZIP code and prescriptions.

Key dates to remember:

• Annual Enrollment Period: Oct. 15 – Dec. 7 (for changes that start Jan. 1).
• Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment: Jan. 1 – March 31 (one switch allowed if you're already on a Medicare Advantage plan).