Still Working After 65? This Medicare Enrollment Mistake Could Cost You for Years

Working past 65 doesn’t automatically mean you can delay Medicare enrollment without consequences. Employer size, coverage type, and enrollment deadlines can determine whether you face lifelong Part B penalties. Dusan Petkovic/Shutterstock

Working past 65 can be a smart financial move, especially if you’re building retirement savings and still receiving health insurance through your employer. But there’s a costly Medicare mistake that catches some older workers off guard: assuming that having workplace health insurance means they can postpone Medicare enrollment indefinitely. Depending on your employer’s size, the type of coverage you have, and when you eventually retire, that assumption could leave you facing uncovered medical bills and permanent premium penalties.

The Medicare enrollment rules after 65 aren’t the same for everyone, and getting them wrong can cost you for the rest of your retirement.