Question 1

When can I first sign up for Medicare?

Accepted Answer

Your Initial Enrollment Period is a 7-month window around your 65th birthday: it starts 3 months before your birthday month, includes your birthday month, and ends 3 months after. Enrolling on time matters, because missing Part B or Part D when first eligible can mean lifetime late-enrollment penalties.

Question 2

Can I delay Medicare if I'm still working at 65?

Accepted Answer

Often, yes. If you or your spouse are still working and you have creditable coverage through that employer, you can usually delay Part B without penalty and enroll later through a Special Enrollment Period when the job coverage ends. Whether delaying is smart depends on the employer plan and its size, so this one is worth a quick call before your 65th birthday.

Question 3

What do the late enrollment penalties actually cost?

Accepted Answer

The Part B penalty adds about 10 percent to your monthly premium for each full 12-month stretch you could have had Part B but went without creditable coverage, and it stays with you for as long as you have Part B. The Part D penalty builds month by month for each month without creditable drug coverage and is also permanent. Both are avoidable with on-time enrollment, which is exactly what we help people get right.

Question 4

What is the Medigap Open Enrollment Period?

Accepted Answer

It is the 6-month window that starts when your Part B coverage begins. During those 6 months you can buy any Medigap plan sold in your state with no health questions asked. After the window closes, switching Medigap plans usually requires medical underwriting, unless your state has a special rule like a birthday rule.

Question 5

What is the difference between the Annual Enrollment Period and my Medigap Open Enrollment?

Accepted Answer

They sound alike but do different jobs. The Annual Enrollment Period, October 15 to December 7, comes every fall and is for changing Medicare Advantage and Part D drug plans. Your Medigap Open Enrollment Period happens once: it is the 6-month window that starts with Part B, when you can buy any Medigap plan with no health questions. Mixing the two up is one of the most common confusions we untangle.

Question 6

How do I get started?

Accepted Answer

We offer a free, no-obligation one-on-one consultation where we review your specific situation (your doctors, medications, health history, and budget) and help you find the plan that makes the most sense for you. Call 1-877-826-0053 or schedule your free consultation online.

Question 7

What does Part B cost in 2026?

Accepted Answer

In 2026, the standard premium is $202.90 per month, and the annual deductible is $283. Part B premiums may be higher based on income. Higher-income individuals pay an Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA) surcharge on top of the standard premium.

Question 8

Is Part A really free?

Accepted Answer

Most people pay no monthly premium for Part A because they or a spouse paid Medicare taxes for at least 10 years of work. Using the hospital benefit still involves cost sharing, including a deductible each benefit period, which is one of the gaps a Medigap or Medicare Advantage plan is designed to help with.

Question 9

What is IRMAA?

Accepted Answer

IRMAA stands for Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount. It is a surcharge that higher-income households pay on top of the standard Part B premium ($202.90 per month in 2026) and on Part D coverage. Social Security determines it from your tax return from two years ago, and you can appeal it after certain life events like retirement.

Question 10

Does Medicare cover dental, vision, or hearing?

Accepted Answer

Original Medicare generally does not cover routine dental care, eyeglasses, or hearing aids. Many Medicare Advantage plans bundle some dental, vision, and hearing benefits, and standalone policies can add them alongside a Medigap plan. An advisor can show you what is actually available where you live.

Question 11

Do Medicare Advantage plans cap what I spend?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Every Medicare Advantage plan sets an annual out-of-pocket maximum for covered in-network care, a protection Original Medicare alone does not have. The cap varies from plan to plan, which is one of the numbers worth comparing side by side before you enroll.

Question 12

Do I need Part D if I don't take medications?

Accepted Answer

Enrollment is optional, but if you don't sign up when first eligible and go without creditable drug coverage, you'll face a lifetime late enrollment penalty. Even if you don't take many medications today, it's often smart to enroll.

Question 13

What is the difference between Medigap and Medicare Advantage?

