Medicare 2026

First Medicare decisions at 65 for Londonderry residents

# Turning 65 in Londonderry? Your first Medicare decisions, step by…

LONDONDERRY, N.H. — If a birthday cake with 65 candles is coming your way, so is one of the most important decisions of your adult life: when and how to sign up for Medicare. The good news is that you have a clear window to do it, and Londonderry residents have plenty of official help nearby.

Your first chance to enroll is called the Initial Enrollment Period, or IEP. It is a seven-month window built around your 65th birthday. Miss it, and you could face late penalties that stick with you for years. Hit it, and you can start coverage without a hitch.

What the Initial Enrollment Period actually is

Your IEP is a seven-month stretch. It begins three months before the month you turn 65, includes your birthday month, and ends three months after. For most people in Londonderry, this is the first and simplest chance to enroll in Original Medicare (Part A and Part B).

If you sign up in the three months before your birthday month, coverage typically begins on the first day of your birthday month. Sign up later in the window, and coverage starts the month after you enroll. Planning ahead matters if you want your card in hand on day one.

Automatic vs. manual enrollment

If you are already receiving Social Security benefits when you turn 65, you will usually be enrolled in Part A and Part B automatically. Your red, white, and blue Medicare card should arrive in the mail a few months before your birthday.

If you are not yet drawing Social Security — many people wait — you need to sign up yourself. You can do this online at ssa.gov, by calling Social Security, or by visiting a local office. Do not assume it happens on its own.

The parts of Medicare, in plain English

Medicare has four parts, and understanding them makes every other decision easier.

• Part A covers hospital stays, skilled nursing, and some home health care. Most people pay no premium because they paid into Medicare through work.
• Part B covers doctor visits, outpatient care, and preventive services. It has a monthly premium set each year by the federal government.
• Part C, known as Medicare Advantage, is an all-in-one alternative offered by private insurers approved by Medicare.
• Part D covers prescription drugs, either as a stand-alone plan or bundled inside a Medicare Advantage plan.

You will also hear about Medigap (Medicare Supplement) plans, which help pay some of the out-of-pocket costs Original Medicare leaves behind.

Why missing your window can cost you

Medicare's late-enrollment penalties are not one-time fees. They are added to your monthly premium, often for as long as you have Medicare.

• Part B penalty: Your premium can go up 10% for each full 12-month period you were eligible but didn't sign up.
• Part D penalty: A smaller monthly amount, but it also lasts for life.

There are exceptions. If you are still working past 65 and have qualifying health coverage from your employer (or your spouse's), you may be able to delay Part B without penalty and enroll later during a Special Enrollment Period. Check with your benefits office before assuming your plan qualifies.

What's new for 2027 you should know

A few program-wide updates are worth putting on your radar as you plan:

• Part D has a new out-of-pocket cap of $2,100 in 2026. Once your covered drug spending reaches that amount, you pay $0 for covered prescriptions the rest of the year.
• The Part D deductible cannot exceed $615 in 2026.
• The old coverage gap, or "donut hole," was eliminated in 2025. Part D now has three phases instead of four.
• The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread drug costs across the calendar year in monthly installments — a helpful option if a big prescription bill hits early.
• Higher-income enrollees pay an extra amount called IRMAA. In 2026, it kicks in above $109,000 in income for a single filer, based on your tax return from two years earlier.

Your Londonderry-specific next steps

Londonderry is in Rockingham County, and plan availability in Medicare is set at the county level. That means when you compare Medicare Advantage or Part D options, you are looking at what is offered in Rockingham County, not just the town.

Here is a simple order of operations:

1. Mark your IEP on the calendar — three months before your birthday month is the ideal time to act. 2. Decide about Part B. If you are still working with employer coverage, talk to your HR department first. 3. Choose your path: Original Medicare (often paired with a Medigap plan and a stand-alone Part D plan) or a Medicare Advantage plan. 4. Review drug coverage. Even if you take few medications, having Part D avoids the lifetime penalty later. 5. Get free, unbiased help. New Hampshire's State Health Insurance Assistance Program is called ServiceLink, and counselors can walk you through your options at no cost.

Key dates to remember beyond your IEP

Once you are enrolled, two more windows come up every year:

• Annual Enrollment Period: October 15 – December 7. This is when you can switch or join a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan for the following year.
• Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment: January 1 – March 31. If you are already in a Medicare Advantage plan, you get one chance to switch to another or return to Original Medicare.