Tools
Medicare Part B Late Enrollment Penalty Calculator
Medicare adds a late enrollment penalty if you skip signing up for Part B when you're first eligible and you don't have coverage through a job you or your spouse is still actively working at. That surcharge lands on your monthly premium, and for most people it never goes away.
Run the numbers below for a quick estimate, then read through the notes so you know whether the penalty even applies to your situation.
- 10% added for every full 12 months you delayed
- The surcharge usually lasts as long as you carry Part B
- Coverage from active employment can protect you
Estimate
Run your Part B penalty numbers
Tell us your situation
Count only the months you had no coverage through an employer where you or your spouse was actively working.
Pre-filled with the 2026 standard premium of $202.90. Use the current year's standard premium published by Medicare.
Your estimated penalty
- Full 12-month periods delayed
- Penalty rate
- Extra cost per month
- Extra cost per year
- Your estimated total premium
This is an estimate only. Medicare adds 10% of the standard premium for each full 12-month period you could have had Part B but didn't, and that surcharge generally sticks for as long as you keep Part B.
Have an agent confirm you're penalty-free
Delaying Part B is only safe in a few situations. A free check costs nothing.
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A licensed agent will call you during business hours, Mon-Fri, 8:30am-5:30pm CT. If you'd rather not wait, call 737-236-2017 now.
A licensed Texas agent calls back during business hours to confirm whether this penalty applies to you and what your options are. Prefer to talk now? Call 737-236-2017.
Context
When the penalty applies, and when it doesn't
You stay protected while you carry group health coverage tied to current employment, yours or your spouse's. Retiree coverage, COBRA and marketplace plans don't count toward that. Once active employment ends, you get an eight-month Special Enrollment Period to sign up for Part B without a penalty.
Drug coverage carries its own separate penalty. If you're weighing whether to delay anything, read up on Part D drug plans too, and check the full list of mistakes to avoid. For free, unbiased counseling, The Texas HICAP program (Health Information, Counseling and Advocacy Program) takes calls at 1-800-252-9240.
Austin Senior Insurance is not a government agency
This calculator gives an educational estimate and isn't affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency. For an official determination, contact Social Security directly.
Worried you already owe a penalty?
Call before you enroll anywhere else. In some cases an equitable relief request or a Special Enrollment Period can still apply.