Accepted Answer

Medigap (also called Medicare Supplement Insurance) is private insurance that works alongside Original Medicare to pay costs that Medicare doesn't cover. Medicare Advantage (Part C) is an all-in-one alternative to Original Medicare. Instead of receiving your Medicare benefits directly from the government, with Medicare Advantage you receive all your benefits through a private insurance company that is approved and paid by Medicare.

Question 14

What is the difference between Plan G and Plan N?

Accepted Answer

Both cover the big gaps in Original Medicare. Plan G pays essentially everything after you meet the Part B deductible. Plan N trades a lower monthly premium for small copays (up to $20 for office visits and up to $50 for emergency room visits) and does not cover Part B excess charges. Which fits better depends on your doctors and how often you use care, which is exactly what a free review looks at.

Question 15

Can I still get Plan F?

Accepted Answer

Only if you were eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020. Plan F is the plan that also covers the Part B deductible, and it closed to newly eligible enrollees that year. If you already have Plan F, a free review can check whether keeping it or switching would serve you better.

Question 16

Can I switch plans at any time of the year?

Accepted Answer

You may not need to wait until the Annual Enrollment Period from October 15 – December 7 to make changes. Medicare allows you to make changes any time of the year. Keep in mind: If you have had Medicare Part B effective for more than 6 months, switching usually requires medical underwriting. There are particular states and circumstances that allow you to bypass medical underwriting with guaranteed approval.

Question 17

What is a Medigap birthday rule?

Accepted Answer

Some states give you an annual window around your birthday to switch to a Medigap plan with equal or lesser benefits, with no health questions asked. The details (how long the window lasts and which plans qualify) vary by state. Our Medicare by State pages show how the rule works where you live.

Question 18

What happens to my coverage if I move to another state?

Accepted Answer

Original Medicare travels with you anywhere in the country. A Medigap plan generally stays in force when you move, though your premium can change and your switching rules become your new state's. Medicare Advantage and Part D plans are tied to where you live, so a move usually opens a Special Enrollment Period to pick new ones. Tell us before you move and we will line everything up.

Question 19

I split the year between two states. Which state's rules apply to me?

Accepted Answer

Your state of legal residence sets your plan market and your Medigap switching rules. Medigap coverage itself works at any doctor in the country that accepts Medicare, which is one reason people who travel or spend winters in Florida often prefer it, while Medicare Advantage networks are local. We are licensed in 49 states and Washington, D.C., so wherever home base is, outside Massachusetts, we can help.

Question 20

How do you get paid?

Accepted Answer

We are paid a commission by the insurance carrier when you enroll in a plan through us: you never pay us a fee, and your premium is the same whether you enroll through a broker or directly with the insurance company.

Question 21

Is there any cost to have my current plan reviewed?

Accepted Answer

No. As independent brokers, we offer a free annual review regardless of whether you decide to make any changes.

Question 22

Do you only serve Florida?

Accepted Answer

No. Pinnacle is licensed in 49 states and Washington, D.C., every state except Massachusetts. Advisors meet clients in person around our Fort Lauderdale office and work with everyone else by phone. Call 1-877-826-0053 to speak with an advisor wherever you live.

Question 23

Will I get spam calls if I send the form?

Accepted Answer

No. We never sell or share your information. Your request goes to our own Fort Lauderdale team, the person who calls is a licensed advisor, and if the timing is wrong you just tell them so. One form, one advisor, no list brokers.

Question 24

What actually happens on the free review call?

Accepted Answer

About 30 minutes by phone, at a time you book. Your advisor looks at your doctors, medications, health history, and budget, compares that against what is available where you live, and tells you plainly whether staying on your current plan is the right move. There is no cost and no obligation either way.

Medicare questions, answered in plain English

Ask our Medicare guide anything

The questions we hear every day

Getting started with Medicare

What Medicare costs

Plans and switching

Working with Pinnacle

Deeper dives

The best answers come from a conversation