Medicare Supplement

The Medicare Enrollment Timeline in Southaven

If you're approaching 65 in Southaven, you're about to make some of the most important health coverage decisions of your life. The good news: Medicare isn't as complicated as it looks once you understand the timeline. The key is knowing what to do — and when — so you don't miss a deadline or pay a penalty later.

Southaven, MS — Your 65th birthday is closer than you think

Here's a plain-English walkthrough of your Initial Enrollment Period and the first steps to take.

What is the Initial Enrollment Period?

Your Initial Enrollment Period (IEP) is a 7-month window built around your 65th birthday. It includes:

• The 3 months before the month you turn 65
• The month you turn 65
• The 3 months after the month you turn 65

If you sign up in the three months before your birthday month, your coverage generally starts the first day of your birthday month. Sign up later in the window, and coverage begins the month after you enroll.

Missing this window can mean lifelong late-enrollment penalties for Part B and Part D, so mark your calendar early. You can confirm your exact dates at medicare.gov.

Step 1: Decide if you need to actively enroll

Some people are enrolled in Medicare automatically. If you're already receiving Social Security benefits when you turn 65, you'll typically get your Medicare card in the mail a few months before your birthday.

If you're not yet drawing Social Security, you'll need to sign up yourself through the Social Security Administration at ssa.gov or by calling 1-800-772-1213.

Still working at 65 with employer coverage? You may be able to delay Part B without penalty — but the rules depend on how big your employer is and how the coverage is structured. This is a great question to bring to a SHIP counselor (more on that below).

Step 2: Understand the parts of Medicare

• Part A — Hospital insurance. Most people pay no premium if they or a spouse worked and paid Medicare taxes for at least 10 years.
• Part B — Doctor visits, outpatient care, and preventive services. Most people pay a monthly premium.
• Part C (Medicare Advantage) — A private plan that bundles Parts A and B, and usually Part D, together.
• Part D — Prescription drug coverage, offered through private plans.
• Medigap (Medicare Supplement) — Optional private coverage that helps pay some of Original Medicare's out-of-pocket costs.

You generally choose one of two paths: Original Medicare (often with a Medigap and a standalone Part D plan) or Medicare Advantage.

Step 3: Know what's new for 2026

A few program-level facts that apply everywhere, including Southaven:

• Part D out-of-pocket cap: $2,100 for 2026. Once your out-of-pocket drug spending hits that amount, you pay $0 for covered drugs the rest of the year.
• Part D maximum deductible: $615.
• The "donut hole" is gone. As of 2025, Part D has three phases instead of four.
• Medicare Prescription Payment Plan: An option to spread your yearly drug costs into monthly payments instead of paying big amounts at the pharmacy counter.
• IRMAA surcharges (extra Part B and Part D premiums for higher earners) begin above $109,000 in income for a single filer in 2026.

Step 4: Understand what's available in your area

Southaven is in DeSoto County, where Medicare plan availability — the number of Medicare Advantage and standalone Part D plans and carriers — is set at the county level by CMS. When you shop, use the plan finder at medicare.gov/plan-compare and enter your ZIP code so you see the accurate list for DeSoto County.

Two other dates worth remembering:

• Annual Enrollment Period: October 15 – December 7 each year. This is when anyone with Medicare can change plans.
• Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment: January 1 – March 31, for people already in a Medicare Advantage plan who want to switch.

Step 5: Get free, unbiased help

You don't have to figure this out alone. Free help is available from:

• Medicare.gov — the official federal site.
• 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), 24/7.
• Mississippi SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Program) — free, one-on-one counseling from trained volunteers who don't sell insurance. You can reach Mississippi SHIP through the Mississippi Department of Human Services, Division of Aging and Adult Services.