Costs and premiums
What are the Medicare late enrollment penalties, and how do I avoid them?
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Short answer
Medicare charges a late enrollment penalty if you don't sign up for Part B or Part D when you're first eligible and you don't have other qualifying coverage, and the penalty generally lasts as long as you have that coverage.
The Part B penalty adds 10% of the standard premium for each full 12 months you could have had Part B but didn't, and the Part D penalty adds 1% of the national base beneficiary premium for each month you went without creditable drug coverage.
Health coverage from your own or your spouse's current job, creditable drug coverage, and Extra Help generally protect you from the penalties.
| Fact | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Part B penalty | 10% of the standard premium for each full 12-month period without Part B | Medicare.gov |
| Part B example | 24 months late: a 20% penalty, so $243.50 a month instead of $202.90 in 2026 | Medicare.gov |
| Part D penalty | 1% of the national base beneficiary premium for each full month without creditable drug coverage | Medicare.gov |
| National base beneficiary premium | $38.99 in 2026; $41.33 in 2027 | CMS |
| Gap that triggers the Part D penalty | 63 days or more in a row without creditable drug coverage | Medicare.gov |
| Part A penalty (if you must buy Part A) | 10% higher premium for twice the number of years you could have had Part A | Medicare.gov |
How does the Part B penalty work?
If you don't sign up for Part B when you're first eligible and you aren't covered by a group health plan from your or your spouse's current job, your Part B premium goes up 10% for each full 12-month period you could have had it. Medicare.gov's example: someone who waited 24 months pays a 20% penalty, so $202.90 plus $40.58, rounded to $243.50 a month in 2026. The penalty is usually charged for as long as you have Part B, and it grows with the standard premium.
How does the Part D penalty work?
If you go 63 days or more in a row without Part D or other creditable drug coverage after your Initial Enrollment Period, a penalty of 1% of the national base beneficiary premium for each full month without coverage is added to your drug plan premium. Someone 14 months late pays 14% of $38.99 in 2026, about $5.50 a month (rounded to the nearest 10 cents), for as long as they have Medicare drug coverage. The base premium changes each year, so the penalty does too.
What about Part A?
Most people get Part A premium-free and never owe a Part A penalty. If you have to buy Part A and don't sign up when first eligible, the premium can go up 10%, charged for twice the number of years you could have had Part A but didn't.
How do I avoid the penalties?
- Sign up during your 7-month Initial Enrollment Period around your 65th birthday, unless you have coverage from current work. See When should I sign up for Medicare?
- If you delay Part B because you're still working, sign up within 8 months after the job or the coverage ends, and keep the employer's proof of coverage (form CMS-L564).
- Keep the yearly notice that says your drug coverage is creditable; employers and unions send one each year.
- COBRA, retiree coverage and Marketplace plans don't protect you from the Part B penalty.
- If you qualify for Extra Help, you don't pay a Part D penalty, and joining a Medicare Savings Program generally removes the Part B penalty.
Can I appeal a late enrollment penalty?
Yes. For Part D, you can ask for a reconsideration if you had creditable coverage the plan didn't count; the request goes to an independent reviewer, and the deadline is in the letter your plan sends. For Part B, you can ask Social Security to review the decision, for example if you had employer coverage it didn't know about.
Good to know
More questions people ask
Is the Medicare late enrollment penalty forever?
Does COBRA count as coverage for delaying Part B?
Does VA coverage protect me from the Medicare penalties?
How is the Part D penalty calculated?
Related questions
- Medicare.gov: Avoid late enrollment penalties
- Medicare.gov: Working past 65
- Medicare.gov: When can I sign up for Medicare?
- Medicare.gov: Help with drug costs (Extra Help)
Figures are Medicare’s, set nationally, and were checked against these pages on October 2026. For your own situation, contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY 1-877-486-2048).
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This page was last updated: October 2026.