Medicare Part D Penalty Calculator for Arizona

1% of the national base beneficiary premium for every full month you went without Part D or other creditable drug coverage after your Initial Enrollment Period. The 2026 base premium is $38.99, so a 14-month gap adds about $5.50 a month.

Coverage expected to pay, on average, at least as much as standard Part D. Many employer and union plans, VA coverage and TRICARE qualify. Your plan sends a yearly notice that tells you whether it is creditable; keep it.

Usually for as long as you have Part D. It is recalculated each year against that year’s base premium.

Yes. People who qualify for Extra Help do not pay the Part D late enrollment penalty.

The penalty applies if you go 63 days or more in a row without Part D or other creditable drug coverage after your Initial Enrollment Period ends. A shorter gap does not count. If you are retiring, changing jobs or changing plans, line up the new drug coverage before the old one ends.

Twelve months without creditable coverage adds 12% of the $38.99 base premium: about $4.70 a month in 2026, or roughly $56.40 over a year. Two years adds about $9.40 a month. The amount sits on top of your plan’s own premium.

Yes, if the plan includes drug coverage. The penalty follows you to whatever Part D plan or Medicare Advantage plan with drug coverage you join, and it is added to that plan’s premium. Choosing a plan with a $0 drug premium does not cancel it; you pay the penalty amount each month instead.

You can ask for a reconsideration. Your penalty letter gives the deadline and explains how to ask. Send proof of any creditable coverage you had, such as the yearly notice from an employer or union plan, VA or TRICARE. We can help you gather the paperwork at our Chandler office.

Many people do, because every month without creditable drug coverage after your Initial Enrollment Period adds to the penalty, and prescriptions often start later in life. A low-premium plan stops the months from adding up. You can join or switch during Annual Enrollment, October 15 to December 7.