Here is a good read taken from the link below. The Penalty Can Add Up! How much the late enrollment penalty will cost you depends on how long you did not have creditable prescription drug coverage. The late enrollment penalty is calculated by multiplying 1% of the "national base beneficiary premium" ($32.34 in 2011) times the number of full, uncovered months that you were eligible but didn't join a Medicare drug plan and went without other creditable prescription drug coverage. The final amount is then rounded to the nearest $.10 and added to your monthly premium. Since the "national base beneficiary premium" may increase each year, the penalty amount may also increase every year. You may have to pay this penalty for as long as you have a Medicare drug plan. Example 1: Mrs. Jones did not join a Part D plan when she was first eligible (by May 15, 2006). She joined a Medicare drug plan during the 2009 enrollment period (November 15,December 31, 2009), for an effective enrollment date of January 1, 2010. Since Mrs. Jones did not join when she was first eligible and went without other creditable drug coverage for 43 months (June 2007,December 2010), she will be charged a monthly penalty of $13.90 in 2011 ($32.34 x.01 = $.3234 x 43 = $13.90) in addition to her plan's monthly premium. If Mrs. Jones continues with her Part D drug plan for the next five years, her penalty will cost her over $800.00 Example 1: Mr. Smith did not join a Part D plan when he was first eligible (by January 15, 2010). He joined a Medicare drug plan during the 2010 enrollment period (November 15,December 31, 2010), for an effective enrollment date of January 1, 2011. Since Mr. Smith did not join when he was first eligible and went without other creditable drug coverage for 11 months (February 2010-December 2010), he will be charged a monthly penalty of $3.60 in 2011 ($32.34 x.01 = $.3234 x 11 = $3.0) in addition to his plan's monthly premium. If Mr. Smith continues with his Part D drug plan for the next five years, his penalty will cost him over $200.00 That's food for thought. Good post Molly. Here is a link that might be useful: Medicare Part D Late Enrollment Penalty

Gosh, I hate this whole procedure. I'm also seeing that medicare supplements are hugely more expensive for 2016. We've had Plan F high deductible in 2014 and 2015, paying under $100/month. Looks like more than DOUBLE for the same coverage next year -- and very little difference in premiums between high deductible and the comprehensive straight Plan F. I'm wondering if we will even GET a supplemental plan next year. I have yet to meet the deductible ($2800) after my hospital stay for pneumonia. (Medicare paid almost everything.) I'd have been better off not paying premiums! We have to do Part D (drug plan). Fun and games running the numbers of who will charge you less for any maintenance meds -- two for DH and one for me (Adviar, at $300/mo. retail). This is a cockamamie system we have in the US.

You are required to have a Part D plan if you have Medicare. You will be penalized later if you haven't signed up for Part D coverage when you are eligible for it. If you have few meds or very inexpensive ones, take the plan with the cheapest premium. DH often goes a whole year without using half of a plan's scary-big 'deductible' (over $400 in recent years, and most plans have them). ALWAYS search the Part D plan offerings for the coming year, and check with the insurer to be certain the information on the Medicare.gov site is correct -- regarding the premium and the cost of each drug. "Mistakes are made," early on as the companies are submitting their information to Medicare. Other nations control the price of prescription medications without this nonsense of Part D insurance. They only people who benefit from the US system are the insurers and the pharmaceutical companies. Ours is also the only nation to permit advertising of prescription drugs. (Not certain if New Zealand still does this, but they were the only other one.) I have yet to find mail order to be less expensive than a local pharmacy by more than a few dollars.

All the Part D Drug plans listed in the back of the Medicare and You handbook are approved CMS drug plans for RX coverage that can be selected by Medicare beneficiaries with Original Medicare. These plans are standardized for all states, whether you live in PA or California, the premium and its defined benefit are exactly the same for all enrollees. Each individual drug plan may designate a preferred or standard pharmacy, and by using a preferred pharmacy will in most cases lower the drug cost for the subscriber. When you go to Medicare.gov and input your maintenance medications, you can get an idea of your total drug costs including the monthly premium costs for each of these plans annualized (or monthly even), for an individualized comparative base cost estimate for each drug plan. Of course if any new medications are prescribed for me during the year, I hope it's a tier one, generic medication and most likely covered, or if not, found cheaper with calling around to Walmart or using GoodRX. Personally myself, I choose the least expensive drug plan on the list based on the total estimated cost to me, and by preferred pharmacy. For peace of mind, this exercise should be done each year, as nothing is static and drug plans trend to fluctuate upwards.