Medicare Part B premium increase 2026

What changed in the standard premium

The standard Part B premium is the amount a person pays before any income-related adjustment or late enrollment penalty. For 2026, the standard monthly premium is $202.90. For 2025, it was $185.00. The monthly change is $17.90, and the change across a full year is $214.80.

The deductible moved too. For 2026, the Part B deductible is $283.00, compared with $257.00 in 2025. The deductible is the amount you pay for covered Part B services before Medicare begins to pay its share. After the deductible, the usual Part B coinsurance is 20 percent of the Medicare-approved amount, and there is no annual out-of-pocket cap in Original Medicare.

The premium and the deductible are different numbers with different jobs. A higher premium is a monthly cost that continues all year. A higher deductible is a one-time threshold before cost sharing begins. A household budget should account for both, plus the cost of any supplemental coverage, Part D, or Medigap policy.

The standard premium is not a quote for everyone. It is the base amount. Two common adjustments can raise an individual premium above it: the income-related monthly adjustment amount, usually called IRMAA, and the Part B late enrollment penalty. The two adjustments can apply at the same time.

How Medicare sets the Part B premium

Part B is financed through premiums and federal general revenue. The premium is designed to cover a share of program spending, and the deductible and coinsurance are set alongside it. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services publishes the amounts, usually in the fall, for the following calendar year.

The timing matters because Social Security cost-of-living adjustments are announced around the same period. For people who have Part B premiums withheld from Social Security benefits, the net monthly benefit depends on both numbers. A premium increase can absorb part or all of a cost-of-living increase, even when the gross benefit rises.

Some beneficiaries are protected by the hold-harmless rule. In general, if a person has Part B premiums withheld from Social Security and the premium increase would reduce the net benefit below the prior year's amount, the premium increase may be limited for that year. The rule has exceptions, including people who are new to Medicare, people who pay IRMAA, and people who are not receiving Social Security benefits. The official notice is the reliable source for an individual case.

The standard premium is a national figure. It does not vary by state, by doctor, or by the Part B services a person uses. What varies is the adjustment applied to the individual, and the amount of care that falls outside Part B.

Why your premium can be higher than the standard amount

IRMAA is based on modified adjusted gross income from two years earlier. A higher income can move a person into a higher Part B premium tier. The surcharge is added to the standard premium, not subtracted from it. A married couple can each pay the surcharge, so the household effect can be larger than a single person's notice suggests.

The two-year lookback is the part that surprises people. Income from a Roth conversion, a large capital gain, a business sale, or a retirement distribution can change a premium two years later. A person who has a life-changing event, such as retirement or the death of a spouse, may be able to ask Social Security to use newer income by filing Form SSA-44. The form does not guarantee a reduction, and the accepted reasons and proof requirements matter.

The late enrollment penalty is separate from IRMAA. For Part B, the penalty is generally 10 percent of the standard premium for each full 12-month period a person could have had Part B but did not enroll, and the penalty is permanent. A person who delayed Part B without creditable employer coverage can pay both the penalty and any IRMAA that applies.

Neither adjustment changes the deductible. A person with a higher premium still faces the same standard Part B deductible, unless a separate rule applies. The premium notice shows the total monthly amount, and the explanation should identify any IRMAA or penalty included.

What the premium does not include

Part B covers physician services, outpatient care, durable medical equipment, and some preventive services. It does not cover most prescription drugs, and it does not replace the hospital coverage in Part A. A person usually needs a separate Part D plan for drug coverage, and may choose a Medigap policy or another supplemental plan to help with cost sharing.

Part A is premium-free for most people who have 40 or more quarters of Medicare-covered work. People with fewer quarters may pay a Part A premium. That premium is separate from the Part B premium and is not included in the standard Part B amount shown here.

Part D has its own premium, deductible, and out-of-pocket cap. A Part D plan can also have an IRMAA surcharge, which is billed separately from the plan premium in many cases. Medigap premiums are set by the insurer and are not part of Medicare's standard premium.

Dental, vision, hearing, and long-term custodial care are generally not covered by Original Medicare. A person who wants help with those costs may need a separate policy or another program. The Part B premium should be budgeted alongside those choices, not treated as the full cost of coverage.

Worked example

Consider a person who pays the standard Part B premium for all twelve months and has no IRMAA or late enrollment penalty. For 2026, the annual standard premium is $2,434.80. For 2025, the same calculation was $2,220.00. The annual difference is $214.80.

Now add the deductible. The person pays the first $283.00 of covered Part B services before Medicare begins its share. After that, the person generally pays 20 percent of the Medicare-approved amount for covered services. The premium does not count toward the deductible, and the deductible does not reduce the premium.

If the same person had a Part B late enrollment penalty of one full year, the penalty would add 10 percent of the standard premium to the monthly amount. That is a permanent addition. The exact dollar figure depends on the standard premium in each year, so the penalty can change when the standard premium changes.

The example is deliberately simple. It shows the relationship between the monthly premium, the annual cost, and the deductible. It does not estimate a person's total health care spending, because that depends on the care used, the supplemental coverage chosen, and the prices charged by providers.

Three honest caveats

1. The standard premium is not a personal quote. IRMAA, a late enrollment penalty, and the hold-harmless rule can change the amount actually withheld or billed.
2. The premium is set for a calendar year and can change again. A budget based on one year should be reviewed when the next official amount is published.
3. This page explains the standard figures and the common adjustments. It does not calculate an individual IRMAA tier or penalty. Use the official notice and the calculators for those numbers.

Frequently asked questions

How much did the Part B premium go up?

The standard monthly premium is $202.90 for 2026, compared with $185.00 for 2025. The monthly difference is $17.90.

Does everyone pay the standard Part B premium?

No. People with higher modified adjusted gross income may pay an IRMAA surcharge, and people who delayed enrollment without creditable coverage may pay a late enrollment penalty.

Is the Part B deductible included in the premium?

No. The premium is a monthly payment for coverage. The deductible is a separate amount you pay for covered services before Medicare begins to pay its share.

Can a cost-of-living increase be offset by the premium?

Yes. For people who have premiums withheld from Social Security, a higher Part B premium can reduce the net increase in the monthly benefit. The hold-harmless rule may limit the effect for some people.

Does IRMAA use this year income or an older year?

IRMAA generally uses modified adjusted gross income from two years earlier. A life-changing event may allow a request to use newer income, but the request is not automatic.

Is the Part B premium the same in every state?

The standard premium is national. IRMAA thresholds are also national, although the income on an individual tax return determines the tier. State of residence does not change the standard amount.

Source table

Figure	Value used	Official source
Standard Part B premium	$202.90	CMS 2026 Part B premium fact sheetChecked October 28, 2026
Prior standard premium	$185.00	CMS 2025 Part B premium fact sheetChecked October 28, 2026
Part B deductible	$283.00	CMS 2026 Part B premium fact sheetChecked October 28, 2026
Part B costs and coinsurance	20 percent coinsurance after the deductible	Medicare.gov costsChecked October 28, 2026

What to do next

If you are already enrolled, compare the premium notice with the standard amount and check whether the notice explains an IRMAA or penalty adjustment. If you are about to enroll, read the Part B late enrollment penalty calculator before you delay coverage, and use the IRMAA cliff checker if your income is near a threshold. The Medicare vs ACA decision guide is the place to start if you are still choosing between an employer plan and Medicare.