Dependent coverage coordination. Unlike group Medicare plans, which may cover dependents (such as a spouse/partner), a standard Medicare plan covers one individual. This complicates the transition from a pre-Medicare group employee or retiree plan to Medicare, since you and your spouse/partner are probably not the same age. work with an insurance agent to set up coverage. AARP article "Younger Spouse Losing Health Insurance, Now What?"
https://www.aarp.org/medicare/faq/qualify-for-medicare-at-age-63/ 

A couple of months before you reach 65 -- and during every Annual Enrollment -- you will start hearing from multiple companies:

Many insurance sales companies will contact you. You will receive mailings and phone calls from health systems, HMOs, insurance carriers (such as AARP/UHC) and insurance sales agencies who purchase lists, selected by age, from consumer data brokers. Your postal or email address was not provided by HP/HPE.

Standard open-market Medicare policies are available through insurance sales agencies and directly from health systems and insurance companies. Premiums are based on the highly-competitive open market and across all customers of the insurer. Sales agencies are paid a standard commission and monthly admin fee by the insurance company.

If you have a Medicare subsidy from HP or HPE, you must purchase from a specific nationwide sales agency -- Alight Retiree Health Solutions. You pay the list price for the plan. The HP or HPE Benefits Center reimburses you monthly until your annual subsidy is used up. ???????
Notes:
- Alight offers most -- but not all -- available open-market plans.
- Some plans are not in the Alight online plan selector -- you must ask for AARP/UHC plans.
- Alight Retiree Health Solutions is a separate company from Alight Benefits Administration, which operates the HP Inc Benefits Center (and the HPE Benefits Center as of 4/1/25.)

Details and member advice: https://www.hpalumni.org/medicare-open-market

You must carefully compare the alternatives yourself. Member advice on how to compare policies: https://www.hpalumni.org/health-compare

No sales agency offers all policies available in your area. Use the official Medicare site to compare benefits and estimated costs -- with contact info -- for all standard Advantage, Medigap, and Drug policies available in your area. https://www.medicare.gov/plan-compare 

Deadlines.  Dec 7 national Medicare deadline to adjust your coverage for the next calendar year. (The national deadline does not apply if you have qualified life event during the year -- such as starting Medicare.)

Next step: Purchase a policy  Member advice on purchasing a Medicare policy that isn't subsidized by HP or HPE. (Note that Alight Retiree Health Solutions is a separate company from Alight Benefits Administration, which operates the HP Inc Benefits Center. The HPE Benefits Center is also operated by Alight Benefits Administration as of 4/1/25.)

Advice and reference info from members. (Updated Aug 25, 2025) Not officially endorsed or supported. Click to join the HPAA   Question? Email us: info@hpalumni.org