Medicare 2026

Why Missing Medicare Deadlines Follows Fort Wayne Enrollees

FORT WAYNE, Ind. — Turning 65 comes with a stack of mail, a lot of new terms, and two Medicare deadlines that can quietly follow you for the rest of your life if you miss them. They're the late-enrollment penalties for Part B (doctor visits and outpatient care) and Part D (prescription drugs).

Fort Wayne seniors: two Medicare deadlines you don't want to miss

The good news: these penalties are avoidable once you know how the timing works. Here's a plain-English guide, with Fort Wayne resources at the end.

How the Part B late penalty works

Part B covers doctor visits, outpatient services, and many preventive tests. Most people sign up during their Initial Enrollment Period — the seven-month window that starts three months before the month you turn 65 and ends three months after.

If you don't sign up when you're first eligible, and you don't have other qualifying coverage (like an active employer group health plan through your or your spouse's current job), you may face a lifelong penalty.

Here's the math the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) uses:

• Your Part B premium goes up 10% for each full 12-month period you could have had Part B but didn't.
• That higher premium generally sticks with you for as long as you have Part B — often the rest of your life.

So a two-year delay isn't a one-time fee. It's a 20% increase built into every monthly premium going forward.

How the Part D late penalty works

Part D is prescription drug coverage. The rule here is similar but has its own trigger: if you go 63 days or more in a row without "creditable" drug coverage after you were first eligible for Part D, a penalty can be added when you finally enroll.

The Part D penalty is calculated as 1% of the national base beneficiary premium for each full month you went without creditable coverage, then added to your Part D premium. Like Part B, it usually lasts as long as you have Part D.

"Creditable coverage" is prescription coverage that's expected to pay, on average, at least as much as standard Medicare drug coverage. Employer plans, union plans, and VA benefits often qualify — but you should get that in writing from the plan. Keep those letters. They're your proof.

Why 2027 makes Part D coverage matter more

Even people who don't take many prescriptions today have reason to pay attention. Part D now has a hard annual out-of-pocket cap on covered drugs — $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027 — and a maximum deductible of $615 in 2026 and $700 in 2027. The old "donut hole" coverage gap is gone (as of 2025, there are now three payment phases). There's also the optional Medicare Prescription Payment Plan, which lets you spread drug costs across the year in monthly amounts instead of paying big bills at the pharmacy counter.

Skipping Part D when you're first eligible — and then needing an expensive medication later — can mean paying a penalty on top of drug costs you didn't plan for.

The key dates to circle

A few enrollment windows to know:

• Initial Enrollment Period: the 7 months around your 65th birthday.
• General Enrollment Period: January 1 – March 31, for people who missed their initial window.
• Annual Enrollment Period: October 15 – December 7, when you can join, switch, or drop Medicare Advantage and Part D plans.
• Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period: January 1 – March 31, for people already in a Medicare Advantage plan who want to switch once.

If you're still working past 65 with employer coverage, ask your HR department (in writing) whether your health and drug coverage is considered creditable, and when you'll need to enroll in Medicare to avoid penalties. A Special Enrollment Period may apply when that job coverage ends.

Higher-income reminder: IRMAA

If your income is above certain limits, you may also pay an Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA) on top of your Part B and Part D premiums. For 2026, IRMAA generally begins for single filers with income above $109,000 (based on your tax return from two years earlier). IRMAA is separate from the late-enrollment penalty — but if you're subject to both, they stack.

What Fort Wayne readers can do right now

Fort Wayne is in Allen County, where a range of Medicare Advantage and stand-alone Part D plans are offered each year. But before you compare plans, get your enrollment timing right — that's the piece that can cost you for life if it's wrong.

Three practical steps:

1. Write down your 65th birthday month and count back three months. That's when your Initial Enrollment Period opens. 2. Gather proof of any current drug coverage (employer, retiree, VA, TRICARE). Ask for a "creditable coverage" notice in writing. 3. Talk to a neutral counselor before you make a decision, especially if you're still working or juggling multiple types of coverage.