A 66-year-old who delayed Medicare Part B because she was covered by her employer's group health plan has how long after that coverage ends to enroll in Part B without a late penalty?
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Answer & full 3-part explanation (select an option above, or peek)
Why A is correct
A beneficiary who stays on employer group coverage past age 65 can delay Part B without penalty, and upon the group coverage ending gets an eight-month special enrollment period (SEP) to enroll in Part B without a late-enrollment penalty. The SEP lasts for the eight months beginning the month the group coverage ends or employment ceases, whichever is first. The initial enrollment period's seven months wraps around the 65th birthday, and the general enrollment period's Jan 1–Mar 31 window carries a penalty for those who missed their IEP and SEP. The eight-month SEP is the exact enrollment-period fact tested in the Part B section of the outline.
Why the other options are wrong
- B) The seven-month IEP surrounds the 65th birthday and does not apply after employer coverage ends at 66.
- C) The GEP (Jan 1–Mar 31) is a penalty-bearing fallback, not the penalty-free SEP.
- D) Twelve months is not a Part B special enrollment duration; the SEP is eight months.
Memory hook
Employer coverage ends — eight-month SEP window to grab Part B penalty-free.