What?? Not Enrolling in Medicare Part D Caused a Penalty?

Hello Toni:

I received a notice from CMS (Medicare) saying they do not have record of me having prescription drug coverage that “met Medicare’s minimum standards from 8/1/2017 to 1/1/2020 and I may receive a Part D late enrollment penalty. My HR director told me not to worry because the employer health plan has creditable coverage. Now I am receiving a Late Enrollment Penalty.

I thought creditable coverage kept me from a Part B penalty.  Now I am finding that was wrong. How am I getting a Part D late enrollment penalty? I did not enroll in a prescription drug plan immediately because I had a 90-day supply for my prescriptions. Now I must wait until Medicare Annual Enrollment this fall to enroll in a Part D plan.

Bad news is I’ll have a Part D penalty forever!!! This doesn’t seem fair!