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We do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 5 organizations which offer 30 products in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) TTY: 711, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options.
Everything Florida residents need to know about enrolling in Medicare — timelines, plan types, enrollment periods, common mistakes, and how to compare your options without leaving money on the table.
Medicare enrollment is time-sensitive. Missing your window doesn't mean you can't enroll later — it means you'll pay permanent, lifetime penalties. Here is the step-by-step timeline every Florida resident turning 65 should follow.
Your 7-month Initial Enrollment Period (IEP) begins. This is the earliest you can sign up for Medicare Parts A and B. If you enroll in this window, coverage can start as early as the first of your birthday month.
If you are already collecting Social Security retirement benefits, Medicare Parts A and B are automatic — your red-white-and-blue card arrives in the mail. If not, you must actively enroll at ssa.gov or your local Social Security office.
Enrolling in months 4–7 of your IEP delays coverage by 1–3 months. Enroll in the first 3 months for seamless coverage from day one.
You have 63 days from when Medicare Part B starts to enroll in a Medicare Advantage (Part C) or a Medigap + Part D plan. Research plans now — not the week they're due.
Part D drug coverage has its own deadline. Waiting beyond 63 days triggers a permanent monthly penalty of 1% of the national base premium per month late. Even if you take no drugs, a low-cost plan prevents this penalty.
Florida retirees who skip Part D early often regret it when they start taking medications at 70 or 75 and face permanent premium penalties.
Every year during the Annual Enrollment Period, you can switch Medicare Advantage plans, change Part D plans, or switch between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage. Coverage changes take effect January 1.
Medicare is not a single plan — it is a system with distinct parts, each covering different services. Understanding what each part covers (and what it doesn't) is the foundation of building the right coverage.
Premium: $0 for most people (if you worked 40+ quarters)
Covers inpatient hospital stays, skilled nursing facility care (after a qualifying hospital stay), hospice care, and some home health care. Most people receive Part A premium-free because they or their spouse paid Medicare taxes for at least 10 years.
Cost to know: The Part A inpatient deductible in 2025 is $1,632 per benefit period — not per year. A new benefit period can begin after being out of the hospital for 60 days.
2025 Standard Premium: $185.00/month (income-adjusted for high earners)
Covers outpatient services: doctor visits, preventive care, lab tests, imaging, durable medical equipment, mental health outpatient care, and most services not requiring a hospital stay. After your annual deductible ($257 in 2025), Medicare pays 80% of approved costs — leaving a 20% coinsurance you are responsible for, with no cap.
Late penalty: If you delay Part B without qualifying coverage, you pay a 10% premium increase for each 12-month period you were eligible but did not enroll. This penalty is permanent.
Offered by private insurers approved by Medicare
Medicare Advantage bundles Parts A, B, and usually D into a single private plan. Many Florida plans have $0 monthly premiums and include extras not covered by Original Medicare — dental, vision, hearing, gym memberships, and transportation. In exchange, you work within a network of doctors and pay copays each time you receive care. Plans set an annual out-of-pocket maximum (up to $8,850 in-network in 2025).
Compare Medicare Advantage PlansPremiums vary: typically $10–$60/month for stand-alone plans
Covers prescription drugs through a network of pharmacies. Each plan has a formulary (list of covered drugs) organized into tiers, with lower tiers meaning lower cost-sharing. In 2025, new legislation caps annual out-of-pocket drug costs at $2,000 — a major protection for Floridians managing chronic conditions.
Learn About Part D Drug PlansMedicare has strict enrollment windows. Missing the right window forces you to wait — and potentially pay penalties. Here are the periods that matter most for Florida residents turning 65.
7 months — 3 before, birthday month, 3 after
Your one-time chance to enroll in Medicare Parts A and B when you first become eligible. Also your window to choose Medicare Advantage or Medigap without medical underwriting questions. This is the most important enrollment period — do not miss it without a qualifying reason.
October 15 – December 7 each year
Also called Open Enrollment. Anyone with Medicare can switch Medicare Advantage plans, switch between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage, or change their Part D plan. Changes take effect January 1 of the following year. This is the time to shop if your plan's benefits, premiums, or formulary has changed.
Triggered by qualifying life events
If you delayed Medicare because of qualifying employer coverage, you get an 8-month SEP after that coverage ends to enroll in Part B without penalty. Other SEP triggers include moving to a new service area, losing Medicaid eligibility, and your plan leaving the market. Florida retirees who relocate from another state commonly use the move-related SEP.
January 1 – March 31
If you are currently enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, you can switch to a different Advantage plan or return to Original Medicare (and add a Part D plan) during this window. You cannot use this period to add Medigap coverage — that requires a separate application and may require underwriting in Florida.
This is the most important decision most Florida residents make when turning 65. Both paths work alongside Medicare — but they work very differently. Neither is universally "better." The right choice depends on your health, finances, travel habits, and doctors.
Best for: healthy retirees on a fixed income, those who value extras like dental, and those who don't travel extensively.
Explore Medicare Advantage Plans →Best for: those managing chronic conditions, frequent healthcare users, and retirees who travel or split time between states.
