What is the Medicare Part B premium in 2026?
The 2026 numbers
- Standard monthly premium: $202.90 (up $17.90 from $185.00 in 2025).
- Yearly deductible: $283 (up from $257 in 2025). After the deductible, your parent generally pays 20% of the Medicare-approved amount for most Part B services.
CMS announced these amounts on November 14, 2025, and said the increase mainly reflects projected price changes and more use of services. The 2027 amounts are usually announced in the fall, so check Medicare.gov late in the year.
Higher premiums for higher incomes (IRMAA)
If your parent's modified adjusted gross income is above a set level, they pay the standard premium plus an income-related monthly adjustment amount. For 2026, Social Security generally uses the tax return filed in 2025 for tax year 2024. The total monthly Part B premiums are:
- Single up to $109,000, or joint up to $218,000: $202.90
- Single above $109,000 up to $137,000, or joint above $218,000 up to $274,000: $284.10
- Single above $137,000 up to $171,000, or joint above $274,000 up to $342,000: $405.80
- Single above $171,000 up to $205,000, or joint above $342,000 up to $410,000: $527.50
- Single above $205,000 and under $500,000, or joint above $410,000 and under $750,000: $649.20
- Single $500,000 or more, or joint $750,000 or more: $689.90
Married people who file separately use different brackets. People with higher incomes also pay an extra amount for Part D drug coverage.
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Find licensed care near youIf income has dropped
IRMAA is based on income from two years back, so it can be wrong for someone who just retired. Social Security lets you ask for a new decision after a life-changing event, such as stopping or cutting back work, marriage, divorce or the death of a spouse, or losing income-producing property. Use form SSA-44 and include proof of the event and the lower income.
How the premium is paid
If your parent gets Social Security or Railroad Retirement benefits, the Part B premium is usually taken out of the monthly benefit automatically. Otherwise Medicare sends a bill, which can be paid online, by mail or through automatic deduction from a bank account with Medicare Easy Pay.
Signing up late can cost more for life. Medicare adds 10% to the Part B premium for each full 12-month period someone could have had Part B but didn't, unless they qualified for a Special Enrollment Period, for example because they had job-based coverage.
Help paying the premium
Medicare Savings Programs, run by state Medicaid offices, can pay the Part B premium for people with limited income and savings, and one level also covers deductibles and coinsurance. Limits vary by state, and many states are more generous than the federal minimum. Your parent's State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) offers free, unbiased counseling and can help check eligibility.
This guide is general information, not financial or legal advice. Confirm current amounts on Medicare.gov or with Social Security.
Common questions
How much is Medicare Part B in 2026?
The standard premium is $202.90 a month, and the yearly deductible is $283.
Why is my parent's Part B premium higher than $202.90?
Usually because of IRMAA, the extra amount for people with modified adjusted gross income above $109,000 (single) or $218,000 (joint) on the tax return Social Security uses, generally from two years earlier. A late enrollment penalty can also raise it.
Can the IRMAA be reduced?
Yes, if income dropped after a life-changing event such as retirement or a spouse's death. File form SSA-44 with Social Security and include documents.
Is the Part B premium taken out of Social Security?
For most people who get Social Security benefits, yes, it's deducted automatically. Others get a bill from Medicare.
Who can get help paying the Part B premium?
People with limited income and savings may qualify for a Medicare Savings Program through their state Medicaid office, which can pay the premium.