You cannot get Medicare early
Medicare begins at 65. There is no early-access option for people who retire at 62, 63 or 64 — the only exceptions are disability-based and do not apply to ordinary early retirement. So the question is not how do I get Medicare sooner, it is how do I bridge the gap.
The gap is usually one to three years, and there are three realistic bridges.
A marketplace plan
Almost always the primary answer, and the one where your own decisions change the price the most — see the next section. Renewable for as long as you need it, and full comprehensive coverage.
COBRA
18 months from your retirement date. If you retire at 63 and 6 months, COBRA reaches your 65th birthday almost exactly. If you retire at 62, it leaves you 18 months short and you will need something after it. How COBRA works.
Retiree coverage from your employer
Increasingly rare, but check before assuming. Where it exists it is often the best value on the table. Ask specifically how it changes at 65 — most retiree plans convert to a Medicare supplement at that point.
The number that decides what you pay
This is the part that makes early retirement genuinely different from every other coverage situation, and it is why this decision is worth real thought rather than a quick comparison.
Marketplace savings are based on modified adjusted gross income — and an early retiree, unlike an employee, has substantial control over what that number is in any given year. You decide which accounts to draw from.
| Generally counts toward the income figure | Generally does not |
|---|---|
| Taxable withdrawals from a traditional 401(k) or IRA | Qualified withdrawals from a Roth |
| Pension payments | Return of your own principal in a taxable account |
| Realized capital gains and dividends | HSA withdrawals for qualified medical expenses |
| Taxable interest, including tax-exempt interest for this calculation | Loan proceeds |
| The taxable portion of Social Security | Gifts and inheritances |
| Wages, self-employment and rental income |
None of this is tax advice, and the right answer depends on your whole financial picture — drawing less from a traditional IRA to stay under a threshold has consequences for your tax bill and your long-term plan. But it is worth knowing that the lever exists, because most people retiring early do not realize their coverage cost is partly a choice.
The Medicare trap at 65 — read this even if 65 feels far away
Your Initial Enrollment Period for Medicare is seven months long: the three months before your 65th birthday month, that month, and the three months after. Missing it has permanent consequences.
Delaying Part B without penalty requires active employment-based coverage — yours or a working spouse's.
This catches early retirees more than any other group, precisely because they are on exactly the kinds of coverage that do not qualify. Put your Initial Enrollment Period in your calendar the day you retire.
Common questions
Can I get Medicare before 65?
Not through early retirement. Medicare begins at 65, and the only early routes are disability-based. If you retire at 62, you need to bridge roughly three years.
What is the cheapest health insurance for a 62-year-old?
Usually a marketplace plan with a premium tax credit, but the answer depends heavily on your income for the year — which, as an early retiree, you have unusual control over. Premiums rise with age, so a 62-year-old pays substantially more than a 40-year-old for the same plan before any credit is applied.
Will COBRA last until I turn 65?
Only if you retire at 63 and 6 months or later, since COBRA runs 18 months. Retire earlier and it leaves a gap you will need to fill afterward. Exhausting COBRA is itself a qualifying event, so a marketplace plan can pick up cleanly when it ends.
How does my retirement income affect what I pay?
Marketplace savings are based on modified adjusted gross income. Traditional IRA and 401(k) withdrawals, pensions, realized capital gains and the taxable portion of Social Security generally count. Qualified Roth withdrawals and HSA withdrawals for medical expenses generally do not. Which accounts you draw from can therefore change your premium considerably.
What happens if I go slightly over the income limit?
For 2026 this matters far more than it did in recent years. The enhanced credits expired at the end of 2025, restoring a hard cut-off at 400% of the federal poverty level. Above that line the credit disappears entirely rather than tapering, so a small income difference can produce a large cost difference.
Do I still need Part B if I have retiree coverage or COBRA at 65?
Yes, in almost all cases. Only active employment-based coverage lets you delay Part B without penalty. COBRA, retiree coverage and marketplace plans do not qualify. Skipping Part B while on any of them creates a permanent 10% penalty for each full year of delay.
Can my spouse and I be on different plans?
Yes, and it is often sensible. A common arrangement is one spouse on Medicare at 65 while the younger remains on a marketplace plan until their own 65th birthday. They do not have to be on the same coverage.
Is there someone near me who handles pre-Medicare retirees?
Plans are priced by county rather than city, so a licensed agent can compare what is available where you live from anywhere. Calling (866) 821-1808 connects you with one who can look at the bridge years and the transition to Medicare together.
Talk it through with a licensed agent
Which option is right depends on your state, your income and which doctors you need to keep. A licensed agent can walk through it with you in about eight minutes.
Free to call, no obligation, and we never ask you for payment. CobraScout is paid by the agency that answers, not by you. TTY 711.
Sources
- HealthCare.gov, Special Enrollment Periods and qualifying life events
- Medicare.gov, When to sign up for Part A and Part B, including the rule that COBRA and retiree coverage do not delay Part B penalty-free
- Internal Revenue Service, Premium Tax Credit — modified adjusted gross income
- 42 CFR § 407.20 (Part B special enrollment and the active-employment requirement)