Medicare 2026

Medicare Part B and Part D Enrollment Deadlines for Kentwood

KENTWOOD, Mich. — Some Medicare mistakes wash out quickly. Others follow you for the rest of your life. The late-enrollment penalties for Part B and Part D fall into that second group — and they trip up thousands of people every year, usually because no one warned them the clock was ticking.

The good news: these penalties are avoidable once you know how the rules work. Here's a plain-English guide for Kentwood residents on what the deadlines are, who they apply to, and how to stay clear of them.

Why these penalties matter more than most

The Part B and Part D late-enrollment penalties aren't one-time fees. They get added to your monthly premium — and in most cases, they stay there for as long as you have that coverage. Miss the window by a year or two, and you could be paying extra every month well into your 90s.

That's why Medicare's enrollment periods deserve the same attention you'd give a tax deadline. According to CMS guidance on Medicare.gov, the rules are national, but the consequences are personal.

The Part B penalty: 10% for every 12 months you delay

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

If you don't sign up during that window, and you don't have other qualifying coverage, here's what happens:

• 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 sticks with you for as long as you have Part B — which, for most people, means the rest of their lives.
• You may also have to wait until the General Enrollment Period (Jan. 1 – March 31) to sign up, with coverage starting the month after you enroll.

The most common way people avoid this penalty is by having creditable coverage from a current employer (yours or a spouse's). If you're still working past 65 and covered by a large group health plan, you generally get a Special Enrollment Period to join Part B later without a penalty.

The Part D penalty: small numbers that add up

Part D covers prescription drugs. Its penalty works differently — and it's easier to trigger than people realize because it applies even if you don't take any medications right now.

Here's how it's calculated:

• Medicare takes 1% of the "national base beneficiary premium" and multiplies it by the number of full months you went without creditable drug coverage after your Initial Enrollment Period ended.
• That amount is added to your Part D premium every month, for as long as you have Part D.

So if you go three years without drug coverage after becoming eligible, that's 36% added to your premium — permanently. Skipping Part D because "I don't take anything" is one of the most expensive assumptions in Medicare.

To avoid this, either enroll in a Part D plan when you first become eligible, or make sure any drug coverage you keep instead (from an employer, union, or the VA, for example) is officially considered creditable. Your plan is required to send you a notice each year telling you whether it counts.

How Kentwood residents can check their options

Kentwood is in Kent County, where Medicare beneficiaries have a range of stand-alone Part D plans and Medicare Advantage plans that include drug coverage to choose from. The exact count changes each year, and CMS publishes updated plan information ahead of every Annual Enrollment Period.

You don't need to memorize the list. What matters is knowing when you can act:

• Initial Enrollment Period — the seven months around your 65th birthday.
• Annual Enrollment Period — October 15 through December 7 each year, for changes that take effect January 1.
• Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment — January 1 through March 31, for people already in a Medicare Advantage plan.
• Special Enrollment Periods — triggered by life events like losing employer coverage or moving.

A few 2027 facts worth knowing

Even if you're penalty-free, the drug side of Medicare looks different than it did a few years ago:

• The out-of-pocket cap for Part D is $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027. Once you hit it, you pay nothing for covered drugs the rest of the year.
• The maximum Part D deductible is $615 in 2026 and $700 in 2027.
• The old 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 your drug costs across the calendar year in monthly installments, at no extra charge.
• IRMAA — the income-related surcharge — begins above $109,000 in income for a single filer in 2026.