Medical Expense✓ Verified · outline & fact-checked · Sep 2026Difficulty 3/5
A person who does not qualify for premium-free Medicare Part A delays enrolling for two years after turning 65, with no other coverage. The late enrollment penalty is:
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Answer & full 3-part explanation (select an option above, or peek)
Why A is correct
When a person who must pay a premium for Part A delays enrollment and has no qualifying group coverage, the late enrollment penalty is 10% of the monthly premium, applied for twice the number of years enrollment was delayed. For example, a two-year delay means paying a 10%-increased premium for four years. The penalty is limited in duration — it does not last a lifetime.
Why the other options are wrong
- B) The penalty is a percentage premium surcharge over a defined period, not a one-time lump-sum fine.
- C) A person who does qualify for premium-free Part A owes no late-enrollment penalty; the penalty applies here only because this person must purchase Part A.
- D) A 1%-per-month lifetime penalty describes the Part D late enrollment penalty, not the Part A penalty.
Memory hook
Part A late penalty: 10% per year of delay, paid for twice as long.