Boeing, BMW, Michelin, Prisma, Lexington Medical Center, PEBA, the Savannah River Site, and more — because the way you leave your job changes the way you enter Medicare.

Most Medicare guides treat everyone the same. That's a mistake, because the smartest move at 65 depends heavily on where you worked and what benefits you're leaving behind. A retiring Boeing worker, a state employee on PEBA, and a military retiree with TRICARE are each walking into a different decision, and each one has a different way to get it wrong.

This page is the map. Find your employer below, read the guide built for your exact situation, and if you don't see your company, we'll point you in the right direction. When you're ready for a real answer for your own coverage, Mauldin Insurance Group helps Lexington and Midlands retirees sort this out every day, at no cost.

The one rule that applies to everyone

Before you dig into your specific employer, understand the rule underneath all of it: your timing is tied to your employer coverage. When your active employer coverage ends, a clock starts on your Medicare enrollment. Miss that window, or misjudge whether your current plan counts as "creditable," and you can lock in lifelong late penalties or a coverage gap you didn't see coming.

Two situations trip up almost everyone, no matter the employer:

• COBRA and Medicare — COBRA does not count as active coverage for Medicare timing, and treating it like it does is one of the most expensive retiree mistakes there is.
• Switching from Medicare Advantage to Medigap later — it's not always guaranteed, and the trap catches retirees who assumed they could change their mind down the road.

Read those two first. Then find your employer.

Find your employer

Major South Carolina employers

• Boeing South Carolina — a guide for Dreamliner workers retiring in the Lowcountry, plus transplants who brought their benefits from Washington.
• BMW Plant Spartanburg — your Medicare roadmap for the Upstate's first big retirement wave.
• Michelin — how your Michelin coverage works alongside Medicare.
• Prisma Health — five questions to answer before your last shift.
• Lexington Medical Center — a Medicare guide for the people who spent their careers taking care of everyone else.
• Dominion Energy / SCANA — SCANA legacy benefits, Medicare timing, and what to check before your last day.
• BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina — yes, you still need a Medicare plan, and here's how the handoff works.
• Colonial Life — you sold supplemental benefits for a career; now meet Medicare Supplements.

Government, public service, and military

• PEBA — SC teachers and state retirees — what state employees and educators need to know before 65.
• Federal employees (FEHB) — the FEHB and Medicare Part B decision nobody explains clearly.
• Military retirees near Fort Jackson (TRICARE For Life) — the one move you can't miss at 65.
• Savannah River Site — your benefits have more history than your badge; here's the Medicare piece.

Don't see your employer here?

The employer on your badge matters, but the underlying decision is the same one every retiree faces: when does your coverage end, does it count as creditable, and what fills the gap. If your company isn't listed, these guides cover the situation that fits almost everyone:

• Moving to South Carolina for retirement — what happens to your Medicare when you relocate here.
• Retiring before 65 in South Carolina — your five best health insurance options for the years before Medicare kicks in, and the cost mistakes to avoid.
• What happens to employer life insurance after retirement — the coverage you may lose when you walk out the door, and how to replace it.

And if you want to be sure your new plan keeps your doctors, start here: Does your Medicare plan cover Lexington Medical Center?

The handoff is where money is won or lost

Here's the pattern we see over and over. People spend decades earning good benefits, then rush the final handoff from employer coverage to Medicare in the last few weeks before retirement, and a rushed decision at 65 can follow you for the rest of your life. The penalties are permanent, the enrollment windows are strict, and the "right" answer genuinely differs from one employer to the next.

The good news is that this is entirely solvable with a little lead time. Read the guide that matches your employer, note your key dates, and get a second set of eyes on your plan before you commit.

Ready for a plan built around your situation?

You don't have to piece this together alone. At Mauldin Insurance Group, we walk Lexington and Midlands retirees through exactly this handoff — checking your timing, confirming whether your current coverage is creditable, keeping your doctors in network, and comparing your real options — at no cost and no obligation.

Call or text Mauldin Insurance Group — Jennifer Mauldinm (843) 509-2462 or Ben Mauldin, (803) 920-8827 — and let's make sure your last day at work isn't the day a Medicare mistake starts costing you.

This article is general information, not plan-specific advice. Medicare rules and employer benefits vary; confirm your own timing and coverage before making decisions.