Wow! I learned more in 30 minutes by reaching out to freepers than I did after hours spent trying to read gov’t websites/forms. Thank you all and I’ll also try to update what I find out from Medicare next week. ( <- remaining ever the optimist.)
Many correct comments already given, but from my personal experience. Your current commercial insurance may require you to apply for Medicare since you are eligible. If the need for hospitalization occurs, they could deny payments until you do apply for Medicare. I had a long hospitalization and had to apply for Medicare due to an ongoing condition and disablity my insurance would not cover all the costs anymore and I am pre-Medicare age. And Medicare can be very slow, for me even with a cut and dried condition that is listed with Medicare it took 4 months for approval. And its great that you are healthy but things happen in the blink of an eye, especially for old folks :-)