[Answered]: Mrs

Mrs. Castro has just turned 65, is in excellent health and has a relatively high income. She uses no medications and sees no reason to spend money on a Medicare prescription drug plan if she does not need the coverage. She currently does not have creditable coverage. What could you tell her about the implications of such a decision? Question 16Answer a. If she does not sign up for a Medicare prescription drug plan as soon as she is eligible to do so, and if she does sign up at a later date, she will have to pay a one-time penalty equal to 10% of the annual premium amount. b. If she does not sign up for a Medicare prescription drug plan, she will incur no penalty, as long as she can demonstrate that she was in good health and did not take any medications. c. If she does not sign up for a Medicare prescription drug plan as soon as she is eligible to do so, and if she does sign up at a later date, she will be required to pay a higher premium during the first year that she is enrolled in the Medicare prescription drug program. After that point, her premium will return to the normal amount. d. If she does not sign up for a Medicare prescription drug plan as soon as she is eligible to do so, and if she does sign up at a later date, her premium will be permanently increased by 1% of the national average premium for every month that she was not covered.