When do you sign up for Medicare when you turn 65? Your Medicare enrollment window may begin before your 65th birthday, and if you're still working, different rules may apply. In this video, I explain the major Medicare enrollment periods in plain English, including: • The 7-month Initial Enrollment Period when you turn 65 • When Medicare coverage can begin • Automatic Medicare enrollment and Social Security • What happens if you're still working at 65 • Special Enrollment Periods for employer coverage • Why COBRA can create Medicare enrollment problems • The January 1 through March 31 General Enrollment Period • What Medicare Open Enrollment from October 15 through December 7 actually means • Why HSA contributions deserve extra attention when approaching Medicare One of the biggest Medicare misconceptions is that everyone should wait until the fall Medicare Open Enrollment Period to sign up. If you're turning 65, your initial Medicare timeline is generally based on your birthday, not October 15. The easiest place to start is by figuring out which Medicare enrollment window applies to you. READ THE FULL ARTICLE: https://www.thetannagroup.com/post/when-do-i-sign-up-for-medicare-the-enrollment-windows-explained ABOUT THE TANNA GROUP I'm Niki Trentacosta, a licensed insurance agent with The Tanna Group in Rockwall, Texas. I help individuals and families understand Medicare and their health coverage options without making the process more complicated than it needs to be. Learn more or schedule time with me: https://www.thetannagroup.com/ OFFICIAL MEDICARE RESOURCES Medicare: https://www.medicare.gov/ Social Security Medicare Enrollment: https://www.ssa.gov/medicare This video is for general educational purposes and is not a complete description of Medicare eligibility or enrollment rules. Individual circumstances vary. #Medicare #Turning65 #MedicareEnrollment www.thetannagroup.com https://www.facebook.com/thetannagroup https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-tanna-group

Questions about your options? Reach out! I'm happy to help. www.thetannagroup.com https://www.facebook.com/thetannagroup https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-tanna-group

Don't wait until October to sign up for Medicare if you're turning 65! www.thetannagroup.com https://www.facebook.com/thetannagroup https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-tanna-group

Medicare Advantage or Medicare Supplement? They are two very different ways to structure your Medicare coverage. In this quick side-by-side explanation, I break down the basic difference: Medicare Advantage (Part C) is another way to receive your Medicare Part A and Part B benefits through a private Medicare-approved plan. Many Medicare Advantage plans also include prescription drug coverage. You’ll typically have copays or coinsurance as you use healthcare services, along with an annual out-of-pocket maximum. With Original Medicare + a Medicare Supplement (Medigap), you keep Original Medicare Part A and Part B and add a Medicare Supplement policy to help cover some of the costs Original Medicare leaves behind. If you want prescription drug coverage, you can also enroll in a separate Part D plan. The right choice isn’t the same for everyone. Your doctors, prescriptions, budget, travel habits, and comfort with out-of-pocket costs can all matter. I’m Niki with The Tanna Group, helping people in Rockwall and North Texas understand Medicare without the call-center pressure. Have Medicare questions or approaching 65? Visit The Tanna Group to schedule a conversation. #Medicare #MedicareAdvantage #MedicareSupplement #Medigap #Medicare101 #Turning65 #RockwallTX #NorthTexasMedicare www.thetannagroup.com https://www.facebook.com/thetannagroup https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-tanna-group

What exactly is Original Medicare, and what does it cover? Original Medicare is administered by the federal government and includes: • Medicare Part A — primarily hospital coverage • Medicare Part B — medical coverage such as doctor visits and outpatient services Together, Parts A and B cover many healthcare services, but Original Medicare does not have an annual out-of-pocket maximum. That means understanding how you want to structure the rest of your Medicare coverage is important. You may choose to stay with Original Medicare and add a Medicare Supplement, also called Medigap, along with separate Part D prescription drug coverage. Or, you may choose Medicare Advantage as another way to receive your Medicare benefits. These options work very differently, and you cannot use a Medicare Supplement policy with a Medicare Advantage plan. In this quick video, I explain the basics so you can better understand your choices before making a decision. I’m Niki with The Tanna Group, helping people in Rockwall and North Texas understand Medicare without the call-center pressure. If you’re approaching 65 or have questions about your Medicare options, visit TheTannaGroup.com to schedule a conversation. #Medicare #OriginalMedicare #MedicarePartA #MedicarePartB #MedicareAdvantage #MedicareSupplement #Medigap #Turning65 #Medicare101 #RockwallTX www.thetannagroup.com https://www.facebook.com/thetannagroup https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-tanna-group

