Medicare 2026

Before 65 in New Braunfels? Know These Two Deadlines

NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas — Turning 65 comes with a stack of mail, a few big decisions, and two Medicare deadlines that can quietly follow you for the rest of your life. Miss the window to sign up for Part B (doctor visits and outpatient care) or Part D (prescription drugs), and Medicare can add a penalty to your monthly premium — not just once, but every month you have coverage.

Medicare 2027New Braunfels, TX

The good news: these penalties are avoidable once you know how the timing works. Here is a plain-English look at the rules, with a local lens for readers in New Braunfels and the rest of Comal County.

The deadlines that start the clock

Most people first become eligible for Medicare during their Initial Enrollment Period (IEP) — a 7-month window that starts three months before the month you turn 65 and ends three months after. Signing up for Part B and a Part D drug plan during this window is the cleanest way to avoid a lifetime penalty.

If you miss it, you may have to wait for the General Enrollment Period (January 1 – March 31) to sign up for Part B, with coverage starting the month after you enroll.

For Part D and Medicare Advantage changes, the Annual Enrollment Period runs October 15 – December 7 each year, and the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period runs January 1 – March 31.

How the Part B penalty works

The Part B late-enrollment penalty is 10% of the standard Part B premium for each full 12-month period you were eligible but didn't sign up. It's added to your monthly premium for as long as you have Part B.

Example: if you waited three full years to enroll without other qualifying coverage, your Part B premium could be 30% higher — every month, from then on.

The penalty doesn't apply if you delayed Part B because you (or your spouse) were still working and had employer-based health coverage. In that case, you generally get a Special Enrollment Period to sign up without penalty when the job coverage ends. Keep documentation from the employer — you may be asked to prove it.

How the Part D penalty works

The Part D late-enrollment penalty kicks in if you go 63 or more days in a row without either a Medicare drug plan or creditable drug coverage (coverage that Medicare considers at least as good as Part D — often from an employer or union plan).

The penalty is 1% of the "national base beneficiary premium" for every month you went without creditable coverage, rounded to the nearest 10 cents. It's added to your Part D premium and generally sticks with you for life.

Each fall, your current drug coverage should send you a Notice of Creditable Coverage. Save it. It's the paperwork that shows you didn't have a gap.

What's new for 2027 that makes Part D worth paying attention to

Even if you don't take many medications today, enrolling in a Part D plan when you're first eligible protects you against the penalty later. And the program looks different than it did just a few years ago:

• 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 old coverage gap ("donut hole") has been eliminated as of 2025, replaced by a simpler three-phase design.
• The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread drug costs across the calendar year in monthly installments, at no extra charge.
• IRMAA — higher premiums for higher-income enrollees — starts above $109,000 in income for a single filer in 2026.

The local picture in Comal County

New Braunfels is in Comal County, where Medicare enrollees choose among plans offered county-wide. Whether you stay with Original Medicare plus a standalone Part D plan, or pick a Medicare Advantage plan that includes drug coverage, the same enrollment rules — and the same penalties — apply.

If you're new to town or newly eligible, two free, unbiased resources are worth putting on speed dial:

• Texas Health Information, Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP) — the state's SHIP, offering one-on-one Medicare counseling at no cost.
• medicare.gov and 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), available 24/7.

How to protect yourself

• Mark your Initial Enrollment Period on the calendar as soon as you know your Medicare eligibility date.
• If you're delaying Part B because of employer coverage, confirm in writing that the coverage counts, and act within 8 months of losing it.
• Enroll in a Part D plan when first eligible, even if you don't take prescriptions — or make sure your current drug coverage is creditable.
• Keep every Notice of Creditable Coverage you receive.
• Review your coverage each fall during the October 15 – December 7 window.