Late Enrollment Penalty (LEP)
The late enrollment penalty (LEP) is an amount permanently added to the monthly premium for Medicare Part B or Part D (and Part A for certain voluntary enrollees) when a beneficiary does not enroll when first eligible and lacks other qualifying coverage. The penalty generally grows with the length of the gap.
Definition
The late enrollment penalty (LEP) is an amount permanently added to the monthly premium for Medicare Part B or Part D (and Part A for certain voluntary enrollees) when a beneficiary does not enroll when first eligible and lacks other qualifying coverage. The penalty generally grows with the length of the gap.
Why it matters
Advising patients to enroll on time or maintain creditable coverage prevents lasting premium increases.
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