Medicare 2026

The Medicare Deadlines That Can Cost You for Life

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Most Medicare mistakes are fixable. Missing your Part B or Part D enrollment window usually isn't. If you sign up late without a valid reason, Medicare can add a penalty to your monthly premium — and in many cases, that penalty sticks around for as long as you have coverage.

Here's what to watch for, and how to protect yourself.

Why late enrollment matters more than people realize

Medicare has strict enrollment windows. If you don't sign up when you're supposed to, and you don't have other qualifying coverage, the government can charge you a permanent surcharge on top of your premium. It isn't a one-time fee. It's baked into what you pay every month, often for life.

The good news: if you understand the timing, avoiding these penalties is straightforward.

The Part B late-enrollment penalty

Part B covers doctor visits, outpatient care, and many preventive services. Most people become eligible around their 65th birthday and get a seven-month Initial Enrollment Period — the three months before their birthday month, the birthday month itself, and the three months after.

If you miss that window and don't have other creditable coverage (like a current employer's group health plan), the Part B penalty is 10% of the standard Part B premium for every full 12-month period you were eligible but didn't enroll. That amount is added to your premium — and it typically continues for as long as you have Part B.

Working past 65 with employer coverage? You generally get a Special Enrollment Period to sign up without penalty when that job-based coverage ends. But the clock is tight — usually eight months — so don't wait.

The Part D late-enrollment penalty

Part D covers prescription drugs. Even if you don't take many medications today, Medicare expects most people to sign up for a Part D plan (or have other creditable drug coverage, such as through an employer, union, or the VA) when they first become eligible.

If you go 63 or more days in a row without creditable drug coverage after your Initial Enrollment Period, you can be hit with a Part D penalty. The formula: 1% of the "national base beneficiary premium" multiplied by the number of full months you went without coverage. That amount is added to your Part D premium every month, generally for as long as you're enrolled in Part D.

A quick example: going 20 months without creditable drug coverage means roughly a 20% surcharge on top of whatever Part D plan premium you eventually choose.

How to avoid the penalties

A few practical steps make a big difference:

• Mark your Initial Enrollment Period — the seven months around your 65th birthday.
• If you have employer coverage past 65, ask HR in writing whether it counts as creditable for both Part B and Part D. Keep that letter.
• Watch your mail every fall. Drug plans send a Notice of Creditable Coverage. If yours says the coverage is not creditable, you likely need a Part D plan.
• Sign up during the right window. The Annual Enrollment Period runs October 15 – December 7, and Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment runs January 1 – March 31.
• Don't assume "I'll enroll when I need it." By the time you need the coverage, the penalty may already be building.

What's available in the Bentonville area

Bentonville is in Benton County, where a range of Medicare Advantage and stand-alone Part D plans are offered each year through private insurers. Plan choices, networks, and formularies can change annually, which is why CMS encourages beneficiaries to review their coverage every fall during AEP — even if they're happy with what they have.

You can compare all plans available in your ZIP code at medicare.gov/plan-compare.

A few 2026 facts worth knowing

• The Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,100 in 2026 — once you hit it, you pay $0 for covered drugs the rest of the year.
• The maximum Part D deductible is $615.
• The coverage gap ("donut hole") is gone as of 2025. Part D now has three phases instead of four.
• The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread drug costs across the year in monthly installments instead of paying big amounts at the pharmacy counter.
• IRMAA surcharges — higher premiums for higher-income beneficiaries — start above $109,000 for a single filer in 2026.