Medicare 2026
Medicare Late Penalties: The Dates That Matter Most
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Missing a Medicare enrollment window can follow you for the rest of your life. The late-enrollment penalties tied to Part B and Part D aren't one-time fees — they're added to your monthly premium for as long as you have that coverage. The good news: if you know which dates apply to you, the penalties are almost entirely avoidable.
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Key takeaways
- Your Initial Enrollment Period is a seven-month window around your 65th birthday month — miss it without other qualifying coverage and a lifetime penalty can begin.
- The Part B late penalty is 10% of the standard premium for every full 12 months you were eligible but not enrolled, and it usually lasts as long as you have Part B.
- The Part D late penalty is 1% of the national base beneficiary premium for every month you went without creditable drug coverage after eligibility.
- Medicare's Annual Enrollment Period runs October 15 through December 7, and Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment runs January 1 through March 31.
The dates that trigger — or prevent — a penalty
Medicare enrollment is built around a few fixed windows. The one most people meet first is the Initial Enrollment Period (IEP): a seven-month window that starts three months before the month you turn 65, includes your birthday month, and ends three months after. Sign up during those seven months and no late penalty applies.
If you miss your IEP and don't qualify for a Special Enrollment Period, you generally have to wait for the General Enrollment Period, which runs January 1 through March 31 each year, with coverage starting the month after you enroll. That's the point where a Part B penalty typically kicks in.
For Medicare Advantage and Part D changes once you're already enrolled, the calendar to know is the Annual Enrollment Period (Oct. 15 – Dec. 7) and the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (Jan. 1 – March 31).
How the Part B late penalty works
The Part B penalty is 10% of the standard Part B premium for every full 12 months you could have had Part B but didn't. That amount is added to your monthly premium — usually for as long as you keep Part B.
Example: if you went 24 full months without Part B after you were eligible, your penalty would be 20% added to the standard premium every month, indefinitely.
The most common way people avoid this without realizing it: they keep working past 65 and stay on a large employer's group health plan. That coverage generally counts, and it opens an eight-month Special Enrollment Period to sign up for Part B after the job or the coverage ends — whichever comes first. Miss that eight-month window, though, and the penalty clock starts.
How the Part D late penalty works
The Part D penalty is calculated differently. It's 1% of the national base beneficiary premium, multiplied by the number of full months you went without creditable prescription drug coverage after your Initial Enrollment Period ended. "Creditable" means coverage that Medicare considers at least as good as a standard Part D plan — often coverage through an employer, union, or the VA. Your plan should send you a notice each year telling you whether it's creditable. Keep those notices.
If you go 63 days or more in a row without creditable drug coverage after you're first eligible, the penalty begins to build. Like the Part B penalty, it's added to your monthly premium for as long as you have Part D.
How the deadlines interact
This is where people get tripped up. A few scenarios worth knowing:
- Retiring at 67 from an employer plan: Your Part B Special Enrollment Period gives you up to 8 months after the job or coverage ends. Part D has its own 63-day window after creditable drug coverage ends. They're separate deadlines — don't assume signing up for one covers the other.
- COBRA and retiree coverage: These generally do not count as active employer coverage for delaying Part B without penalty. Many people learn this the hard way.
- Turning 65 with no other coverage: Your IEP is your one clean shot. Missing it usually means waiting for the General Enrollment Period and taking the penalty.
- Qualifying for Extra Help (the low-income subsidy): People who qualify are generally not charged the Part D late-enrollment penalty.
Getting local help in Albuquerque
Albuquerque is in Bernalillo County, where Medicare plan options are set at the county level. If you want a neutral, no-cost person to walk through your specific dates and coverage history, New Mexico's State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) — known locally as Benefits Counseling through the New Mexico Aging and Long-Term Services Department — offers free, unbiased counseling to Medicare beneficiaries.
You can also call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, or visit medicare.gov to check your enrollment status and see the enrollment periods that apply to you.
By the numbers
Medicare Part B premium, 2006–2026
The standard monthly Part B premium has climbed from $88.50 in 2006 to $202.90 in 2026. Hover any point for that year’s premium.
Source: CMS. Standard premium shown; in some hold-harmless years many existing enrollees paid less. Confirm at Medicare.gov.
By the numbers
How people get Medicare in Bernalillo County
(MA penetration in Bernalillo County)
MA penetration from CMS enrollment data; Medigap share is an estimate. U.S. average is about 54% Medicare Advantage. These are area-level figures, not plan-specific.
Explore
When can you enroll? An interactive year
Enrollment windows are federal and the same nationwide. Confirm your personal dates at Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE.
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The parts of Medicare
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Does the Part B late-enrollment penalty ever go away?
I'm still working at 65 with good employer coverage. Do I have to sign up for Part B?
What counts as "creditable" drug coverage for Part D?
If I already have a penalty, can I appeal it?
- CMS — Medicare enrollment periods (medicare.gov)
For personalized answers, contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local SHIP.
Also for Albuquerque
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This page was last updated: September 2026.