People who are eligible for Medicare Parts B and D, with highly specific exceptions, must sign up as soon as they are eligible or be forced to pay a 10% penalty for each 12-month period they continue to decline this coverage. This is absurd and a forced hardship on people with limited income. No enlightened society should force people with disabilities and the elderly to pay a penalty for not immediately signing up for health coverage, especially since most of them have perfectly acceptable reasons. In some cases, it is entirely the fault of organizations, such as the Social Security Administration, for not keeping claimants informed or otherwise incorrect handling of cases. This penalty can make health coverage for those eligible cost up to twice as much as it should, and this can be outright unaffordable. This is morally and ethically unacceptable, and we must tell Congress to take this law off the books immediately.