Medicare Advantage or Medicare Supplement? They are two very different ways to structure your Medicare coverage. In this quick side-by-side explanation, I break down the basic difference: Medicare Advantage (Part C) is another way to receive your Medicare Part A and Part B benefits through a private Medicare-approved plan. Many Medicare Advantage plans also include prescription drug coverage. You’ll typically have copays or coinsurance as you use healthcare services, along with an annual out-of-pocket maximum. With Original Medicare + a Medicare Supplement (Medigap), you keep Original Medicare Part A and Part B and add a Medicare Supplement policy to help cover some of the costs Original Medicare leaves behind. If you want prescription drug coverage, you can also enroll in a separate Part D plan. The right choice isn’t the same for everyone. Your doctors, prescriptions, budget, travel habits, and comfort with out-of-pocket costs can all matter. I’m Niki with The Tanna Group, helping people in Rockwall and North Texas understand Medicare without the call-center pressure. Have Medicare questions or approaching 65? Visit The Tanna Group to schedule a conversation. #Medicare #MedicareAdvantage #MedicareSupplement #Medigap #Medicare101 #Turning65 #RockwallTX #NorthTexasMedicare www.thetannagroup.com https://www.facebook.com/thetannagroup https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-tanna-group

Medicare Advantage or Medicare Supplement: which one's right for you? That's one of the most asked questions I get from people turning 65, so in this video I'm breaking it down in plain language so you actually understand what you're choosing between. This is purely educational. I don't recommend any specific plan or carrier. My goal is to give you the information you need to make a confident, informed decision. What's covered in this video: 1. The quick foundation: what Original Medicare (Parts A and B) covers and why the gap matters 2. Medicare Advantage explained: how it works, networks, HMO plans, drug coverage, dental and vision, $0 premiums, copays, and the Part B premium you still owe 3. Medicare Supplement (Medigap) explained: how it works alongside Original Medicare, no network restrictions, standardized plans, predictable monthly costs, and the need for a separate Part D 4. Side by side: Medicare Advantage bundles everything under one umbrella; Medigap keeps Original Medicare and adds a supplement and a standalone drug plan 5. The one thing to know about timing: if you start on Medicare Advantage and later want to switch to a Medigap plan, you'll face medical underwriting — health questions about stroke, heart attack, cancer history, and more. But if you're in your 65th birthday initial enrollment period, you're protected. 6. How to get your questions answered and see real rates for your situation 00:00 Intro — Medicare Advantage or Medicare Supplement? 00:26 Quick foundation: Original Medicare Parts A and B 01:11 Why the gap exists and what both options are designed to do 01:23 Medicare Advantage: Part C, HMO plans, networks, referrals 02:04 Drug coverage, dental, vision, and extra benefits on Advantage 02:20 Premiums, copays, and the Part B premium you still owe 02:59 Medicare Supplement (Medigap): how it works differently 03:11 Keeping your red, white, and blue card as your main coverage 03:35 No network, no referrals with Medigap 03:52 Standardized plans: Plan G is Plan G no matter the company 04:13 Tradeoffs: higher premiums, separate Part D, predictable costs 04:44 Side by side: Advantage vs. Supplement at a glance 05:35 The timing issue: medical underwriting if you switch later 06:06 Initial enrollment period protection at 65 06:35 Outro: book a call, get real rates, thetannagroup.com About Niki I'm Niki Trentacosta with The Tanna Group, a licensed Medicare consultant based in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. I work with multiple carriers, which means I can help you compare your real options — not just what one company offers. My help is completely free to you. I'm paid by the insurance carrier when you enroll, so there's no charge for a consultation and no pressure to sign up for anything. Book a call or Zoom: thetannagroup.com Read the full blog post: [BLOG LINK] Disclaimers We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options. We are not connected with or endorsed by the U.S. government or the federal Medicare program. Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement, Medigap, Medicare explained, turning 65 Medicare, Medicare Part C, Medicare basics, Medicare 2026, Medicare help, Medicare comparison, Medicare Advantage vs Medicare Supplement, Medicare for beginners, Medicare enrollment, Medicare Texas, Medicare Dallas Fort Worth, independent Medicare agent, how Medicare works, Medicare education, Medicare HMO, Medicare underwriting

One of the questions I hear all the time is: “How much does it cost to work with a Medicare agent?” For my clients, the answer is simple: you don’t pay me a consultation fee. When I help someone find and enroll in a Medicare plan, I may be compensated by the insurance carrier. That means you can sit down with a licensed, local Medicare agent, ask questions, compare your options, and get help understanding Medicare without paying me for the consultation. At The Tanna Group, my goal is to make Medicare feel a little less overwhelming. No call center. No high-pressure sales pitch. Just a real conversation about your Medicare options. If you’re turning 65, approaching Medicare eligibility, retiring from employer coverage, or helping a parent navigate Medicare, I’d be happy to help. Schedule a complimentary Medicare consultation: thetannagroup.com Serving Rockwall and communities throughout North Texas. #Medicare #Turning65 #MedicareAgent #RockwallTX #MedicareHelp #NorthTexasMedicare