Congresswoman Nikema Williams Introduces Legislation to Stop Unnecessary Medicare Penalties for Older Americans

WASHINGTON D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Nikema Williams (GA-05) and Rep. Young Kim (CA-40) introduced the Medicare Economic Security Solutions Act. Many individuals are automatically enrolled in Medicare Part B when they turn 65 if they are already receiving Social Security benefits. However, as more people delay retirement and defer Social Security, they are often unaware they must actively enroll in Medicare. This lack of awareness can lead to costly enrollment mistakes, including lifetime late enrollment penalties and lapses in healthcare coverage. Currently, over 700,000 Medicare beneficiaries face these penalties, which can increase their monthly premiums by an average of 30%.

The Medicare Economic Security Solutions Act aims to address these issues by simplifying and improving the Medicare enrollment process. The legislation proposes capping the late enrollment penalty at 15% and limiting how long it can be applied. It also removes penalties for individuals who delay enrollment due to COBRA or VA coverage—groups previously penalized despite having legitimate health coverage. These reforms are designed to reduce unnecessary financial burdens and ensure more seniors can access affordable healthcare.

Congresswoman Nikema Williams said:

“Seniors in Georgia’s Fighting Fifth and across the country are finding themselves hit with surprise fees simply because they didn’t know all the rules about signing up for Medicare. It doesn’t have to be this way. The Medicare Economic Security Solutions Act makes sure seniors who continued to work are not unnecessarily punished for missing confusing deadlines. This bill is about protecting our seniors and helping them get the care they’ve earned.”

“Seniors shouldn’t be punished for working later in life. Unfortunately, Americans can face higher fees for delaying Medicare enrollment,” said Rep. Young Kim. “The Medicare Economic Security Solutions Act will cap these unnecessary, burdensome fees hurting seniors already struggling on fixed income.”

Read the one-pager on the act here.