How much will my penalty be?
Your penalty is calculated when you first join a Medicare drug plan. To estimate your penalty, take 1% of the national average premium for the plan year. 1% of the 2026 average premium is $0.39. The 2026 average premium and penalty amounts are under What you pay for a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan in 2026 - Part D. This page also shows the average premium and penalty amounts since 2007.You would multiply the number of full months that you were eligible to join Medicare Part D but were not enrolled in a plan by $0.39. This is your estimated penalty amount, which is added each month to your Medicare drug plan’s premium for as long as you have a plan. So if you were eligible but did not enroll for a 12 month period, your monthly penalty would be an additional $4.68 per month on top of your plan’s premium.
If you qualify for extra help, the penalty will be different. For help figuring your penalty amount, call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) or your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (see Other Important Medicare Contacts for their telephone number).
Additional Resources:
- CMS Tip Sheet - Calculating the Late Enrollment Penalty
- Other Late Enrollment Penalty Questions & Answers
- More Examples and Discussion of the Late Enrollment Penalty (LEP)
- How To Appeal the Medicare Part D Late Enrollment Penalty
(Primary Source: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services - Medicare and You Handbook. This content may have been enhanced by this site to include further examples, explanations, and links.)