I recently turned 65 and I am eligible for Medicare Part A without having to pay a premium. But I have not yet signed up for Medicare Part A or Part B. Can I purchase a Marketplace plan?

Yes, if you are not covered by Medicare, an insurer can sell you a Marketplace plan. But because you are eligible for premium-free Medicare Part A, you are not eligible to receive the premium tax credit to help reduce the cost of a Marketplace policy, even if you would qualify based on your income.

Also keep in mind that if you sign up for a Marketplace plan, rather than enroll in Medicare Part B when you are first eligible to do so, and then later you decide to sign up for Medicare, you may be required to pay a penalty for delaying enrollment in Medicare Part B.  Your monthly Part B premium may go up 10% for each year that you could have had Part B, but didn’t.  You may also owe a late enrollment penalty for Part D drug coverage, which is equal to 1% of the national average premium amount for every month you didn’t have coverage as good as the standard Part D benefit.