People who do not sign up for Medicare when they turn 65 may face waiting periods for enrollment and benefits, as well as monthly premium penalties, when they sign up later.  With very few exceptions, people who do not enroll in Medicare at age 65 must wait until the next general enrollment period – January through March – to enroll and will not receive coverage until the following July. They will also be subject to a monthly penalty of 10% of the premium for each year of late enrollment which will last the entire time they are on Medicare.

If you enrolled late in Medicare and are facing a waiting period before you get coverage, or are being told you must pay penalties, the MEDICARE ADVOCACY PROJECT (MAP) may be able to help you have them waived if you qualify for "equitable relief". Equitable relief is available if you were given misinformation or incomplete information about the Medicare enrollment process by Medicare, Social Security or anyone acting on behalf of the federal government. If you are paying a premium penalty or having trouble enrolling in Medicare, call MAP at 1-800-323-3205, and we will evaluate your case for equitable relief. There is no charge for our services.