Medical Expense✓ Verified · outline & fact-checked · Sep 2026Difficulty 2/5
An individual delays enrolling in Medicare Part A without other qualifying coverage. The late enrollment penalty for Part A is:
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Answer & full 3-part explanation (select an option above, or peek)
Why C is correct
If an individual who must pay a Part A premium delays enrollment and did not have qualifying coverage during the delay, a late enrollment penalty applies. The penalty is 10% of the monthly Part A premium for each full 12-month period the person was eligible but not enrolled, and the person must pay this higher premium for twice the number of years of delay. For example, a two-year delay adds 20% to the premium for four years.
Why the other options are wrong
- A) The penalty is percentage-based and recurring, not a one-time flat dollar amount.
- B) A 10% charge per month would be far more severe than the actual rule, which charges 10% per year.
- D) Part A does carry a late enrollment penalty for premium payers who delay without creditable coverage.
Memory hook
Part A penalty: 10% a year, paid twice as long. Delay 2 years, pay 20% more for 4 years.