Retired early? Bridge the gap to Medicare.

Health insurance for early retirees before Medicare

If you retire before 65, you face a gap: you are done working but not yet eligible for Medicare. Employer retiree coverage is increasingly rare, and going without insurance during your late 50s or early 60s — when health costs typically rise — is a serious risk. A private PPO plan is one of the most common ways to bridge that gap, giving you a nationwide network and coverage you control until Medicare begins.

This is a planning window, not an emergency. With the right bridge plan, you can retire on schedule and stay fully covered every year until 65.

Can you get Medicare at 62?

Generally no — Medicare eligibility starts at 65 for most people, regardless of when you claim Social Security. Retiring at 62 means arranging your own coverage for roughly three years. That is precisely the gap a private PPO or a Marketplace plan is designed to fill. If your retirement income is modest, a Marketplace plan with subsidies may be the cheaper route; if not, a private PPO usually offers a broader network.

• Medicare typically begins at 65, not 62
• A private PPO bridges the pre-Medicare years with nationwide coverage
• Year-round enrollment — retire when you want, not during an enrollment window
• Cover a spouse who is also under 65 on the same plan

Managing rising healthcare costs in retirement

Healthcare is one of the largest and least predictable expenses early retirees face. The key is to compare plans on total expected cost — premium plus deductible plus the care you realistically expect — rather than chasing the lowest monthly premium. A retiree health plan with a broad PPO network also lets you keep the specialists you have built relationships with, which matters more as you get older.

Choosing a pre-Medicare bridge plan

Start by counting the months until you and your spouse each turn 65, and list the doctors and prescriptions you want to keep. Then have a licensed advisor compare private PPO options for your ZIP code against any Marketplace subsidy you would qualify for. The review is free, and it makes the pre-Medicare years far less stressful.