Can I avoid penalties?

There are some special circumstances in which you can sign up late for Medicare without paying penalties. After the initial enrollment period, you can sign up for optional programs during special enrollment periods.

If you or your spouse continued working past your 65th birthday and had health insurance through your employer, you won’t have to pay a penalty for late enrollment in any of the Medicare programs.

Beginning the month after you end your employment, or when your group health plan insurance from that employment ends, you have an 8-month window to sign up for Medicare parts A and B without penalty.

COBRA and retiree health plans are not considered coverage under current employment and do not qualify you for a special enrollment period or save you from late enrollment penalties.

You can also qualify for a special enrollment period for Medicare parts A and B and avoid late enrollment penalties if you were volunteering in a foreign country during your initial enrollment period.