“Medicare Quick Bites” is your weekly treat of Medicare information. Hawaii SHIP has created these bite-sized lessons to help you understand this complex federal health insurance, thus “Making Medicare Digestible!” Follow us on Facebook or Twitter to get your weekly delivery of Medicare Quick Bites! This week’s treat is Part A Late Enrollment Penalty.
Premium-free Part A (Hospital Insurance) is available to individuals who have worked 40 quarters (equivalent to 10 years) in the United States and paid the Social Security tax through employment. The late enrollment penalty for Part A is incurred when someone isn’t eligible for premium-free Part A because they lack the work history. These individuals would need to sign up for Part A when they are first eligible at 65 years of age to avoid paying a higher monthly premium.