Explore Medigap Plans →Florida is one of the most competitive Medicare markets in the country — especially in Polk, Hillsborough, and Orange counties. That means you often have dozens of Advantage plan options and multiple Medigap carriers competing for your business. Working with an independent agent who can compare across all of them is particularly valuable here, since the same Plan G premium can vary by $50–$100/month between carriers in the same zip code.
These are the mistakes we see most often when helping Central Florida residents enroll for the first time. Some are simple misunderstandings; others can cost thousands of dollars over a lifetime.
The #1 mistake. Assuming Medicare "automatically kicks in at 65" without confirming enrollment. If you aren't receiving Social Security benefits, you must actively sign up. Missing the IEP means waiting until the next General Enrollment Period (January–March) with coverage delayed until July — and permanent premium penalties.
COBRA is a continuation of employer coverage — but it does NOT count as creditable coverage for delaying Part B. If you leave your job at 65 and take COBRA instead of enrolling in Medicare Part B, you will face a lifetime premium penalty.
Skipping Part D now means paying a permanent monthly penalty every year you eventually do have drug coverage. Even a low-cost plan protects you from late-enrollment penalties that accumulate permanently. If you need medications in the future, having enrolled on time means no penalty added to your premium.
A $0 premium plan can cost far more if your doctors aren't in-network, your drugs aren't on the formulary, or you end up hitting the out-of-pocket maximum. Always compare total estimated costs based on your actual health profile.
An important time to consider Medigap is during your Medigap Open Enrollment Period — the 6 months after your Part B start date. During this window, insurers cannot turn you down or charge more due to pre-existing conditions. After it closes, you may face medical underwriting and could be declined or charged higher premiums in Florida.
Original Medicare covers 80% of approved Part B costs with no cap on what you owe. A major surgery or cancer treatment could leave you with tens of thousands in coinsurance. This is exactly what Medigap supplements are designed to prevent.
Medicare Advantage and Part D plans change their benefits, premiums, networks, and formularies every year. Staying on autopilot can mean your doctor leaves the network or your medication moves to a higher cost tier — and you won't know until January when you try to use it.
Medicare is federal, based on age and work history. Medicaid is state-run, based on income. Many Floridians qualify for both — "dual eligibles" get significant help with premiums and cost-sharing. If your income is modest, always check Medicaid eligibility before paying out of pocket.
Florida attracts a huge number of retirees. If you move to Florida from another state — or split time between Florida and a northern state — your current Medicare Advantage plan may not cover you. A move triggers a Special Enrollment Period to get a plan that works in your new service area.
Going to one insurer's website or calling a single plan's 1-800 number means you only see their options. An independent agent — like Bumgardner Insurance — represents multiple carriers and can compare all plans available in your zip code at no cost to you.
Your 7-month Initial Enrollment Period begins 3 months before the month you turn 65. For example, if your birthday is in July, your IEP runs April 1 through October 31. Enrolling in the first 3 months means your coverage starts on the first of your birthday month.
Missing your IEP without qualifying coverage means a permanent 10% penalty on your Part B premium for each 12-month period you were late. Part D carries a similar penalty of 1% of the national base premium per month late. These penalties last for the entire time you have Medicare.
Yes — if you are covered by a group health plan through your own or a spouse's active employment at a company with 20 or more employees, you can delay Part B without penalty. You will receive a Special Enrollment Period when that coverage ends. If the employer has fewer than 20 employees, you should enroll on time because Medicare becomes primary.
Medicare Advantage (Part C) replaces Original Medicare through a private insurer. It often has low or $0 premiums and bundles in dental, vision, and drug coverage, but you must stay in-network and pay copays each time you use services. Medigap (Medicare Supplement) works alongside Original Medicare, covering your out-of-pocket costs like deductibles and coinsurance. Medigap lets you see any doctor nationwide who accepts Medicare, with more predictable costs — but carries a higher monthly premium.
Technically no, but skipping Part D is often a mistake. If you go without creditable drug coverage for 63 or more days after becoming eligible, you incur a permanent late-enrollment penalty whenever you do enroll. A low-cost $10–$15/month Part D plan is usually worth carrying even if you take no medications, just to avoid the penalty.
No. Medicare is federal health insurance earned through work history, available at 65 (or younger with a qualifying disability). Medicaid is a joint federal-state program based on income. Some lower-income Florida residents qualify for both — called "dual eligible" — and can receive extra help with costs.
Standard Medicare Part A and Part B premiums are set federally and are the same nationwide. However, Medicare Advantage and Part D plan premiums, benefits, and provider networks vary significantly by county. Florida counties — especially Polk, Hillsborough, and Orange — have competitive plan markets with many options at various price points.
Extra Help (Low Income Subsidy) is a federal program that helps people with limited income and resources pay Part D costs. In 2025, you may qualify if your annual income is below about $22,000 (individual) or $29,000 (married couple). Florida has roughly 400,000 people who qualify but are not enrolled. Contact Social Security or a licensed agent to apply.
The Bumgardner Insurance Group is an independent insurance agency serving Lakeland, Winter Haven, Bartow, Plant City, and all of Central Florida. We are not connected with or endorsed by the United States government or the federal Medicare program. Medicare benefits, premiums, and plan details are subject to change annually. Information provided is for educational purposes and does not constitute legal or financial advice.
Florida's Medicare market has hundreds of plan combinations. An independent agent compares them all — and our service is completely free to you.