If Sharon waited 4 years to enroll in Medicare Part B, what will her premium be if the base premium is $50?

When an individual delays their enrollment in Medicare Part B, they may incur a late enrollment penalty. This penalty typically adds 10% to the standard premium for each full 12-month period that the individual was eligible but did not enroll.

In this case, since Sharon waited 4 years, which is equivalent to 48 months, she would be subject to the penalty for four separate 12-month periods. For each year that she delayed, the premium would increase by 10% of the base premium. The base premium is $50, and the 10% increase would thus be $5 (10% of $50).

Calculating this for four years would look like this:

• Year 1 penalty: $5

• Year 2 penalty: $5

• Year 3 penalty: $5

• Year 4 penalty: $5

Adding these penalties together gives a total increase of $20 ($5 for each year times 4 years). Therefore, the adjusted premium would be $50 (base premium) plus $20 (penalty), resulting in a final premium of $70.

This is why the answer is identified as $70, reflecting the penalty incurred from the delay in enrollment.